Business

Wealthier Americans want less corporate influence

Steven Nelson Associate Editor
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A Gallup poll released Tuesday contained some insight into Americans’ perception of corporate influence in the country.

The poll found the highest level of discontent with corporate influence since Gallup began polling on the question in 2001.

Sixty-seven percent of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the size and influence of major corporations. Only twenty-nine percent were satisfied, a record low.

Gallup speculated in its analysis that the era of Wall Street bailouts and business scandals has caused the decline in satisfaction, which as recently as 2002 was at 50 percent.

A remarkable find within the data is that wealthier Americans are, by far, more likely to want less corporate influence than lower-income respondents.

The highest income bracket in Gallup’s demographic break-down, those earning $75,000 a year or more, was the most likely to want less corporate influence, with 73 percent wanting less to only five percent wanting more.

The lowest income bracket, those earning less than $30,000 a year, was least likely to want less corporate influence, with only 51 percent wanting less and 22 percent wanting more.

Democratic respondents were more likely than Republican ones to want less corporate influence, but both were equally unlikely to want more.