US Presidency
2013

And I think a big reason is the myths that have developed around the issue of inequality. First, there is the myth that this is a problem restricted to a small share of predominantly minority poor that this isn't a broad based problem, this is a black problem or a Hispanic problem or a Native American problem. Now, it's true that the painful legacy of discrimination means that African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans are far more likely to suffer from a lack of opportunity higher unemployment, higher poverty rates. It's also true that women still make 77 cents on the dollar compared to men. So we're going to need strong application of antidiscrimination laws. We're going to need immigration reform that grows the economy and takes people out of the shadows. We're going to need targeted initiatives to close those gaps. But here's an important point. The decades long shifts in the economy have hurt all groups: poor and middle class; inner city and rural folks; men and women; and Americans of all races.