(CNN) - President Barack Obama hit back Friday at a charge lobbed at him from Republican presidential candidates, saying the suggestion he's inciting class warfare was flat wrong.
Speaking to Democratic lawmakers at a retreat on Maryland's Eastern Shore, Obama said he would actively rebut that charge in the coming election year.
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"This is one of the biggest things I'm going to be pushing back on this year, this notion that this is somehow class warfare, that we're trying to stir up envy," Obama said. "Nobody envies rich people, everybody wants to be rich. Everybody aspires to be rich, and everybody understands you've got work hard to be successful. That's the American way."
Candidates seeking the 2012 GOP presidential nomination have accused Obama of pitting 'haves' against 'have nots,' saying his rhetoric and policies amount to redistribution of wealth.
In his victory speech the night of New Hampshire's primary, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said Obama was a "leader who divides us with the bitter politics of envy," suggesting his proposals boiled down to an indictment of free enterprise.
Fellow candidate Newt Gingrich has also made the argument Obama is engaging in class warfare, saying in December the president has a "European radical attitude toward class warfare."
In his speech Friday, Obama reiterated a core theme from this week's State of the Union address by calling for the end of tax cuts and loopholes benefiting the country's top earners. Obama assured lawmakers the plan would prove popular with voters.
"We're going to push hard for the Buffett rule," Obama said, making reference to a proposal named for billionaire Warren Buffett that would look to ensure a higher tax rate for the rich.
Obama continued, "We're going to push hard to make sure someone making over a million dollars a year aren't getting tax breaks and tax subsidies they don't need, not out of envy, but out of a sense of fairness and a sense of mutual responsibility and a sense of commitment for the country's future, and that's what we're fighting for. The American people understand that."
In a year when campaign trail arguments seem poised to eclipse meaningful legislation, Obama said Democrats must remain mindful of passing important measures.
"Even as we engage in a robust debate with the other side, I want us all to remember there are still folks out there counting on us and still people out there hurting," Obama said. "Whenever we have an opportunity, whenever there is the possibility that the other side is putting some politics aside for a nanosecond in order to get something done for the American people, we've got to be right there ready to meet them."
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From CNN Politics
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Mitt Romney says people are envious because he wants to believe that people are envious. That's the out of touch, elitist arrogance in him saying stuff like that.
It is quite true. Nobody envy these big poshes. If you have the money it is your money. You have it today but one day will come and you will leave everything behind like what Steve Job did!
Obama: 'Nobody envies rich people'
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Riiiiiigghhhttt..... You just envy THEIR MONEY!
Obama is the biggest liar this country has ever seen. How can ANYBODY possibily believe a word that comes out of his lying deceitful mouth?
Joe WIlson hit the nail right on the head.
So what's wrong with class war? Isn't it time the poor fought back against the mega rich that run Washingoton, the media and business? The only reason they are rich is because they don't pay their workers -profit is the difference between what am paid and what the bos sells my labor for.
We are all paying $11 per hour in real estate fees, half of which goes to the banks and business as profit – real estate caused the crash and is keeping up poor – time to devalue real estate, take money of the rich and put it back into the working economy. Greed is not good
What Americans value more than anything is fairness. Right now, many Americans feel like the game is rigged. If the rules are fair, let everybody play as hard as they want to play & most people can accept the outcome at the end of the day. It's the guys that are obsessed w/winning & dominating & live life like it was a life or death struggle, they're the ones that keep chipping away at the rules until they're guaranteed to never lose. Especially the later generation wealthy,"Born on third base but act like they hit a triple to get there"-Barry Switzer.
So why is it that the GOP doesn't think it is Class Warfare when they cut programs designed to give the poor and middle class a chance to advance or to provide basic necessities like health care and food to people who mostly for no fault of their own cannot earn a living? I don't get that. In truth, these programs are oftent he only thing that prevents real class warfare- the violent kind. Once people lose all hope, they have nothing to lose. And money aside, 99 out numbers 100 anyday.
Actually, President Obama is incorrect. Many of the extreme rightwing hatemonkeys envy the rich and therefore defend them as the good little authoritarian followers they are. They will do anything to please their wealthy masters, like a puppy craving its owner's attention.
They are both wrong. I do envy the rich and wish I was rich. At the same time these twisted Republicans love to twist the truth. There has been class war on the ever shrinking middle class aided and abetted by those truth twisting Republicans!
Obama continued, "We're going to push hard to make sure someone making over a million dollars a year are tax breaks and tax subsidies they don't need, not out of envy, but out of a sense of fairness and a sense of mutual responsibility and a sense of commitment for the country's future, and that's what we're fighting for. The American people understand that."
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Only in a socialists book is it "fair" to take more and more from fewer and fewer to give to others who pay NOTHING. Just how "fair" do the evil rich have to be? 30% fair? 40% fair?? 90% fair???
I know if I had a ton of money and lived in the USA right now, I'd be looking to relocate to a place where all my money and investment would be appreciated an dnot attacked and vilified. News flash for the looney leftists: The USA isn't the only nice place to live on this planet! People and money are very mobile. Who's going to pay for your nutty idea of "fair" when all the money heads to other parts of the world?
The President is not inciting the country with class warfare. It is, instead, the Republican party who, throught unfair tax policies and laws favoring the rich, that have actually brought class warfare to the country. The R's, to distract away from their policies that favor the rich over the average person, they attempt to blame the President. All one has to do to see how the deck is stacked in favor of wealthy Republicans, is look at banking, tax laws, insider trading and off-shore accounts as displayed "in spades" by Mitt Romney's tax returns where he pays little and the middle class takes a hit right in the throat. The R's can lie through their teeth all they want but the truth is out and it started with a very wealthy man who stated, thanks to the cushy tax laws, his secretary pays more than he does. I rest my case!
@Greedy Old Pigs – Good call. Hadn't thought of that. Romney's accustomed to seeing envious people, conservatives.
You are all about class warfare.
Because you don't know the first thing about business you have all the answers with taxing more people that have money they earned not given away like you and so many of your party does.
Why should I trust you with more tax dollars when you can't spend only what you bring in now. You will continue to spend without the money that is needed to back all of your give away programs.
I am retired and worked very hard for what I get and don't think you can relate to the middle class people. All you will be remembered for is tax and spend and more food stamp programs. I see people buy steaks, lobster, and items I can't afford but our rules are not enforced and the fraud is so big you don't seem to care anything about that.
Class warfare you look it up and your photo will be beside the word.
If the rich want to cut welfare programs, I am all for it. So long as they start paying a decent wage and stop paying themselves obscene amounts of money even when they are an epic fail. Executives don't create money, they are major overhead, welfare recipients living off labor of others. Romney made his money killing companies, looting their assets, all built up by people who worked and created the business in the first place. Gingrich? Well, he's never produced a thing in his life. Envy? Nope. I have EARNED enough money to take care of myself and help my family get a leg up. I sure didn't get that through destruction.
Mr. President no need to worry about these republican clowns. They definitely stay true to their words about their money. No one cares if they are rich, I care that they are getting richer by the second with out busting a sweat and then expect the lower income people to pay higher taxes so that they can hold onto their money. My pay raise has not changed much, but everything else is going up but my paycheck. How do they expect for us to pay our own way, when they are on the board of most of these companies that keep raising prices. The only fools who will believe the republican hype are their own deranged base who know no better. The trickle down effect that they have been preaching for years does not work. Also they are such hypocrits, they are willing to look over their nominees bad behavior and the reason is that they only care about getting you out of the white house because you are black. The KKK has really taken over the republican party. They are the only party that is trying to divide America, but I promise you they will not win this race. They are too ignorant to see that America is fed up with their lies. America wake up and do the right thing. The writing is on the wall regarding the republican/tp party.
With all the attacks by the republicans on the middle class, 160 million workers, seniors, teachers, firemen, policemen, and veterans with benefits; it appears republicans envy anyone who does not worship their wealth.
Truth – take a day off, you need some rest.
Truth, we don't envy rich people, their money, or their lifestyle. Get over yourself. Its about how they earn their money, and how they live their lives that counts. A person who regards 375K a year for speaking blather as a relatively insignificant amount of money is not someone most people can feel a connection with. 375K is still a lot of money, either way you slice it.
It's not that the rich have money. The problem is that middle class folks in the country used to be able to live comfortably. Between the tax codes favoring every penny the rich make, their loopholes and off shore banking vs the working poor who can't save, heck they can hardly have a roof over their heads and put food on the table, and the vanishing middle class who hasn't seen a good pay increase in years while everything from food to gas to clothes keeps going up it's hard to make it ini this country.
I don't envy the rich. I am mad as he11 that ceos who are worthless except to play golf, have call girls, a private jet and a big house make money by firing and stomping on the middle class. That makes me VERY MAD!!!
From the extreme rightwing perspective it's only class warfare when we fight back.
@ Truth and nohing but the truth, The president has more money than you I bet. You gave all of yours away to Sarah Palin. Now you are blogging everyday to try to make an income. And speaking of liars, I guess you are okay with Mittens lying about his taxes and reissuing a revised copy, and no telling how it will be revised to benfit him so that he can try to get elected for president any means necessary. He is a career wanna be politician. Tired of sitting at home just raking in money without busting a sweat
Willard is a paranoid jerk who doesn't like to be questioned on ANYTHING. Only a self inflated, spoiled, loser would think we all "envy" his success. This is just another one of the reasons he doesn't belong in the White House.
As far as the debate goes – he is going to need an even better coach when he goes against our very brilliant president.
One has to ask the clueless Repubs, since you are alleging that anyone with a common sense to recognize that the rich have to pay their fair share is envious of the rich and wants to punish them, who are the Warren Buffets and Bill Gates of this world envying when they say, you have to raise taxes to pay down our debt?
Considering how often the GOP refers to the founding fathers, it's amazing how little they know about them and their ideas. The British Civil War/American Revolution was ALL about class warfare! The working class against the aristocracy. It is especially surprising that Newt has not reminded Romney of this. Perhaps he will only demonstrate his historian's knowledge when he is being paid $25k per month?
You with every post bash POTUS and don't post anything to substantiate your accusation he is a LIAR, STOP WITH THE NAME CALLING AND POST EXAMPLES YOU IDIOT, YOU DON'T HAVE CREDIABILITY WHEN YOU JUST NAME CALL, POST FACTS.
The GOP wants to cut taxes for the rich to 15% AND make people that make 30,000 a year pay 15% also, YES ITS A WAR. How do they sleep at night?
To " the truth..." A little over the top are we? Have you studied every President to KNOW he's the biggest liar ever?
Has he lied on the level of say...starting a war, with no real provication? More than one President has done this by the way- not just Bush. Has he lied on the level of Nixon ( Watergate) Reagan ( Iran- contra) Clinton ( Monica Lewinski)? I don;t think so. See I'm not taking sides here , just pointing out your comment is a bit extreme and therefore lacks merit.
The Buffet rule won't pass. The last time they tried to raise the capital gains rate, there was a huge lobbying group (led by Mitt Romney) sent in to fight it. They won.
Read about APARTHIED and then make your determination of whose engaging in "class warfare".
@Truth and Nothing But the Truth
I always like your comment because you start with lies
Actually, I disagree somewhat with Obama .... not everybody wants to be rich, unless you define 'rich' as making over $100,000 .... which is really not much nowadays.
Many people value having a job that requires relatively rare skills and knowledge. Although, such professionals tend to be well paid, the money is not the ultimate goal. It suffices them to know that they stand apart by what they know and can do. It suffices them to know that they understand the world around them better than the vast majority, including people who are possibly rich but fundamentally clueless (e.g., D. Trump).
If rich means being fascist, I don't envy that poison, I'll pass the chance.
Fortunately people like Bill Gates and Warren Buffet demonstrate being wealthy and evil are not the same. Class warfare is against fascism, and guess which political party embodies fascism and hypocrisy?
What.. What.... Whattt.... Come on and people still believe this President. "No body envies rich people" What ? Of course people do. Why do you think we have the lottery, why do people go to school, invest in the market, come up with inventions. So stupid. I respect him because he is the president, does not mean he is right.
Obama is right again.
We dont want to take money away from people that earned it just because they earned a lot.
We simply dont want them to pay off politicians to bend rules in their favor AKA CORRUPTION.
I thought the GOP was anti-corruption and would easily understand that, clearly we see they are PRO-CORRUPTION.
The rich need to pay their fair share. The 1%'s have been looting America all throughout the Great Recession.
@sonny chapman - The game isn't rigged and if you want to play hard, you are welcome to do so. What is stopping people from playing hard you think? Tell me.
Obama grew up wealthy with his Grandparents, so what the hell would he know. He has never had what most would call a normal life and his is just as distanced from Americans as Romney is.
i certainly don't envy Obama. Rich people like Obama want to keep the rest of the masses from getting the opportunity to get rich too. That's what spiteful rich people do. They put up barriers to keep the working man down. And they throw out peanuts that aren't even theirs to make them look like they care. In the meantime, they party and regale and have a big ole time spending our money.
"Even as we engage in a robust debate with the other side, I want us all to remember there are still folks out there counting on us and still people out there hurting," Obama said. ...
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Plenty of people are hurting. They are unemployed and losing their homes and if they are working there's a good chance they are underemployed. Your big gambles of 2009 and 2010 never helped anyone outside of Washington or Walll Street . A lot of people put faith in your promises and you let them down. Accountability comes November 8th. We can do better.
Jariv, how can people escape the perception the game is rigged when you ahve multimillionaries making themselves out to be perecuted and to be victims? Please, grow up.
@Liar Actually, Nixon and Dubya hold the top honor in terms of the biggest liar.
As someone who used to be poor, I never once "envied" rich people or their money. The even notion that I did would've been offensive to me. Rich people think they're so awesome that everyone else wants to be them. That's a load of crap. Yes, most people want to be rich, but that's a question of ambition, not envy. Desire, not jealousness. Wealthy snobs like Romney and yourself (at least the "snob" part applies) are incapable of understanding that.
This sorta reminds me of that kid in school who was really anti-social and always getting into fights. Then, when nobody came to his birthday party, he'd just comfort himself by saying, "Well, they're all just jealous! They envy my greatness."
Yeah, you keep telling yourselves that. See how it works out for ya in November. =)
It appears that right wingnuts envy Mittens' wealth, but not so much anyone else.
@truth, please go live in a country where intelligence is not welcome.
Those who have capital for investment are trying to prevent the workers from obtaining capital by eliminating capital gains tax and taxing wages.
.......................but they need to pay their fair share in taxes, and not stash money in Cayman Island, Bermuda, and Swiss...o.k,
@Truth and nothing but the truth: Do you know how to express youself without the hate you use several times a day. If you are employed during the day you are spending too much time blogging and not enoug time working. If you are not employed or retired, you need to get out more and detox from the blogs.
The only time I hear those words is when gopt speak them. Obama speaks of fairness, not class warfare. But the decks are stacked against those of not so fortunate to have hit the big time. I am happy where I am in life – just not happy about how I pay a bigger percentage of my salary in taxes than those who make more than me.
I don't want to be rich.
I would love to know where Ed 1 has spotted welfare recipients getting lobster and steak. Another troll for the Righties, reviving the welfare queen legend.
there are several green companies who obama sent tax payer moneys to that are on the verge of or in bankruptcy to the tune of 6 billion dollars... what would this fraud of a president know about wealth and productivity?
Obama is worth millions so he must be talking about himself.
Four, people are hurting, youa re correct. Did you really think the abuses of the last 3 decades could get cured in 4 years, or even 8? We have systemic problems that are going to take time and commitment, and a man who was a failed one-term governor who is a diletante when it comes to public service is hardly up to the task of directing us out of it. Romney is NOT qualified, period. He has not feel for how to carry these thibngs out, because his first priority will always be to those like himself. Obama is not perfect, but he sees the whole picture, not just what is good for a few people. Where Romney sees envy, Obama sees people who just want a chance for their kids to succeed. We are willing to do the work and make the sacrifices, its a pity that Romney sees that obligation as envy and class warfare.
Obama: 'Nobody envies rich people' ?
Are you kidding me , tell that to a hungry child . Or a Student that cant pay there tuition !
This isn't about class warfare. This is about Cast and celebrity .
Hahahaha! Obama sure envies rich people; otherwise, why is he making millions of dollars every year now? He plays the left for the fools they are.
Why is it calle a socialist notion that someone who makes 8 million a year pay the same tax rate as someone who makes 50 grand a year? This is not clas warfare, if it is, then Reagan was the worst offender. Under Reagan Romney would be paying about 28% instead of 15%.
Class war is a very dangerous game, a few who have played it are: Lenin, Stalin and Hitler, it is the most powerful form of propaganda. It is usually a sign of a very big shift to a more socialist government. It is usually the academia who spearhead the effort.
President Obama, the repuks need something to suck on since you took their nuk-nuks from them (lol), please just get the message out here that doing the "right thing" is just that, you sir are doing the "right thing". So, let them HATERS (repuks) continue to sit at the banks of DENIAL and sip on hater-aid, because even if you walked on water and feed every American with 5-fish & 5-lofes of bread that would be good enouph for them. And also remember, you turned this country around and that was without any repuk in Congress help. Eyes on the prize Sir.
Wish I was rich so I didn't have to pay taxes. Is that envy? I guess it is.
@ truth
...nevermind...its best to ignore you, like president obama did to that nutty leatherfaced Jan Brewer
Actually, Governer, if things remain on the path that we are on now, pretty soon folks are going to look at you and even you will be able to tell that they are not envious.
Jim in San Mateo
@truth, please go live in a country where intelligence is not welcome.
I agree. Feel free to take your money with you too. I hear Somalia doesn't have any of those pesky job killing regulations. Maybe you could give live there for a while.
@ Truth and Nothing But the Truth -- feel free to take your money and leave any time!
Obama 2012
I respect the office not the person who is there now you have to earn respect and he hasn't done that.
Let's tax all the so called rich people at 100% and it still will not make a dent in the debt we have.
Just get a grip and try and understand that Obama is not the second coming and never will be No leadership skills, no business background, and just came along at the right time to make us go toward socialism more people dependent of the government than people earning money. People that make the money they do don't have to share it's their's not the governments or ours to take. Don't like how they earn it stop buying their goods.
Is it not funny that the debt in this country was created by policies that favor the rich?
We would be having a budget surplus right now to pay off our federal debt if it were not for:
1. Two unpaid wars
2. An unpaid prescription drug plan for seniors
3. Continued favoritism towards BIG OIL companies instead of ALTERNATIVE GREEN ENERGY companies.
4. Unpaid tax cuts for the rich that actually de-stimulated the economy!
And the kicker is, the tax payers of this country bailed out the RICH, aka. WALL STREET!
The Real Tom Paine - Truth, we don't envy rich people, their money, or their lifestyle. Get over yourself. Its about how they earn their money, and how they live their lives that counts. A person who regards 375K a year for speaking blather as a relatively insignificant amount of money is not someone most people can feel a connection with. 375K is still a lot of money, either way you slice it
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How very leftist of you. Now the left wants to pass judgement on all of us, just as they do with business. Yes, now there are good and bad ways of making money legally. Let the leftists judge what is right and wrong, what is good and bad. Yes, better to just let all those companies fail and throw all into unemployment. Yes, that is truly "fair" to all. To the left, the fact that Romney was able to SAVE over 60% of the companies, AND THE JOBS, makes him a "corporate raider", and "Evil Capitalist". Maybe you should ask the tens of thousand of EMPLOYED people at those companies if they would rather be in the unemployment line?
No thnaks, the country doesn't need your warped leftists sense of what is right and what is wrong.
we dont know what newt's policies are, he panders and lies. mitt answers questions, lts you know what he is about
If Obama and the democrats do not envy the rich then why do they support the Occupy this & that thugs?
@The Real Tom Paine - you can escape the perception by living in reality. You need to go after the people that commit fraud knowingly and make them payback what they stole but you need not blame the rich for success. Because that is what everyone wants. In america and around the world.