[Mvandenbergh]

Giving everyone money makes sense as fiscal stimulus once the economy is back to normal. It does not make sense now because people are avoiding spending and many will not need the $1000 and not spend it.

Targeted help now and then a jolt when it's over.

[ericd]

Mm no, a lot of people are already wondering how to pay rent. If anything, that $1000 needs to be higher, and adjusted for cost of living by area.

[Mvandenbergh]

Sure but then isn't it better to take this approach - 80% of your salary for people out of work and nothing for people still employed - than to give an arbitrary amount of $1000 to everyone regardless of local cost of living?

[ericd]

Sure, they could do it through unemployment claims as well.

[Mvandenbergh]

While that supports people, which is the most important thing, it does not preserve the status quo jobs.

That means that when we are able to restart the economy, we start with massive unemployment and with companies which have simply ceased to exist. Much better to just put everything in the deep-freeze and then pull it out, ready to go when we can.

[ericd]

Yeah, that would be nice, I just don’t know that we can pull off what you’re talking about.