On the recordSeptember 13, 2010
I do not think the President should be pitting Americans against each other. Class warfare has no place in our debates. Americans agree with President Kennedy's formulation that a rising tide lifts all boats. Americans believe--it is our basic idea of a country--that we want everyone here to succeed, to do well, and not to pit one group of us against another group. We all aspire to be in the very top groups of whatever we are talking about, and because of the kind of country we have, we have that opportunity, and people do move from one income tax bracket up to the next one, for example, as we increase our incomes. So we do not want to punish anyone for being successful. That class warfare went out of style when the Cold War ended. I do not think it has a part in our debate.
