IL Gov Pritzker: ‘Economy Is Being Significantly Harmed’ by Trump Administration Delays

Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Gov. J. B. Pritzker (D-IL) said there was “no doubt that the economy is being significantly harmed by the delays,” referring to his administration’s response to coronavirus pandemic.

Host Jake Tapper asked, “Let’s talk about how to save the people or help the people whose livelihoods are being threatened if not destroyed. Lawmakers here in D.C. are right now scrambling to pass this unprecedented $1.7 trillion aid package to help the American economy. One of the last sticking points is whether to spend more sending checks directly to members of the public or to put that money into state unemployment programs for the states to distribute. What would you like?”

Pritzker said, “Well, look, we’re going to have to do a lot. There’s no doubt that the economy is being significantly harmed by the delays that the federal government. You know, had during January and February, getting going dealing with this. That’s why we’ve all had to go on stay-at-home orders or keeping kids at home, closing bars and restaurants, and so on. So what would I like? First, we’ve got to fund unemployment. There’s no question about that. And the federal government needs to step up. It appears to be stepping up on that. As far as sending checks to individuals, I certainly think that that should be, you know, means-tested. There’s no reason to send a check to Michael Bloomberg, you know, for $1,000. So if that’s something the federal government decides to do, fine. But there’s another thing that isn’t being talked about. We’re having to spend money to do things that are frankly the job of the federal government. But I’m doing it, across the country our budgets will be slammed, our revenues are going down, no doubt precipitously and our spending has to go up because we’re saving people’s lives and we’re trying to at least put some money in their pockets. So we need help. We would like block grants to the states. We’ve got to go back, no doubt, to the 2008 era to look at what was done there and try and replicate those, in fact, bigger because that is what is necessary in this time of national emergency.”

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