The dangerous economy-first argument sweeping the right

Ending social distancing within a week would be an extraordinarily dangerous move

The Grim Reaper.
(Image credit: Illustrated | iStock, Alamy)

President Trump is apparently eager to restart the American economy — coronavirus or no coronavirus.

In tweets and at a press conference on Monday, Trump repeatedly toyed with calling off the social distancing recommendations that have kept American businesses shuttered and consumers at home, once the current period ends on March 30. The president, his advisors, sympathetic Republicans, and his supporters in the media are reportedly becoming convinced that risking the virus' spread is preferable to keeping the economy on lock down. "The cure can't be worse than the disease," Larry Kudlow, the president's top economic advisor, said on Fox News. "We're going to have to make some difficult tradeoffs."

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Jeff Spross

Jeff Spross was the economics and business correspondent at TheWeek.com. He was previously a reporter at ThinkProgress.