Rep. Trey Hollingsworth (R-Ind.) became the latest conservative voice to say itās time to end the shutdowns and reopen the economy, even if it means people die from the coronavirus infection.
Hollingsworth told WIBC radio that keeping shutdowns in place to protect lives would āinsult the Americans that voted us into office.ā He noted that either decision would lead to harm ā one to the economy, one to lives ā but said itās clear to him which side the government should take:
ā[I]t is always the American governmentās position to say, in the choice between the loss of our way of life as Americans and the loss of life of American lives, we have to always choose the latter,ā he said.
Hollingsworth didnāt dispute the warnings from scientists but said the GDP could shrink by 20 percent this quarter.
āIt is policymakersā decision to put on our big boy and big girl pants and say it is the lesser of these two evils,ā he said. āIt is not zero evil, but it is the lesser of these two evils and we intend to move forward that direction. That is our responsibility and to abdicate that is to insult the Americans that voted us into office.ā
Hollingsworth, who RollCall described as the 12th wealthiest member of Congress with a net worth of more than $50 million, joins a number of prominent conservatives who insist that widespread death from COVID-19 is an acceptable price for restoring the economy.
Last month, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) said he was willing to put his own life on the line if it meant ākeeping the America that all America lovesā for future generations.
āAnd if thatās the exchange, Iām all in,ā Patrick said on Fox News, adding that ālots of grandparentsā agree with him.
Conservative talk radio host Glenn Beck echoed that sentiment.
āI would rather have my children stay home and all of us who are over 50 go in and keep this economy going and working,ā Beck said. āEven if we all get sick, Iād rather die than kill the country.ā
āLast Week Tonightā host John Oliver called it a ādeath cultā for the economy, and warned that real life wasnāt like āThe Hunger Games.ā
āYou canāt volunteer yourself as tribute,ā Oliver said. āAnd what youāre doing is actually much darker: You are actively volunteering others, including people of all ages with health conditions, to die.ā
Twitter users werenāt too thrilled with Hollingsworthās comments:
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