Biden: more US stimulus needed, business mad at S&P

ON BOARD AIR FORCE TWO | Fri Aug 26, 2011 10:34am EDT

ON BOARD AIR FORCE TWO Aug 26 (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said on Friday the U.S. economy needed more stimulus to get it moving, putting in a plug for government measures shortly before the White House unveils new proposals to boost job growth.

Concluding a trip to Asia that focused primarily on China, Biden also said a final decision had not been made on whether Washington would sell Lockheed Martin (LMT.N) F-16 fighter jets to Taiwan and noted Beijing knew America viewed its one-child policy as "abhorrent."

Reacting to a leadership switch at the top of ratings agency Standard & Poor's after it downgraded the United States, Biden said his "instinct" was that pressure from disgruntled businesses may have influenced the change, though he made clear that he did not know the agency's internal workings.

S&P said earlier this week its president was stepping down.

Biden made his remarks to reporters traveling with him on his plane, Air Force Two, at the end of a roughly 10-day tour of China, Mongolia, and Japan.

(Reporting by Jeff Mason, Editing by Sandra Maler)

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Comments (51)
powhatan1 wrote:
Well, here we go..They will ask for a Ton of money…The GOP will hopefully NOT grant the wish…Then they will blame (as usual) the GOP for the decline of the economy…Mark my words….

Aug 26, 2011 11:06am EDT  --  Report as abuse
tmbttd wrote:
Why wouldn’t the White House let Biden talk…everytime his boss opens his mouth the stock market takes a nose-dive. Obama has turned into the most anti-stimulus or negative-effects president I’ve known in my nearly 70 years. Can’t equate him with Carter because Carter didn’t have a clue about Economics and besides Volker was then King.

Besides, everyone knows when Biden opens up his mouth he steps on his tongue which has absolutely no connect with his brain.

Aug 26, 2011 11:13am EDT  --  Report as abuse
Joe wants more money to bribe unions and fund another round of “green” jobs?

Aug 26, 2011 11:28am EDT  --  Report as abuse
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