Obama's Attempt To Use #OWS As A Diversionary Smoke Screen Fails: 56% Believe Washington To Blame For Crisis And Recession

Zero Hedge is the last to cut Wall Street, with its rampant criminality, conflicts of interest, and corruption, any slack - in fact we are often the first to expose it. That said, we have long found it surprising that popular anger is focused on this particular group of individuals, instead of targeting the just as, if not far more, culpable for the current economic collapse enabling focal point known as Washington D.C. As has been discussed previously, it is no surprise that none other than the president has been quick to embrace the Occupy Wall Street movement and its offshoots as his own: after all it cleanly and efficiently deflects attention from his own near-3 year performance as president. Surely Obama is neither the first (nor last) to recognize that the scapegoating of a "minority" group (as the Wall Street "1%" clearly is) and use it as a catalyst for class warfare, is a historically very successful tactic. Well, while thousands of people may express their displeasure with their plight openly before the traditional symbols of Wall Street, it would appear that Obama is failing in his attempt at global diversion from the place where popular anger should truly lie: Congress, Senate, and of course, the White House, without whose (and by 'whose' here we clearly envision Tim Geithner, Hank Paulson and Ben Bernanke) blessings Wall Street would not exist in its current form. Yet it does, and many have figured that out. According to a brand new poll by The Hill, "in the minds of likely voters, Washington, not Wall Street, is primarily to blame for the financial crisis and the subsequent recession. The movement appears to have struck a chord with progressive voters, but it does not seem to represent the feelings of the wider public. The Hill poll found that only one in three likely voters blames Wall Street for the country’s financial troubles, whereas more than half — 56 percent — blame Washington. Moreover, when it comes to the political consequences of the protest, voters tend to believe that there are more perils than positives for Obama and the Democrats." Sorry Obama, your attempt to demonize bankers (who richly deserve the public pariah status they have achieved, not least of due to the in vitro world they occupy, where anything less than $1 million is pocket change) has failed, and the people recognize that real social change, one that must and will impact Wall Street, has to begin with the commodity most often purchased  by Wall Street: politicians... such as yourself.

From The Hill:

A plurality believe that the Occupy Wall Street movement will hurt Democrats and Obama in the 2012 election. Even those whose sympathies lie on the left of center seem unsure about the likely political repercussions. Just half of all liberal likely voters — the group most likely to blame Wall Street for the recession — and fewer than half of all Democrats believe the protests will help their side next year.

The split on the question of apportioning blame for the nation’s economic travails corresponds closely with voters’ political ideologies: More than 7 in 10 conservatives blamed Washington for the recession, while more than 5 in 10 liberals blamed Wall Street.

But self-identified centrists, importantly, appear to be siding with the right on economic issues, with nearly half blaming Washington for the recession.

The difference also reflected voters’ views of Obama: Among those who “strongly” or “somewhat” approve of the president, most blamed Wall Street, while those who “strongly” or “somewhat” disapprove of the president blamed Washington.

Interestingly, those who described themselves as “not sure” about Obama nonetheless blamed Wall Street over Washington by a more than two-to-one margin, 55 percent to 23 percent.

The poll was based on the responses of 1,000 people and has a +/-3% margin of error. The full poll results are below.

Comments

[Clueless Economist]

WTF??? Only 56%????

[ratso]

There's a lot more to Washingto than Obama

[ZerOhead]

You're right... so many free attractions... clean public washrooms... and the weather during winter is much much nicer!

Occupy Washington

Occupy Congress

Occupy the Fed Mothership

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/Burning_of_Washington_1814.jpg

(2014 will mark the official bicentennial and possible re-enactment of it burning down to the ground... funded by the Iranians no doubt... )

[TrafficNotHere]

Wall Street is the symptom of the cancer that is DC.

[Fox-Scully]

Lets include the media that has to be the best that money can buy!

[Ahmeexnal]

56% is about correct.
The other 44% are on Ogolfer's foodstamps. That 44% are the ones who blame the mexicans and other minorities.

[Surly Bear]

OWS is Van Jones is Obama.

[Dental Floss Tycoon]

I loved this Ratigan rant putting the blame where it belongs. . . . A bought congress.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCRnkamitVk

[lincolnsteffens]

Thanks for the link. I've watched Ratigan sporadically and think he tries his best but I missed this one. I probably didn't see it because I can't stand to watch the financial TV stations or for that matter all commercial TV. It is too bad that Link TV adds melodramatic background music to their stuff because it is a real turn off for me.

[X.inf.capt]

yeah, like

LOBBYISTS!

[swamp]

Are you making excuses for the dick-tator?

[Sudden Debt]

Sobers you up knowingthat half the population totally doesn't have a clue and doesn't care less he?

[Freddie]

Sadly OWS is pretty much ACORN 2.

[fuu]

I am saddened that only 33% know who the true criminals are.

[midtowng]

Washington is bought and sold by Wall Street.

Thus Washington doesn't do anything that at least some part of Wall Street doesn't want done.

That 56% think Washington is more responsible for the mess shows that Fox News propoganda is still winning.

[devo]

Most people believe they are in bed with one another, and thus both are to blame.

[Panafrican Funk...]

This.

Incomplete logic to blame one but not the other.  It's the ultimate circle jerk.

[X.inf.capt]

dear

Mr. president...

how much money did you take from the SQUID?

thank you,

a vet...

[Freddie]

Obama has looted the Treasury and OWS is silent.  It is a lot of gimmie gimmie and they are silent how Goldman, hedge funds, Dimo et al were Obama's biggest contributors.

[Spastica Rex]

You are not listening.

Or you are full of shit.

Or you are obfuscating.

Believe you want to belive and go back to your TV.

[nmewn]

Bravo Tyler;

"That said, we have long found it surprising that popular anger is focused on this particular group of individuals, instead of targeting the just as, if not far more, culpable for the current economic collapse enabling focal point known as Washington D.C."

The bailouts didn't fall from the sky.

[-Michelle-]

You don't blame children for eating too much candy.  Children are by nature greedy, selfish, and lacking in judgement.  You blame the parents who allow the children unfettered access to the candy, who offer sweets to buy love, obedience, and a few minutes of quiet.

Wall Street and DC are just one big dysfunctional family.

[nmewn]

"Children are by nature greedy, selfish, and lacking in judgement. You blame the parents who allow the children unfettered access to the candy, who offer sweets to buy love, obedience, and a few minutes of quiet."

This has been my point since day one Michelle.

The parent in this dysfunctional family is DC.

[surf0766]

give it time. The sheep have not fully figure out OWS is being run by marxists.

[devo]

That is like saying the Tea Party is run by fascists.

Okay, Fox Mulder.

[Conrad Murray]

Just as the Tea Party was co-opted by Statists(give it whatever particular label you like), so has the OWS movement.

If you are a Democrat, you are part of the problem. If you are a Republican, you are part of the problem.

End the State. End the Fed.

[devo]

Well, I am neither. I believe in logic and moderation. The Native Americans ran this country best.

[Freddie]

No if you are a dumb f*ck who watches TV or supports Hollywood then you enable these f**kers.  Some of the GOP like that f**k Newt pretend to be with the Tea Party but it has not been co-opted.

OWN has always been ACORN 2/Ayres/Soros/etc.  Much of OWS is you people wanting more free stuff from govt.

[Dr. Richard Head]

Actually this was organized back in March of this year by Anon and a good friend of the Max Keiser show.  No ACORN connections there.  This is a rebellion.  http://maxkeiser.com/2011/03/13/we-are-a-decentralized-non-violent-resistance-movement-which-seeks-to-restore-the-rule-of-law-and-fight-back-against-the-organized-criminal-class/

The Anonymous manifesto:

• We are a decentralized non-violent resistance movement, which seeks to restore the rule of law and fight back against the organized criminal class.
• One-tenth of one percent of the population has consolidated wealth in unprecedented fashion and launched an all-out economic war against 99.9% of the population.
• We are not affiliated with either wing of the two-party oligarchy. We seek an end to the corrupted two-party system by ending the campaign finance and lobbying racket.
• Above all, we aim to break up the global banking cartel centered at the Federal Reserve, International Monetary Fund, Bank of International Settlement and World Bank.
• We demand that the primary dealers within the Federal Reserve banking system be broken up and held accountable for rigging markets and destroying the global economy, effective immediately.
• As a first sign of good faith we demand Ben Bernanke step down as Federal Reserve chairman.
• Until our demands are met and a rule of law is restored, we will engage in a relentless campaign of non-violent, peaceful, civil disobedience.
• In our next communication we will announce Operation Empire State Rebellion.

[Dental Floss Tycoon]

Getting a bunch of angry people together to demonstrate is easy.   Not being co-opted by skillful people that can command mass media is hard.

I got a chill when I heard one of the OWS people describing their open decision making meetings as a soviet system.  "The fairest system of government every devised," he said.

[Use of Weapons]

Anon99.org [http://ampedstatus.org/network/groups/a99/forum/] / #OccupyWallStreet has never been an 'Anonymous movement' - it flirted with them, and got some intel / practical guides to not getting co-opted / van'd but it was never 'Anonymous'. The levels of cyber/real life cluelessness over basic security, infiltration and co-option, not to mention actual street tactics was massive. Worse than kids using LOIC, there were children getting involved in shit they had no clue about. --> Look up that nice female student, 21, getting done now for 10-15 for using LOIC. Your system is sick and run by wankers.

There was some fairly hard core infighting over the direction to take with the Anon99 movement - either burn, ignore or tacitly support. Tacitly support won, but there was a lot of fall out. #Antisec and #LulzSec were responses to the 'hippy / moralfag' support, fyi. For the record, some people took it upon themselves to insulate the more naive parties involved from getting themselves shot or black listed - and yes, I was one of those #moralfags. Current twitter / Doxing support is being made available for many reasons - the lulz being one of them. [OH HAI! URE MOBILE IS RINGING MR RUN THE WORLD]

Grass roots rebellion - it doesn't follow neat narratives that you like. Oh, and the above is NOT an Anonymous manifesto, it is something else. Oh, and Max has the FSB protecting his ass, so I wouldn't lend too much credence to his weight.

/Seabloop - lulz.

"Nothing has gone quite right for a month now" - 'random' on a plane - guess what? It hasn't gone right because you're not getting the whole game plan.

Hamlet: I am but mad north-north-west: when the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw.

Rest, rest, perturbed spirit! So, gentlemen,
With all my love I do commend me to you:
And what so poor a man as Hamlet is
May do, to express his love and friending to you,
God willing, shall not lack. Let us go in together;
And still your fingers on your lips, I pray.
The time is out of joint: O cursed spite,
That ever I was born to set it right!
Nay, come, let's go together.

[Bring the Gold]

Nice to see Nmewen and a whole new rash of Neo-Con Republican facist apologists out in DROVES to place the blame squarely on ONLY the Democrats, whilst defending the likes of Bush, Cheney and Wall Street. Come on folks this is about BOTH parties, the FED, Central Bankers and oligarchs (Putin, Berlusconi, Merkel, Sarkozy, the new tool in Downing street etc. etc.) WORLDWIDE. To try and pin the blame on JUST the Democrats means you are in full support of all the rest of the bullshit that has occured in the past 11 years such as the complete annihilationof the bill of rights, the criminal melt down of 2008 the REPUBLICAN whitehouse, FED appointee and treasury created TARP bill etc. etc. The Democrats are DEFINITELY to blame, but trying to make OWS into some Marxist, black power, ACORN secret handshake democrat agenda is just exactly what the oligarchs want, to co-opt OWS the way they did with the Tea party being hijacked by the Repubs.

Both parties are beholden to the FED, the banks and Wallsteet and by extension the international oligrachacal families that own the same. Wake up and smell the motherfucking coffee. It's far too late in the game to think there is some secret army of militant black muslims causing the problem with anyone with a lick of sense and historical grounding knows thats just crazy talk. Pay attention and quit supporting EITHER the Dems or Repubs.

[nmewn]

Fight bitchez!!!

"Nice to see Nmewen and a whole new rash of Neo-Con Republican facist apologists out in DROVES to place the blame squarely on ONLY the Democrats, whilst defending the likes of Bush, Cheney and Wall Street."

1) Show me where I have defended Bush, Cheney or Wall Street.

2) Define fascism. Would it be like Solyndra, Telsa & Sunpower?...or more like ObamaCare popping health insurance company stock prices so they could sell to mutual funds?

Your ass is hangin out here...make it good ;-)

[Bring the Gold]

You defended Cheney's waterboarding when his book came out.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/guest-post-mr-cheney%E2%80%99s-victory-lap

Any long time readers know exactly who you are and what you support. Fascism would be what I routinely see you support, militarized racist mergers between state and corporations. Yes, I get you don't like it when the fascists are Democrats, only when they are Republican.

Please, dump the V for Vendetta avatar. It's a disservice to that excellent film. If you were V, you would halfway through the movie take off the mask to reveal you were a high ranked "finger" counter-revolutionary. Guys like you were Rah Rah Rahing the Bush/Cheney warmachine and associated corruption for 8 full years and suddenly when Obushma gets in you pretend to be some kind of against the grain rebels. Give me a fucking break. Again, long time readers of this site know exactly who you are and that I am right.

P.S. Daniel Pearl was killed for getting too close to the ISI and by extension the perpetrators of 9/11. 

[nmewn]

1) Give me the quote where I defended Bush, Cheney and Wall Street...you can put it here_________

2) Define fascism.

It can't be that hard...the link you provided was of Chumbadoofus calling me a faggot...very "progressive". Define fascism.

Answer 1 & 2 or lay down.

[Use of Weapons]

Did you miss that bit where the Koch brothers funded most of the tea party?

Not. Really. Statists. Or. Marxists.

The grasp of politics in this room is evidently as real as Commando. Still, as long as you're racking up the bodies, I don't care.

[Clueless Economist]

What in hell are you talking about???????   Matrix whacked 91 Val Verdian soldiers to rescue his daughter...FACT

[Use of Weapons]

Child, GTFO before you embarrass yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmPylZecOQc

[X.inf.capt]

Excuse me,

mr, surf...

i went to check out a general assembly...

i didnt see any marxist, or for that matter any tatooed faced, dread locked, flea ridden, stinky people, either....

saw a lotta vets, ex middle classed citizens, and clean cut students...

you guys should really go and listen to them....its not about redistribution of wealth....

its about corruption, and freedom, and about holding the upper crust to same standard as everyone else.....

[surf0766]

I said it was being run by marxists , not that everyone attending was marxist.

[X.inf.capt]

i stand corrected, sir

uh, by the way, 

which marxist?

proof?

look forward to hearing from you....

[surf0766]

http://biggovernment.com/rebelpundit/2011/10/17/update-communist-marchin...

Have a nice day

[X.inf.capt]

really,

it said they were marching,

didnt say anything about them being OWS leaders...quite the contrary...

they showed up. period

so, again, who are these marxists 'leaders'?

[surf0766]

http://biggovernment.com/sright/2011/10/16/lisa-fithian-occupy-organizer...

[X.inf.capt]

o.k. 

alittle better...

i looked her up on wikipedia, doesnt say anything about her being a marxist....

shes sounds anti- corruption....and anti NWO... and anti big banker.....

and anti exploitation

again, since i like to learn, where are the MARXISTS LEADERS......?

[X.inf.capt]

FYI, surf...

there are no leaders...

these OWS protestors are using a tactic called...

leaderless resistance..... an IDEA motivated cause...

we studied this in military science....its a tough nut to crack

[Use of Weapons]

The time will come when Deleuze is required reading at the School of the Americas.

At which point, the cackling laughs from beyond the veil will be too large to ignore.

/spooktastic

[surf0766]

Where is my bullshit flag.

http://biggovernment.com/mvadum/2011/10/14/working-families-party-recrui...

Just like Egypt too I bet.. Yea mmmmmmmmmmmk...

[X.inf.capt]

o.k. surf....

read the article...

still didnt see anything about marxist leaders....

from what i see, i see alot of groups trying to steer this thing...

private groups or 'others'.....

[surf0766]

If you don't see it then please.... continue being one of the sheep. Good luck.

[X.inf.capt]

yep, you cant prove it so you label...

well, your starting to bore the shit out of me...

next time you make a statement... back it up!

i would have been more than willing to admit to you that i was wrong, if you showed me the basis of the statment... later

[surf0766]

No proof would be good enough for you.. I am sure..

[Bring the Gold]

Game set match to X-inf-Cap. Thanks for playing.

[surf0766]

Not hardly.. Anyone can nag

[ArmchairRevolut...]

surf, you just got your head handed to you. That was actually quite entertaining.  

Thank you!

[LawsofPhysics]

Well who else would be running it, everyone else is working.

[midtowng]

If only you had even a shred of truth...but you don't.

[hedgeless_horseman]

[Smithovsky]

http://www.youtube.com/user/schiffreport?blend=1&ob=4#p/a/u/2/7iJvtQpyx1A

start at 9:56

[GeneMarchbanks]

That means no re-election. Next three months will settle it. Back OWS or not?

Meanwhile I'm looking for the upcoming last half-hour ramp job.

[CvlDobd]

I see dead (cat bounces) people.

3:30 is a terrifying time of day.

[Esso]

Hmmmmmm, no late-day rally. I suppose that means up 3% tomorrow.

[FunkyMonkeyBoy]

New puppet needed... this one doesn't work anymore.

[GeneMarchbanks]

De... spa... ration times com'on! Lets celebrate!

[Dr. Richard Head]

Cain seems like he is being pushed pretty hard to be just that puppet.  "I got no strings to eat pizza."

[john39]

a former FED tool.   just what the country needs.  that guy is a fookin buffoon.

[Dr. Richard Head]

A lieing buffoon to boot.  This is the GOP's flavor of the month.  Anyone but Ron Paul is the GOP's point.  They would even want Obama more than Paul at this point.  Such is the life of the establishment.

[Freddie]

Cain is a FED tool but he is better than the Kenyan or Romney.  Ron Paul is the best choice.

[john39]

the problem is americans have gotten used to picking the "least bad" candidate that the banker clan allows us to vote on.  Screw that, I will pass on all of them, demoncrat and rebuklican.

[DollarMenu]

Cain is a tool for the Koch bros:

http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2011/10/07/335968/herman-cain-koch-bro...

[Mike2756]

Pass this bill!

[daily bread]

But .. Washington is an "enabling focal point" only because we, the voters, refuse to vote out the bums.  If you want to know who the enemy is, look in the mirror.

[Tyler Durden]

Precisely

[jdelano]

Well yes, but a tad reductive.  In the current system, it's usually only bums that run, or, if they aren't bums to begin with, the only way they can keep ther posts is to become bums.  We need to do more than vote.  

[DonnieD]

The parties (Dem & Repub) are the corrupting force. They take over movements like the tea party and OWS, infiltrate them and claim them as their own to stop their ideas of changing the status quo from spreading. Pretty soon the original message is garbled into the same old political rhetoric you hear on an evening news show. They do this masterfully as the Tea Party is now a platform for republican ideas and OWS will be the same for Democrats. 

It's very difficult to get elected in this country without party backing. In other words, only corrupt bums need apply.

[Nascent_Variable]

The two party apparatus is continually fed by the propaganda ministry of the MSM, which filters all information into a fake left/right dichotomy, which is really just different shades of corporatist statism.

There's plenty of blame to go around, and Wall Street stands as one symbol of what is wrong with the country.  I'm just glad that something is happening, even if the people doing it don't see the entire picture.

[DollarMenu]

The supposed '2' parties work together to control access to the ballot.

In some states, voters must declare their allegiance to one or the other, or their vote does not count.

Third paries may not even gain a place on the ba;llot.

Candidates within the system face daunting challanges in the caucus, as all the pre-set private allowannces and dispensations are vetted against his

proposed platform.

There are morlocks entrenched deep in the party machinery who know how to move the levers and switches to obtain the desired results.

It's a messy stew we've allowed to brew.

[Sabibaby]

People need to start using their brains and realize they should be voting with money. You want your vote to count don't you?

/sarc

[Gene Parmesan]

They stay in power by securing gifts for their constituents. Look at Barney Frank's district in MA. It's a little strip of land extending up to where he lives, but 90% of it is the poor sections on the south coast: http://sisu.typepad.com/.a/6a00d834518c7969e20133f312234c970b-800wi

When the free shit army makes up half the population of the country it's too late to turn back.

[Use of Weapons]

You met me at a very strange time in my life, Mr Durden.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nb1EwzjpuT4

[bob_dabolina]

Yup.

And ty ZH for this article

[devo]

It's impossible to vote out the bums when there are only two choices, and both are bums.

We need viable third and fourth and fifth parties, and we need grass root candidates who don't require millions to run a campaign and win votes. The notion that we can elect the best candidate given a republican and democrat is ridiculous.

[Freddie]

+1

Look in the mirror plus look at morons who watch TV.  TV, hollywood and the media gives this scum the power to manipulate the sheep/  If you watch TV you are enpowering the elites and you are a dumb f*ck sheep.

[ScaredandConcerned]

Funny considering how often you regurgitate Glenn Beck themes. I wouldn't accuse you of having an abundance of original thought.

[SMG]

And both Washington and Wall Street are controlled by the Illuminati Oligarchy, and until you address them, we will never truly be free.

[i-dog]

All roads lead to Rome.

Just one example: #comment-1782442

[john39]

good grief not the jesuit misdirection...  how many jesuits you see running central banks?  rothschilds jesuit?  how many jesuit politicians?   this mess is all about zionism.

[Esso]

It's all about JIZ (jews, israel, zionism), and their two absolute rules the world operates under now. They cannot be breached without revolution.

1. Thou shalt not allow ANY real benefit to the citizens.

2. Thou shalt NEVER allow the truth to get out.

[i-dog]

I'm suspicious of anyone who accuses someone of "misdirection" as their very first sentence ... but I'll answer you anyway.

How many jesuit bankers do you SEE? None. The Jesuits (and the Jewish family bank owners) are not seen ... they have hofjuden like Dimon and Blankfein to fill those roles.

How many jesuit politicians do you SEE? Plenty. I'll give you a list when I finish it, but it is astonishing to see just how many in the highest levels of Washington are on it.

It is indeed about Zionism, but not in the simplistic way that you think. Let's just say, for now, that the objectives of Labor Zionists---to have a Zionist homeland in Israel---and the objectives of the Roman Church---to rule from Jerusalem rather than Rome---are not incompatible and that they have been working closely together since the first meeting between Adam Weishaupt (a Jesuit), Jacob Frank (a Sabbatean Zionist) and Mayer Rothschild (a Sabbatean banker) in 1786. Unfortunately, orthodox religious jews who would prefer Jerusalem to be their capital don't get a look-in on these plans.

I hope you don't think that the tens of thousands of Jesuits operating in over 100 countries on 6 continents -- who have been expelled, then reinstated, from over 80 countries for political meddling over the last few centuries -- are not just sitting around playing with rosary beads!?! They, together with the Knights of Malta, the Knights of Columbus and the highest degrees of Freemasonry, are all working towards reinstating the Church of Roman at the top of the NWO.

[El Yunque]

Oil and the tribe of Asher:

http://www.oilinisrael.net/tag/asher

Cyprus and a new gas field:

http://greece.greekreporter.com/2011/01/04/new-gas-field-discovered-betw...

Greece goes casters up, the Euro comes unwound, and Russia's liitle investment in Syria comes into play:

http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2009/me_syria0035_01_13.asp

No matter who you blame, you can't swing a dead cat without hitting another piece of financial instability somewhere that's going to get somones feelings hurt.

2012 is going to be a banner year for anyone thinking that a Ron Paul and his lone wolf voice will help any of us in his stand against the thousands in DC that have a dog in this fight.

I was thinking that right up until we removed the firewall between investment and retail banking, told Brooksley Born to get lost, and turned the commodities market into a turnip for extracting blood, that all of this working just fine, mostly.

Now, everybody I know that trades with skill (apolitical, fairly unbiased, uses credit ratings paper to line bird cages) gets up and slams half a bottle of Pepto before turning on the tubes.

Stability and trust have left the building; back to finding the boogey men to bash with zeal or Zionism, The Fed, planetary alignments, the ghosts of financial titans past, Keynes, Obama, liberals, conservatives, or my favorite - Schrodinger's cat.

You may be right, the NWO might be looking to put the Church back on top, but as a non-practicing catholic myself, they'll do it over my dead body.

I see just another collection of tools and fools that will screw the pooch hard for a little while, while us peons go on making anarchy on Wall Street. Meanwhile the next best war, could be over a little frigging gas patch in a bad spot for making nice world order, that never fucking happens.

Huzaa