The U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan says the nation needs the support of Congress to be able to make  community college accessible to everyone, giving all students, young and old, an opportunity to become part of the middle class.

Duncan outlined financial plans to help achieve a universal program of free community college for all students with WGBH Morning Edition host Bob Seay.

Duncan says the idea is not a democratic idea, and that President Obama is basing his proposal on "what a good conservative Republican governor from Tennessee, Governor Bill Haslam has put together." Duncan says increasing college access should be a bi-partisan issue.