Former President Bill Clinton took a conciliatory tone when asked on Morning Joe about the Occupy Wall Street protesters, outlining a campaign strategy for politicians that affirmed significant aspects of the protesters complaints regarding the wealthy, without commenting on the violent or destructive elements of the protesters.
“I would say, ‘I hear you,’ [to the protesters],” said Clinton today when asked what he would say as an elected official. “You have it right to be concerned about the shrinking middle class and rising poverty,” he continued, “you’ve got a right to be concerned about the fact that most of the growth the last ten years has gone to the top 10 percent, and most of that to the top one percent,” Clinton said.
He also recommended tax increases as a mechanism of ameliorating income inequality. “I do believe that those of us in that income group should be prepared to pay more as part of a long term settlement of that issue,” adding that he thinks so “not because we should be punished for being successful but because we’re in the best position to pay.”
Clinton seemed to note the economic threat of excessively high taxes, though. “In order for you to do better, we have to grow jobs and build a middle class and raise incomes.”
The former president made no mention of the rioting in Oakland by Occupy protesters or the Occupiers’ violence in Washington D.C., nor did he address the Occupiers who vandalized food carts in Los Angeles after the proprietors refused to give them free food.
You can see video of his full remarks on the Occupy Wall Street protest below.
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