If Washington spends another $13.4 trillion paying businesses to stay closed while continuing to employ people who aren’t working – instead of asking the businesses what they need in order to reopen despite the coronavirus – “We’ll have Venezuela,” conservative commentator Mark Levin said Thursday.
Appearing on Fox News Channel’s “Hannity,” Levin asked Washington politicians to look at the businesses – like grocery stores, gas stations and UPS - that have adapted, adopted safety measures and continue to do business:
"I'll give you a perfect example. We have food, we have heat, we have clean water. Who you think is giving that to us? Other citizens. Electricity, gasoline for our cars. Truckers, we have a mail service, UPS, FedEx, grocery stores, fast-food drive-throughs, all open, all functioning. We get soap and diapers and toilet paper, prescription drugs, 7-Elevens are open. Doctors, nurses, cops, firefighters, more, going into these hot zones despite the fact that they are exposed."
“Most of the money you’re spending, by the way, does not create jobs” because these spending bills are based on “real stupidity,” Levin told Washington politicians, adding that they should urge governors who have completely shut down their state’s economies to loosen the reigns:
“There's a lot of real stupidity in these bills. Don't pass another bill. Open up parts of the economy. Ask these businesses what they’ve got to do (to adapt and reopen) - and tell these governors to cut it out."
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“And, most of the money you’re spending, by the way, does not create jobs. It tells employers: you can get a loan if you continue to employ those people. If I’m a restaurant, why would I take a loan to employ people who aren’t servicing guests? That doesn’t even make any sense.
“If I’m a worker, why would I want to work four months, if I can get a hundred percent of what I was paid for not working?”
Levin emphasized how Washington’s plan to spend $13.4 trillion dollars would destroy the economy – by explaining how massive even a single trillion dollars is. “I have to put it in writing, it’s so big,” Levin said, holding up a piece of paper with the number printed on it:
“What’s a trillion dollars? Does anybody know? Right now, that’s $13.4 trillion dollars. I have to put it in writing, it’s so big. That’s eleven zeros. Okay, $13.4 trillion. What is a trillion dollars?
“One trillion dollars is a million millions. One trillion dollars is a thousand billions. Washington: stop! You’re going to destroy the economy, what’s left of it. You’re going to create massive inflation.
“If you’re right, if you’re right and I’m wrong, then we’ll have Venezuela.
“That is, if you do what you say you’re going to do, you’re going to be pouring money into industries that are not open. You’re going to be creating jobs that don’t exist.”