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Americans dying from COVID-19 is the “lesser of two evils” if the economy can be saved, according to Republican Rep. Trey Hollingsworth.
On Tuesday, the Indiana congressman called on fellow lawmakers to “put on our big boy and girl pants” and encourage Americans to go back to work during a deadly pandemic.
Flickr / Alisdare Hickson
During an interview on WIBC radio in Indianapolis, Hollingsworth urged policymakers to reopen the American economy – even at a loss of life. He admitted there is no “zero harm” option for moving forward. He said the choice is “dramatic economic harm” or “loss of life.”
“But it is always the American government’s 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.”
As one clinical psychologist tweeted Social Darwinism: when the privileged are quite comfortable to have the working class die in the service of the economy. Hollingsworth is the current representative of the indifferent elite.”
AP Photo / Matt Rourke
Experts pointed out that relaxing the social distancing rules too soon could have an equally devastating effect on the economy as well as loss of life.
Critics on social media also pointed out that Hollingsworth, the 12th richest Congressman, would lose significantly from an affected economy.
Rep. Hollingsworth is worth $50m. If he’s that concerned, he can feel free to throw himself off a bridge and leave $50m in his will tax free to buy 1000 Chevy Camaros for middle class white people. Surely that’s the dream for him, yeah?
— Paul Cardno (@pcardno) April 15, 2020
Source / Wikimedia
Twitter also imploded with the apparent contradiction between the congressman being “pro-life” when it comes to anti-abortion laws yet willing to sacrifice lives when it comes to GDP.
Rep. Hollingsworth is pro-life, so here’s my comment. If a woman needs to get an abortion to prevent her personal economy from tanking, then she should be allowed to do that because, by your logic, that is the lesser of two evils.
— Joseph Sparks (@jjseagle) April 15, 2020
Canva
The death toll in New York City has already climbed above 10,000 people.
In. One. City.
Doesn’t he mean our big boy and big girl body bags?
— murly1054 (@murly1054) April 15, 2020
Unsplash
The media storm also pointed out that few Americans would sacrifice their own lives to improve the economy.
On Tuesday, Indiana congressman Trey Hollingsworth told a radio-show host that it’s Congress’s job to sit Americans down and explain to them that dying in a pandemic isn’t as bad as the havoc said pandemic is wreaking on the economy. “
— Beverly Hill (@HillBeverlyhill) April 15, 2020
They say Americans because they’re aware which Americans will be impacted. Not them, not their friends, not their family members and not CEOs of big corporations
— Champagne Blvd 🍹🍸🍷🍾 (@ChampagneBlvd20) April 15, 2020
The decision of when and how to reopen the US economy is imminent. A group of “economic revival industry groups” will advise the President on the best way to re-open the economy. Fox News rumored that Ivanka Trump and his son-in-law Jared Kushner could be on this committee of experts.
Source: Canva
Twitter knows when America gets back to work it means the poor and the working class. They think if this lawmaker is ready to jump start the economy he should start with himself.
I think he should volunteer himself to die first, since he thinks this is such a great idea.
— QueenR (@rayjay3395) April 15, 2020
I vote for Trey to die for the economy.
— Dr Angie Dakas (@drangiedakas) April 15, 2020
Canva
His plan isn’t even a good one.
Not only will it cause us to start back at the beginning with all the infection rates and the hospital’s overwhelmed again but it will not help the economy it will simply crash it again even worse. These people can’t think past their nose. Their ignorance will kill people
— spensergirlFlorida (@spensergirlFLA) April 15, 2020
How does he think the economy will fare with millions dead and a collapsed health system?
— Penelope Else (@penelopeelse) April 15, 2020
Source: Pixabay
Isn’t it the GOP that is always talking about the sanctity of life?
I’m old enough to remember when Gov Jeb Bush, President George W Bush and the GOP were against removing a feeding tube of Terri Schiavo who was in an irreversible persistent vegetative state. Now your life for their 401K.
— Danna Whittenburg (@dmwmd618) April 15, 2020
Pixabay
Generally, only people that are alive show up to work. Or spend money.
Doesn’t he know that dead people are terrible workers? They never show up where they’re needed, can’t follow instructions and are slow as (slower than) molasses.
— Raycat (@FatRaycat) April 15, 2020
Flickr/NatalieMaynor
This Twitter user is keeping his head in the game…
Maybe he needs to go. Who is his challenger?
— Paul Byrne (@PaulByr66744653) April 15, 2020
The White House
On Monday, President Trump described himself as having “total” authority over state economies. He appeared to backtrack from this statement the next day when he said, “I will then be authorizing each individual governor of each individual state to implement a re-opening and a very powerful re-opening plan of their state.”
His earlier statement about “total” authority had led to pushback from Democratic and Republican governors including Governor Andrew Cuomo, to question the constitutional legality of such a claim.
Some states are reporting optimistic numbers as the coronavirus curve begins to flatten. To date, the COVID-19 disease has claimed the lives of over 26,000 Americans and counting.
One wonders how many more lives Congressman Hollingsworth would be willing to sacrifice for the sake of the economy?
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This pretty much sums it up:
The lesser of two evils is still evil.
— Mike McD (@mmcdono908) April 15, 2020
