Millionaire Bill Maher pushes for recession
Bill Maher is rooting for a recession to keep President Trump from winning re-election in 2020.
On HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher” Friday, the 63-year-old millionaire told his audience and guests they should wish for a recession because that will definitely get Trump “unelected.”
“We have survived many recessions,” Maher said. “We can’t survive another Donald Trump term.”
His guest, former Trump White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci, disagreed with the strategy. “Bill, you don’t really want a recession,” he said.
Anthony Scaramucci, incoming White House communications director, speaks to the media during the daily press briefing at the White House, Friday, July 21, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
“I really do,” the host replied.
Scaramucci told him that would put low- and moderate-income Americans out of work.
Fellow guest Richard Engel of NBC News argued: “short-term pain might be better than long-term destruction of the Constitution.”
President Trump apparently caught the show and weighed in.
The trade war with China triggered a wild week on Wall Street, which included the best day in months, as well as the worst plunge of the year for the S&P 500.
The economy continues to grow and unemployment remains near its lowest level in 50 years. However, uncertainty could cause consumers and businesses to be more cautious.
Trump continues to call for the Federal Reserve to make “substantial” interest rate cuts to allow the dollar to fall in value against foreign currencies. Trump said the Fed’s high level of interest rates in comparison to other countries was making it difficult for U.S. manufacturers to compete.
Scaramucci said the tariff Trump is imposing on Chinese goods is a “regressive tax” that’s paid by low- and middle-income people and small businesses. Disagreeing with the president, Scarmucci said the “Chinese are not paying it.”
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“I’m not wishing for a recession,” said Tom Nichols, author of “The Death of Expertise.”
“Neither am I,” Washington Post columnist Catherine Rampell agreed.