The White House fired back at Republican Paul Ryan's claims that President Obama promotes "class resentment," saying Ryan's proposed budget is the real source of social conflict.  The proposal by the GOP chairman of the House Budget Committee would give tax breaks to the wealthy while cutting back on Medicare and other middle-class programs, said White House spokesman Jay Carney.  "That seems pretty divisive to me," Carney said. "That's certainly not an approach the American people would support."  In a speech today at the conservative Heritage Foundation, Ryan accused Obama of "preying on the emotions of fear, envy and resentment" in the run-up to his 2012 presidential campaign, as well as "sowing social unrest and class resentment."  Ryan -- who has repeatedly accused the president of practicing "class warfare" -- took particular aim at Obama's plans to increase taxes on the wealthiest Americans.  "He is going from town to town, impugning the motives of Republicans, setting up straw men and scapegoats and engaging in intellectually lazy arguments as he tries to build support for punitive tax hikes on job creators," Ryan said.  Also from the Ryan speech:  "Sowing social unrest and class resentment makes America weaker, not stronger. Pitting one group against another only distracts us from the true sources of inequity in this country -- corporate welfare that enriches the powerful, and empty promises that betray the powerless."  Responding the comments, Carney said he found it ironic that Ryan would give a speech decrying "the politics of division" at a "conservative think tank." Carney said that Obama has "tried from the beginning to work with the Republicans," but GOP officials like Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., have said their top goal is to defeat the president for re-election.  "It sounds like the politics of division to me," Carney said.  Obama has said he wants to end the George W. Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, individuals who make more than $200,000 a year and couples who make more than $250,000.  In backing his $447 billion jobs plan this week at a string of campaign fundraisers, Obama has said the plan would be financed by a tax surcharge on millionaires. In San Francisco, Obama said:  "Last week, we had a separate vote on a part of the jobs bill that would put 400,000 teachers and firefighters and police officers back on the job.  And it was paid for by asking people who make over a million dollars a year to pay one-half of 1% more in taxes.  So for someone making $1.1 million a year, that's an extra $500 that would save 400,000 jobs all across the country. And not just any jobs, but jobs that are vital to the well-being of our kids and our communities.  Most people I know who make more than a million dollars a year would make that contribution willingly. ... They're patriots. They want to see America strong. But all the Republicans in the Senate, 100%, voted no."
Look for a big battle between backers of Republican House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan and those of President Obama.