Biden Says He Backs 'Trickle Down Government'

Vice President Joe Biden at House Democratic retreat in Maryland:

"We know what they're going to say, the opposition. They're going to say-- I found Mitch Daniels, who I don't know, but seems like a reasonable guy-- Daniels talked about trickle down government. I started thinking about that and how they keep talking about us, how we're big government, trickle down government and they're free enterprise. I started thinking. Remember Nancy? I don't know whether it was you or us or who came up with the idea. We said, you know we're paying banks 60 billion dollars next for the 10 years to process loans to send kids to college. All our friends thought that's just free enterprise. It was taxpayer's money.

We came along and said why not use taxpayers' money more directly. Was it,George? George Miller, if you are here, you did a hell of a deal. Let's go give it directly. What was that? That's trickle down government, man. I am serious!

Think about it. Try to be completely logical about their arguments. My recollection is we didn't get one Republican vote. We may have gotten one or two, because "They're for free enterprise!!" They'll spend 60 billion of your money if goes to bank - and there's nothing wrong with banks. But if putting kids through school means [putting them] through Pell Grants, that's trickle down government.