Tucker Carlson says saving jobs imperative amid coronavirus pandemic: 'It's about families'

close

Video

Tucker: Coronavirus pandemic response will require balance

Our first obligation, is to keep our people safe. At the same time, we need to protect our economy.

Tucker Carlson spoke Monday about the importance of keeping Americans employed during the coronavirus pandemic, saying economic stability was the key to weathering the crisis.

"People of good faith are working toward a couple of different goals tonight, which at times collide with one another," The "Tucker Carlson Tonight host said. "Our first obligation, everyone agrees, is to keep our people safe. If we can prevent Americans from getting the coronavirus, we should do that.

"At the same time, though, we need to protect our economy. And that is not just something that Wall Street cares about. To be totally clear, economic decline is dangerous for everyone, especially at the bottom of the economy. It's a legitimate human concern. It's not just financial. It's about families."

LIST: THE RESTAURANT CHAINS MODIFYING SERVICE AMID THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK

Carlson warned that there was an obvious problem with shutting down most businesses and other places in the interest of public health.

"If you ask an epidemiologist what we ought to do next. The answer is simple. Shut it down. Close every public space until the virus passes," Carlson said. "Hospitals would get a pass, of course. But restaurants, bars, hotels, movie theaters, airlines, everything from a public health standpoint that makes sense. But what would be the consequences of doing that? Millions and billions of people would lose their jobs, some of them for good."

Carlson said such policies would impact the middle and lower classes the most.

"The real imperative right now is saving jobs. For government bureaucrats, university administrators and corporate H.R. directors, talk show hosts actually, a month out of the office constitutes a kind of vacation," Carlson said. "But for the classes below, it could be the beginning of a long spiral, a real one."

"Waiters, bartenders, retail workers, huge parts of the service industry on which we are dependent," Carlson added. "Massive parts of our economy could see their income drop to zero and not come back."

CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE

The host recommended a German program that would allow employees to return to their former full-time work even after having their hours reduced or eliminated.

"That's the key as we look forward to turbulent times," Carlson said. "Employment, stability. Meaningful work if you want to help people weather this crisis."