Unveiling the second part of his $3 trillion deficit reduction plan on Monday, President Obama stressed, in no uncertain terms, that he would veto any bill that would call for cuts to Medicare without raising new revenue. According to the President, "I will not support any plan that puts all the burden for closing our deficit on ordinary Americans". The deficit plan called for $1.5 trillion in new taxes and immediately elicited criticism from Republicans who accused the President of engaging in class warfare.
America does have a history of class warfare, and it's a turbulent one.
This article appears in Sep 22-28, 2011.