On Sunday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said that she would support a plan to put stimulus money in the hands of every American citizen, regardless of wealth.
Rep. Ocasio-Cortez appeared CNN’s Jake Tapper to discuss the continued spread of coronavirus and the Trump administration’s response to the economic impact.
While people have suggested that a means test ought to be applied, the New York Rep. was of the opinion that the immediate need for financial relief was more pressing and that payments made to those who didn’t need the money could be recovered later through taxation.
“From the moment that the business closures started happening, I’ve been very scared for a lot of these workers. All I can think about is what I would have done just two or three years ago,” Ocasio-Cortez began, saying that she is also in favor of expanding unemployment as well as offering contingencies for hourly, contract and gig-workers who may not be covered under unemployment.
“Really that’s why getting checks into people’s hands is important,” Rep. Ocasio-Cortez continued, as The Daily Caller reported.
“I do think it should be universal. I hear the argument of people saying, ‘Why are you going to give a check to Bill Gates?’” AOC said.
One of the things that we’re saying is, tax it back a year from now so you don’t have to worry about a big complicated bureaucratic means-test up front, mail them out to everybody and let’s get it back from the folks that don’t need it next year,” she added.
