Fox News host Tucker Carlson hammered Utah senator Mitt Romney for proposing an Andrew Yang-inspired universal basic income during the coronavirus crisis.
Romney shocked nearly everyone when he told the New York Times on Monday that “every American adult should immediately receive $1,000 to help ensure families and workers can meet their short-term obligations and increase spending in the economy.”
The occasional Republican also offered a full proposal which called for various other forms of intervention on behalf of the federal government.
Decadent and Foolish
Carlson addressed Romney’s plan to abandon any vestige of conservatism in dealing with a crisis.
“That’s likely a well-meaning idea, a lot of smart people are behind it, but it’s also decadent and foolish,” Carlson insisted.
Well-meaning but foolish is liberalism in a nutshell. Romney is, indeed, well-meaning but foolish.
Among @MittRomney’s Coronavirus response proposals: “immediately send $1,000 checks to each American” adult pic.twitter.com/ZvITKmdQfs
— Phil Mattingly (@Phil_Mattingly) March 16, 2020
AOC Cheers on Romney
If you needed any sign that Romney’s idea is ill-advised, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez voiced her support.
“GOP [and] Democrats are both coming to the same conclusion: Universal Basic Income is going to have to play a role in helping Americans weather this crisis,” AOC tweeted.
Romney isn’t exactly GOP, however.
And AOC added a whole host of other pet projects that the progressive extremist champions as a means to take advantage of the crisis.
She began by amplifying Romney’s proposal by noting congressmen Ro Khanna and Tim Ryan have actually suggested $6,000/month and added “pausing mortgage [and] student loan payments, halting interest, etc.” should be considered as well.
Cash is important but if you do it w/o payment suspensions then it’s still everyday people footing the bill.
Corporations, lenders, and banks need to do their fair share.
UBI shouldn’t be used as an excuse for not pausing mortgage & student loan payments, halting interest, etc. https://t.co/aYvDMbXtYQ
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 16, 2020
RELATED: Joy Behar Suggests AOC Should Be Vice President, Meghan McCain Quickly Shoots Her Down
Tucker Continues
Carlson continued by explaining why such a system of guaranteed income doesn’t work.
“Name a place that’s become happier and more prosperous under a scheme like that,” he asked. “Indian reservations? The inner city? Rural areas where half the male population gets monthly disability checks?”
“Or for that matter, if we are being honest, how many happily idle inherited money people do you know? Rich people? None. They’re all drunk. Of course they are,” Carlson said. “People need to work, they want to work.”
Meanwhile, the Trump administration is touting government efforts that involve an unprecedented private-public series of partnerships to counter the coronavirus.
Carlson also proposed a plan based on a German model in which businesses and the government worked in conjunction to get things back under control during the recession.
“During the 2008 financial crisis, Germany’s economy shrank by a higher proportion than ours did in America. At the same time, Germany’s unemployment rate actually fell … more people were working than before,” he explained.
“That’s the key as we look forward to turbulent times. Employment, stability, meaningful work.”
Not full-on government handouts. Romney really needs to consider changing his party affiliation.
