Economy
New Demographic Profiles of Occupy Wall Street vs. Tea Party Movements
[12.01.2011]Roughly one-quarter (23%) of Americans say they identify with the values of the Tea Party movement. An equal number (23%) say that the Occupy Wall Street movement shares their values. Few Americans (6%) say that both groups share their values and nearly half (48%) say that neither group shares their values. The composition of each group’s supporters varies significantly. Among those who identify with the values of the Tea Party movement more… more
Where Does Occupy Wall Street Go From Here?
[11.28.2011]Late last week, Occupy Wall Street protesters across the country marched through cities and clashed with police as part of a “Day of Action.” New York protesters even brought the infamous drum circle (which drew anger from protesters and residents alike before the Occupy Wall Street protesters were evicted from Zuccotti Park last Tuesday) to Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s Upper East Side mansion. The “Day of Action” marked the 2-month anniversary… more
New Survey Explores Americans’ Views on Occupy Wall Street and Income Inequality
[11.17.2011]The latest PRRI/RNS Religion News Poll has some fascinating findings about the Occupy Wall Street movement and the Tea Party movement. Two months after demonstrators took over New York’s Zuccotti Park to protest rising income inequality, the OWS movement equals the Tea Party in its popular support. Americans have nearly identical evaluations of the likely impact of both the OWS and the Tea Party movement, although views diverge strongly by party… more
Most Americans Support Raising the Minimum Wage, Except for Tea Partiers and Fox News Viewers
[11.15.2011]The 2011 American Values Survey, released last week, showed across-the-board support for increasing the minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $10.00 an hour. Now, we’ve broken down our findings on this substantial increase in the minimum wage even further. Our new research note shows overwhelming support for this minimum wage hike, with two crucial exceptions: Americans who identify with the Tea Party and Americans who most trust Fox News… more
Overwhelming Support for Increasing the Minimum Wage
[11.15.2011]Fully two-thirds of Americans (67%) favor increasing the minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $10.00 an hour. According to Public Religion Research Institute’s 2011 American Values Survey, strong majorities of nearly all demographic groups support this sizeable hike in the minimum wage.
Religion, Economic Inequality, and Occupy Wall Street
[10.17.2011]With no sign of the Occupy Wall Street movement losing steam, many have been exploring the role of faith in motivating the protesters’ to take to the streets, as well as the perspective of the religious leaders who are also participating in the protests. “Protest chaplains” have joined OWS in a variety of cities, including Boston and New York. An interfaith coalition introduced a symbol – a statue of a… more
Religion and the Occupy Wall Street Movement
[10.07.2011]The Occupy Wall Street movement has been slowly creeping into the news cycle since it began in New York City in mid-September. As the protests begin to gather steam and spread to other cities, the OWS movement appears to be striking a chord with Americans who are nervous about the struggling economy, and concerned about increasing social inequality. If economic opportunities remain few and government is unable to address… more
Census Shows Record-High Poverty Numbers, But Can Americans Agree on a Solution?
[09.16.2011]A record number of Americans are living below the poverty line, according to a Census Bureau report released on Tuesday, bringing the percentage of impoverished to 15.1%, the highest since 1993. Analysis by Pew and the National Women’s Law Center also show that African Americans, Hispanics, and single mothers are all disproportionately affected. Moreover, research from Public Religion Research Institute shows that finding the political will to implement policy to… more