Bill Clinton: “All right, let me tell you. I'm all for people becoming millionaires. We've had more self-made millionaires since I've…”

“All right, let me tell you. I'm all for people becoming millionaires. We've had more self-made millionaires since I've been President than any comparable period in American history. And I like that. That's the American idea. But the people of this country that make it go are the average working families. And they deserve their fair share of their own productivity and competitiveness. And it's time to do it. So when I leave you today, I'm going back to Washington for the critical struggles over the budget in the next 90 days. And I will say again, this is the period of biggest change we've had in 100 years. We are going to shape the future. Are we going forward together, looking toward tomorrow, or are we going to be divided? Are we going to have a high-wage, high-growth, high-opportunity future for your children, or a hard-work, low-wage future for half of the working people in this country? Those are the questions. Yes, we have to balance the budget, but let's do it in a way that increases our investment in education, technology, research, and the good jobs of tomorrow. Let's don't walk away from it. Yes, middle class people ought to have tax relief for education and childrearing. But let's don't cut taxes so much just to find tax cuts for people who don't need it and, in turn, turn around and raise the cost of Medicare, raise the cost of nursing home care on ordinary elderly people and their middle-class children who cannot afford it. That is wrong. We should not do that. Yes, we ought to reform regulation and reduce cumbersome bureaucracy. You know something--this is something you ought to tell tomorrow when you're talking to people--our administration has reduced the size of Government, the number of regulations, and the number of Government programs more in 2 years than the previous two administrations did in 12. But I did not reduce worker protections and our commitment to clean water, clean air, and safe food. That is nuts. We should not do that. It is not good for America. So as Congress comes back to work, as you send Ron Dellums and Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein back to their labors, let me tell you, folks, send a message to everybody. This country, it got where it is today because we pulled together and we worked together and we worked for tomorrow. I just got back from Hawaii, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II. I met with veterans from all different races and all different backgrounds who forgot all their differences and worked together. And that's why we won. And when they came home, the GI bill gave them all the chance to go to college and to own their own homes and to educate their children. And that's why America won the cold war and did so well. This idea, this crazy idea that somehow we can go into the 21st century by weakening our middle class, by dividing our people against each other, by convincing hard-working middle class people that the reason they don't have a good income is because of welfare or affirmative action or immigration--all of which need improvement, and we've done more on that than the guys did before as well--but that's not what's holding your wage down. What's holding your wage down is the inability to get a fair deal in a competitive global economy because we need more investment in education, more investment in training, more investment in high-wage jobs. And you know that in your heart of hearts. This country never got anywhere being divided against one another. So let's go forward together for a better future. God bless you all, and thank you.”