民主党总统候选人伯尼·桑德斯警告说，维持现状的力量维持一个破碎的系统比修复它容易。

桑德斯，周五晚上的远程演讲比尔·马厄实时报在HBO上，说由于冠状病毒封锁而被解雇或休假的美国工人应该“继续得到你100%的薪水”这位佛蒙特州参议员说，他和其他国会议员目前正在制定一项“史无前例的立法”，以拯救美国免于全面的经济和社会崩溃。

他同意东道主比尔·马厄的观点，即唐纳德·特朗普总统倾向于那些州长对他“友好”的州，向他们提供更多的COVID-19医疗用品。“关键是我们必须防止整个系统崩溃——这就是现在的危险。桑德斯说:“维护这个系统要比修复它容易得多。

“那是什么意思？从经济的角度来看，这意味着我们告诉美国的每一个工人:‘你将继续得到你的薪水。我们知道你没有工作，我们知道你在家，我们知道你工作的公司没有运转，但是...“你将继续得到100%的薪水，”桑德斯继续说道，列举了几个欧洲国家已经在自我隔离中支付他们的公民。

这位参议员还说，美国人可以得到政府付费的冠状病毒检测，但不能得到治疗，这很荒谬。

马希尔向桑德斯施压，询问美国政府能继续向下岗或休假的工人支付工资“多久”，并质疑印越来越多的钞票是否有一天会通过通货膨胀自行摧毁经济。桑德斯回应道，“另一种选择更糟糕”，他指出，当公司受到联邦政府保护时，美国工人不能一无所有。

“如果不预防危机，你最终会省钱，减轻这个国家的很多痛苦。我认为你别无选择。我们看到仅仅几个月就有大约3000万到4000万人失业。如果我们不保护这些人，你将会看到经济崩溃，需要更多的钱来恢复。”

桑德斯说，在上周通过的价值2万亿美元的国会立法中，航空公司的员工就是一个例子，他们的工资和医疗保险仍然100%由政府支付。他说，英国、德国、丹麦和其他欧洲国家已经在使用联邦政府覆盖工人的概念。

桑德斯说，如果他是今天的总统，他绝对会利用1950年的国防生产法案(DPA)来告诉私营部门，他们必须生产卫生保健工作者抗击冠状病毒传播所需的口罩、长袍、手套和呼吸机。他指出，这些公司非常清楚他们将得到政府的补偿。

他警告说，警察和急救人员在对抗冠状病毒时没有得到报酬，这是已经发生的“系统崩溃”的一个例子。桑德斯要求拥有学生贷款、汽车贷款、抵押贷款和租金的家庭需要得到保护。

伯尼·桑德斯警告说，维持现状的力量维持一个破碎的系统比修复它更容易。

BERNIE SANDERS WARNS TOTAL ECONOMIC COLLAPSE WILL BE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN PAYING WORKERS, REDUCING HEALTH CARE COSTS AMID CORONAVIRUS

Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders warned it's easier for status quo forces to maintain a broken system than it is to fix it.

Sanders, speaking remotely on Friday night's Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO, said American workers laid off or furloughed as a result of the coronavirus lockdown should "continue to receive 100 percent of your paycheck." The Vermont senator said he and other members of Congress are currently putting together an "unprecedented piece of legislation" to save the U.S. from total economic and social collapse.

He agreed with host Bill Maher that President Donald Trump is favoring states whose governors are "nice" to him by sending them more COVID-19 medical supplies. "The main point is we have to prevent a breakdown in the entire system -- that's how dangerous it is right now. It is much easier to maintain the system than to fix it after it is broken," Sanders said.

"What does that mean? From an economic point of view, it means we tell every worker in America: 'You will continue to get your paycheck. We know you're not working, we know you're at home, we know the business that you're working for is not functioning, but ... you will continue to receive 100 percent of your paycheck,'" Sanders continued, listing off how several European countries are already paying their citizens in self-quarantine.

The senator also said it's ridiculous Americans can get government paid-for coronavirus tests -- but not treatment.

Maher pressed Sanders on "how long" the U.S. government can continue paying laid-off or furloughed workers, questioning whether printing more and more money will one day destroy the economy on its own through inflation. Sanders responded that "the alternative is worse," noting that U.S. workers can't simply be left with nothing while corporations are protected by the federal government.

"By not preventing a crisis, you end up saving money and easing a whole lot of pain in this country. I don't think you have an alternative. We're looking at some 30-40 million people losing their jobs in just months. And if we do not protect those people, you're going to see a collapse of the economy and it will take more money to put it back together."

Sanders said that in the $2 trillion congressional legislation passed last week, airline workers are an example of employees who are still receiving 100 percent of their paychecks and health care coverage on the government's dime. He said the concept of the federal government covering workers is already being utilized in the U.K., Germany, Denmark and other European nations.

Sanders said that if he were president today, he would absolutely use the Defense Production Act of 1950 (DPA) to tell the private sector they must produce the masks, gowns, gloves and ventilators needed for health care workers to fight the coronavirus spread. He noted these companies are very aware they will be reimbursed by the government.

He warned against that cops and EMT workers not being paid as they fight coronavirus is an example of the "breakdown in the system" occurring already. Sanders demanded families with student loans, auto loans, mortgages and rent need to be protected.

Bernie Sanders warned it's easier for status quo forces to maintain a broken system than to fix it.