New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on Saturday said he believes the Wuhan coronavirus is a prime example of why it's important for the federal government to nationalize "crucial factories and industries."
According to the Big Apple's mayor, people can get tested for the virus, but it's being done on a "priority structure" due to the limited number of tests that are available.
"Here’s the reality. This is a war-like situation. We’re in a wartime scenario with a Mar-a-Lago attitude being used by the federal government. It’s so laid back, and I don’t understand it," he told MSNBC's Joy Reid. "By the way, testing. How about ventilators? Where is the federal government making sure our hospitals have the ventilators we’re going to need? Where is the federal government when it comes to surgical masks, getting them distributed? This is a case for a nationalization of crucial factories and industries – literally a nationalization – that could produce the medical supplies to prepare this country for what we need."
The state of New York found a way to produce hand sanitizer but de Blasio said that doesn't go far enough.
"The point I’m saying is the federal government should recognize this is a crucial part of stopping this. There should be a national approach to ensuring every factory that can make hand sanitizer should be on 24/7 shifts and the distribution should go to the places that need it most," the mayor explained. "We’re not into the discussion because we can’t even get the testing.”
Nationalizing "crucial factories and industries" is a terrible, terrible idea. For one, who determines what's "crucial" and what's not? Is the government literally going to come in and tell business owners to hand over their keys? Once this kind of precedent exists, owning a business and taking part in the American dream will be a thing of the past. After all, the government could come in and sweep up your hard work, all in the name of "need."
What's sad is the Democrats constantly come up with dumb suggestions like this and their party can't even get the Iowa Caucuses completed in a timely manner. And we're supposed to trust the federal government with 100 times more power? Hard pass.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio tells @amjoyshow he believes the coronavirus makes the case for the nationalization of crucial factories and industries. pic.twitter.com/sNFsteBUYJ
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) March 14, 2020