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Does Obama want to redistribute income?

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    New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman weighs in

  • Duration 6:54
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It's an -- while Mitt Romney is dealing with a videotape that makes him look a bit callous there's also a tape of President Obama that makes him look.

A bit radical.

The trick is figuring out how do we structure a government systems that.

Pulled resources.

And hence facilitate some redistribution because I actually believe in redistribution.

At least at a certain level to make sure that.

It's got shot.

Now my interview -- Barack Obama in 2008 I asked him about the income redistribution deal.

Your taking the wealthy in America the -- earners OK you're taking money away from them and you're giving it to people who don't that's pulled.

Income redistribution.

It's a socialist candidate bill bill I do know that -- -- the harper took Roosevelt supported progressive income tax.

And I -- -- to analyze New York Times Thomas Thomas Friedman the author of the book.

Not in paperback that used to be us how America fell behind in the world it invented now we can come back.

Are now what I interviewed Barack Obama clearly did not want to be labeled an income redistribution it's clearly didn't.

Yet years earlier he said he wants is that should I resent the fact that he was -- -- -- -- Just I don't know where he was coming from earlier bill you know what what strikes me is where we should be right now on this really what you know we've been running about.

I want everyone in America much of this where I think the president should be and where Romney should be a -- -- -- America.

Have a chance -- to be there -- -- -- -- to be.

Out of the 47%.

That's me what are what the election should -- be about but it is not who's in the 47% how do we get everybody -- -- the 47.

Okay but let's talk about income redistribution because I think you beyond a reasonable doubt that that's what president Obama's economic philosophy is.

Now is that what.

Make a stronger nation giving people assets giving people money.

It would does that make a stronger country if we do that what you -- is no question you want some level of social safety net present goes with capitalism right there but that's not -- redistribution though.

That's not I mean.

President got to answer that one I'm not good but it will look -- -- you travel a world okay amusement a lot of time in China.

Our society stronger.

That spread the wealth around by -- government Fiat.

Are they stronger.

The -- and I think this -- -- that our strongest bill are those that combine a healthy public private partnership for the public enables people through infrastructure.

The social safety -- for people who can't keep up.

And unleashes the private market through investment and through the right -- laws and regulations that stimulate.

People to invest in start things up would you want conference -- -- from trying to.

-- you see you know when he's just tall buildings aren't going to be Hong -- is kind of British rule of law with all that -- -- going coverage issue reaching on Hong Kong and that's capitalism at its highest level you don't day you don't make it there you afloat and harper okay that's not going to have quite is that by the -- they know how they'll ruthless side -- capitalism is there.

Your newspaper the New York Times and he believes in income redistribution and believes the social justice and in his right down the line with Barack Obama on that philosophy.

But in your book you say that the one of the reasons and America's and you believe America's a weaker nation now than it was say twenty years ago I right okay.

And what are the reasons that were weaker is because we took a wrong course after nine -- left.

Is that correct -- my reading correctly.

What was the wrong course Luke of course was not to have to not eleven we thought at the end of the Cold War we thought the end of the Cold War was a great victory in bill that was it was a great victory over communism -- -- -- -- -- But here is the problem.

We thought it was a victory allowed us to put -- -- that victory -- things -- you and -- like -- at least two billion people around the world to compete with -- to collaborate with us.

We -- the kind of put our feet up.

And the Chinese to Brazilians the what should we have done differently and -- we want these societies to be competitive and develop their own economies does that helps us.

What should we have done differently after the Cold War anything yet to me it was you basically five things that if you look at how we got rich has become -- -- -- -- by accident.

We got rich because we -- a formula for success we educated people -- on where the technology was.

We had open immigration policy and attracted the world's most talented and energetic immigrant start all these new companies we the best infrastructure.

We had the smartest rules rules that incentivize wrist -- But prevent it recklessness -- with the most government funded research into medicine science that pushed up the boundaries so that venture -- all of that is good.

Yeah all that I definitely we have that now though that we spend more money in this country mr.

Friedman educating our students than any other country in the world -- Switzerland and it's only eight students in Switzerland OK -- -- -- we spend more money all right and it's still not enough we want more we want more and I'm a former teacher and a all right it's all it's not money.

Here's what it is and this is -- what your newspaper won't recognize its personal responsibility that's why the country's weaker than it.

Was in the past because we individual Americans aren't taken responsibility for our.

-- -- There's no question you know that is part of it and if you read our section a book about actually education.

Our argument is yet we -- better teacher who helps me a better term senator Kerry's Friday community -- just can't force parents to be good.

How can handle that you can't but you can model it all right and you can it's something has to be inspired -- -- -- -- that you can't force it occurred but it is something that can be inspired by local leaders nationally do you think Mitt -- a mean guy doesn't care about the folks do you really think that he's an aristocratic couldn't care less about the working people.

I've never met the guy I've never spoken to him I don't really have a sense of him.

All right so you know you're you're gonna pass on I can't I don't I don't know what I heard what I heard wasn't particularly impressive for reasons I think you said in the introduction to the show you know you would anyone get -- under what I heard on this tape this -- aren't cleaning.

They're about the tape -- Qaeda but he governed Massachusetts and a fairly responsible wet here all right being you know he gave the health care deal up there in a sense that the people wanted Massachusetts admitted happen for them.

And you can debate that all day long but now -- supposedly some degree head and I know the guy have what worked in Boston for a long time.

Do you think it's fair -- you know that he's been branded that way by the media.

What I think what -- what -- feel about him I know where you stand -- watch the show I know where you stand right forma things I felt about Romney from the very beginning is that.

He's pretending to be someone he's not you talked about the governor who's the government's -- it's hard to -- northern liberal Republican.

That's not what he's been running he's morphed right he's developed into a more conservative thing but here's what I objection.

Barack Obama's not some Communists who was born in -- -- although the far right labeled him that OK but the far -- labels Romney.

As -- guy's got money hidden in the -- and couldn't care less who supports -- stop and fire people.

I just stated that -- you -- a little -- side is he here so much of a poll but now to really define himself why he asked to do it and I think he has done all right.

Tom -- thanks very much we appreciate it --

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