Need evidence that Occupy Wall Street is affecting the national dialogue?
Here you go.
Two-thirds of likely voters say the American middle class is shrinking, and 55 percent believe income inequality has become a big problem for the country, according to this week’s The Hill Poll. [...]
Majorities across practically all income levels, and all political, philosophical and racial lines agreed that the middle class is being reduced, while the bulk of respondents in each category thought income inequality was at least a moderate concern. [...]
Perhaps not surprisingly, 94 percent of liberal respondents to The Hill Poll saw income inequality as either a big problem or somewhat of one. But 55 percent of conservatives and 81 percent of centrists came to that conclusion as well.
At least 40 percent of each income group saw income inequality as a big problem as well, and 65 percent of respondents making at least $100,000 a year viewed it as a big or somewhat big issue.
Occupy Wall Street created those numbers, that's likely how a majority of Americans have felt for quite a while. That message had a hard time getting through all the din from deficit hysteria.
But what Occupy Wall Street has achieved is to get The Hill Poll, and every other polling outfit, asking the question. Since this was The Hill Poll, the news might even trickle up to elected types on Capitol Hill soon.