Former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams claimed that Gov. Brian Kemp would not help the state’s economy by reopening businesses.
Kemp announced on Monday that many businesses in the state would be allowed to reopen on Friday, including gyms and hair salons, after those deemed nonessential were closed over the coronavirus pandemic. Abrams, who has been floated as a potential running mate for Joe Biden, said in a Wednesday interview on The View that she doesn’t believe the decision will help the economy in Georgia.
“He tends to try to treat this as an issue of small-business owners. What I know as a former small-business owner is that the people who are going to be sent to the front lines are the people who are the least resilient,” Abrams said. “They likely don’t have health insurance. They probably won’t have protective equipment. But most importantly, they can’t afford to say no if they’re told to go back to work.”
She continued: “They risk the possibility of sacrificing their health in order to keep a job that’s going to pay them low wages and not protect them if they get sick. This makes no sense, and it doesn’t improve our economy. It simply puts more Georgians at risk.”
Abrams claimed that the move to reopen businesses only has the “potential” of boosting the economy and that the federal government should be responsible for keeping paychecks flowing during the pandemic.
“I want you to remember who you saw the last time you walked into a nail salon, who you saw working on the front lines at a restaurant. Those are the people who need to be home protecting themselves and their families, making sure that they are safe because they are often the only breadwinners,” Abrams said. “Instead of protecting their lives, we are prioritizing the potential of the economy.”
She added: “We have a federal system for a reason, and, just yesterday, the Senate agreed to refund and to put more money into the Paycheck Protection Act. That’s the solution to the economic challenges we face, not putting people’s lives on the line so you can say you did something.”
Abrams claimed that Kemp’s decision to reopen some businesses is “entirely politically motivated.” As of Wednesday, Georgia had more than 20,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 818 related deaths. Nationwide, more than 21 million have filed new jobless claims since the pandemic began.
