Economist Stephen Moore called the absurd “bipartisan pressure for $ 2,000 coronavirus stimulus checks on Thursday, defending the decision by Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell to block the rapid action vote in the Senate floor. hours before.
Committee to Unleash Prosperity co-founder and member of President Trump’s economic recovery task force told The Daily Briefing that he does not support the government’s push to increase direct stimulus payments from $ 600 to $ 2,000 – something that Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., have been strongly supportive of.
MCCONNELL ONCE AGAIN BLOCK VOTE FOR $ 2K STIMULUS CHECKS
“Let me first register and say, it is absurd, the checks for $ 2,000,” said Moore.
“I think it is important to realize, we have now spent US $ 2.5 trillion. This is more money than we collect and income taxes for an entire year. In addition, this would add another $ 500 billion to the debt, ”he explained. “Furthermore, President-elect Biden is now saying that he wants another $ 2 trillion stimulus on top of that.
Moore said the United States government has “spent money like an M&M” during the coronavirus pandemic.
“It is not a way to stimulate the economy”, he argued, warning: “We are passing on these costs to our children and grandchildren”.
McConnell, R-Ky., In plenary comments criticized the House approved bill for $ 2,000 stimulus checks as “socialism for the rich” on Thursday. His comments came days after he presented his own $ 2,000 stimulus check bill, linking it to Trump’s other priorities: revoking the controversial Section 230 liability protection for online platforms and investigating electoral security. He made no promises that the bill would be considered, only vague comments that the Senate would “start a process to put these three priorities in focus”.
Moore said McConnell’s latest demands are “reasonable”, arguing that Americans would benefit more from a safe reopening of the country than from a reinforced stimulus check.
HERE IS WHEN YOUR SECOND STIMULUS CHECK ARRIVES
“The best way to help the economy, I would say to all senators, is to recover jobs, in states like California, New York that is destroying restaurants, small businesses, retailers. There is no reason why so many of these places are closed like this, “said Moore.
“And by the way,” he added, “the final stimulus to the economy is the vaccine.”
Tyler Olsen of Fox News contributed to this report.