'Repulsive': Outrage as Texas Lieutenant Gov. Says Seniors Willing to Risk Coronavirus Infection to Protect Economy

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick speaks to Fox News' Tucker Carlson on Monday, March 24, 2020. (Photo: Fox News/Screengrab)

'Repulsive': Outrage as Texas Lieutenant Gov. Says Seniors Willing to Risk Coronavirus Infection to Protect Economy

"This crisis is really laying bare the extent to which we are ruled by completely craven psychopaths."

Dan Patrick, the Republican lieutenant governor of Texas, told Fox News' disproportionately older audience Monday night that he and other American seniors would be willing to risk dying from the coronavirus in order to ensure that the economy doesn't slide into a serious recession.

"If you asked my kids if they would rather have more stuff or have their Grandpa and Nanna, they would choose their grandparents with no hesitation. This statement is repulsive."
--Texas state Rep. Gene Wu

"If that's the exchange, I'm all in," Patrick said of the choice between risking infection and protecting the economy by returning people to work. "I've talked to hundreds of people... making calls all the time, and everyone says pretty much the same thing: That we can't lose our whole country, we're having an economic collapse."

"My message is: Let's get back to work," said Patrick, who emphasized that he is a grandparent. "Those of us who are 70-plus, we'll take care of ourselves, but don't sacrifice the country. Don't do that. Don't ruin this great American dream."

"You're basically saying that this disease could take your life, but that's not the scariest thing to you," replied Fox News host Tucker Carlson. "There's something that would be worse than dying."

"Yeah," said Patrick.

Watch:

Texas lawmakers and other observers reacted with alarm to Patrick's remarks, which directly contradicted the warnings of public health officials and--if acted upon--could put lives in danger, given that the elderly are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19.

"This crisis is really laying bare the extent to which we are ruled by completely craven psychopaths," tweeted Micah Uetricht, managing editor at Jacobin magazine.

Democratic Texas state Rep. Donna Howard, a grandparent herself, told Dallas Morning News that "the idea that the only option is for us to sacrifice ourselves is really incredulous to me."

"I mean, there are definitely other routes we can take that make much more sense," said Howard.

Texas state Rep. Gene Wu also ripped Patrick's remarks in a tweet late Monday.

"If you asked my kids if they would rather have more stuff or have their Grandpa and Nanna, they would choose their grandparents with no hesitation," said Wu, a Democrat. "This statement is repulsive and unfortunately reflective of the attitude many Texas [Republicans] have regarding people and money."

Join Us: News for people demanding a better world


Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place.

We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference.

Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. Join with us today!

Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.