GOP Sen. Kennedy: ‘We Can Do Both’ Save Lives, Reopen the Economy

Wednesday on Fox News Channel’s “Your World,” Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) argued the question of whether acting in the name of the public health and save lives or reopening the economy to save jobs was a priority was not an either-or question.

Kennedy argued there was a “moral imperative” to do both, noting that poverty in some circumstances can be harmful to lives.

“We can do both, and by both, I mean save lives and save jobs,” he said. “We have to do both. I think we have a moral imperative to do both. The reason that we shut down the economy, to begin with, was so that our health care delivery system would not be overwhelmed. It wasn’t. We’re even better prepared today. Some of my colleagues trust government more than people. I trust people more than government. My people in Louisiana, they get it. They understand the coronavirus can kill you. Won’t kill most of us. But they’re taking it seriously.”

“They also know that poverty can kill you,” Kennedy added. “And I trust my people to social distance, to stay apart, not gather in big groups. They understand we need to protect the elderly and those with preexisting conditions. I think we can do both.”

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