PUTTING AMERICA BACK TO WORK: 18 of the country's top economists and lawmakers share their best ideas for the 40 million newly unemployed Americans

Laura Casado,Marguerite Ward,Joseph Zeballos-RoigMay 28, 2020, 22:15 IST

Samantha Lee/Business Insider

Over 40 million people have filed for unemployment in the past ten weeks.
That's more than the entire population of Canada.
These massive job losses have left a question hovering over United States: What, if anything, should be done with all these people?
To find out, Business Insider has gathered perspectives from social scientists and lawmakers across the policy landscape, including progressive Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal, University of California, Berkeley, sociologist Jerome Karabel, former Trump adviser Stephen Moore, and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.
This post is part of Business Insider's ongoing series on Better Capitalism.

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Texas Sen. Ted Cruz says that suspending the payroll tax through the end of the year and ramping up testing will help get employees back to work.

Ted Cruz is a senator for the state of Texas, former Solicitor General for the state of Texas, and a Republican runner-up in the 2016 presidential election. Courtesy of Senator Ted Cruz.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal says "the Hunger Games-style" system of the Paycheck Protection Program shut out many small businesses, particularly those minority-owned. She wants the government to directly provide grants to businesses and cover workers' wages to stem job losses.

Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington. AP / Elaine Thompson

Rep. Pramila Jayapal says "the Hunger Games-style" system of the Paycheck Protection Program shut out many small businesses, particularly those minority-owned. She wants the government to directly provide grants to businesses and cover workers' wages to stem job losses.

Sen. Michael Bennet says small businesses slammed by the pandemic should be given loans that would be partially forgiven and the rest could be paid back over the course of seven years.

Sen. Michael Bennet, Democrat of Colorado. Courtesy of Sen. Bennet's office.

Sen. Michael Bennet says small businesses slammed by the pandemic should be given loans that would be partially forgiven and the rest could be paid back over the course of seven years.

Stephanie Kelton, economist and professor at Stony Brook University, says we should restore as many private sector jobs as possible and "get cash into the hands of those in need."

Stephanie Kelton is an economist and professor of public policy and economics at Stony Brook University. Courtesy photo

Stephanie Kelton, economist and professor at Stony Brook University, says we should restore as many private sector jobs as possible and "get cash into the hands of those in need."

David Madland, senior adviser at the Center for American Progress, says that the most important thing to get Americans back to work is a "national public health plan."

David Madland is an economic expert and a senior fellow and adviser to the American Worker Project at the Center for American Progress. Courtesy photo

Stephen Moore, former Trump economic advisor, says that the best way to create jobs is to completely suspend payroll taxes on employees and employers for the rest of the year.

Wikimedia Commons

Stephen Moore, former Trump economic advisor, says that the best way to create jobs is to completely suspend payroll taxes on employees and employers for the rest of the year.

Abbey Carlton, director of social impact at the hiring platform Indeed, explains that states should work with Congress to create subsidized employment programs.

Abbey Carlton is the director of social impact at Indeed and former managing director of US jobs and economic opportunity at the Rockefeller Foundation. Courtesy photo

Kermit Baker, chief economist at the American Institute of Architects, suggests creating new jobs in at-home care for senior Americans, redesigning offices to accommodate social-distancing, and launching pop-up food venues to employ unemployed service workers.

Kermit Baker is the chief economist at the American Institute of Architects and a senior research fellow at Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies. Courtesy photo

Kermit Baker, chief economist at the American Institute of Architects, suggests creating new jobs in at-home care for senior Americans, redesigning offices to accommodate social-distancing, and launching pop-up food venues to employ unemployed service workers.

Andrew Stettner, economist and senior fellow at The Century Foundation, advises that the "additional $600 per week" in unemployment pay should continue until the pandemic ends.

Andrew Stettner is an economist and senior fellow at The Century Foundation, and former leader at the National Employment Law Project. Courtesy photo

Andrew Stettner, economist and senior fellow at The Century Foundation, advises that the "additional $600 per week" in unemployment pay should continue until the pandemic ends.

Harold Cole and Lee Ohanian, coauthors of "New Deal Policies and the Persistence of the Great Depression" say that older, high-risk workers "should be incentivized to take early retirement."

Lee E. Ohanian (left) is a professor of economics at UCLA and a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. Hal Cole (right) is a professor of economics at the University of Pennsylvania and editor of the International Economic Review. Courtesy photos/Laura Casado

Harold Cole and Lee Ohanian, coauthors of "New Deal Policies and the Persistence of the Great Depression" say that older, high-risk workers "should be incentivized to take early retirement."

Corey Johnson is the Speaker of the New York City Council. He says green jobs could lead the way.

Speaker Corey Johnson. Courtesy photo

Annelies Goger of the Brookings Institute outlines how governments and public schools could make more apprenticeship programs to get unemployed people back to work while learning new skills.

Annelies Goger is the Rubenstein fellow at the Brookings Institute's Metropolitan Policy Program. Annelies Goger

Annelies Goger of the Brookings Institute outlines how governments and public schools could make more apprenticeship programs to get unemployed people back to work while learning new skills.

Jerome Karabel, professor of sociology at the University of California, Berkeley, says new projects to improve America's "dangerously antiquated" infrastructure could put thousands of people to work.

Jerome Karabel, professor of sociology University of California, Berkeley Jerome Karabel

Jerome Karabel, professor of sociology at the University of California, Berkeley, says new projects to improve America's "dangerously antiquated" infrastructure could put thousands of people to work.

Jeffrey Miron, the director of economic studies at the Cato Institute, says the government should repeal regulations in order to spur private sector growth.

Jeffrey Miron is also a senior lecturer and the director of undergraduate studies in the department of economics at Harvard University. CATO Institute

Paula Krebs, executive director of the Modern Language Association, says the government should hire researchers, artists, and writers in schools and libraries to help in research and education.

Paula Krebs, executive director of the Modern Language Association Paula Krebs

Paula Krebs, executive director of the Modern Language Association, says the government should hire researchers, artists, and writers in schools and libraries to help in research and education.

Jason Furman, professor of the practice of economic policy at Harvard University, says the federal government needs to fund states and local governments to avoid further layoffs.

Jason Furman is a professor of the practice of economic policy at Harvard University. Harvard University

Jason Furman, professor of the practice of economic policy at Harvard University, says the federal government needs to fund states and local governments to avoid further layoffs.

Rep. Don Beyer says ramped-up unemployment benefits should be tied to the state of the economic recovery and the government should fund infrastructure.

Rep. Don Beyer, Democrat of Virginia. Courtesy of Rep. Beyer

Matthew Jackson, professor of economics at Stanford University, doubles down on infrastructure and wants a reassessment of student loan repayment.

Matthew Jackson, is a professor of economics at Stanford University and an external faculty member of the Santa Fe Institute. He is the author of "The Human Network." Matthew Jackson

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PUTTING AMERICA BACK TO WORK: 18 of the country's top economists and lawmakers share their best ideas for the 40 million newly unemployed Americans

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz says that suspending the payroll tax through the end of the year and ramping up testing will help get employees back to work.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal says "the Hunger Games-style" system of the Paycheck Protection Program shut out many small businesses, particularly those minority-owned. She wants the government to directly provide grants to businesses and cover workers' wages to stem job losses.

Sen. Michael Bennet says small businesses slammed by the pandemic should be given loans that would be partially forgiven and the rest could be paid back over the course of seven years.

Stephanie Kelton, economist and professor at Stony Brook University, says we should restore as many private sector jobs as possible and "get cash into the hands of those in need."

David Madland, senior adviser at the Center for American Progress, says that the most important thing to get Americans back to work is a "national public health plan."

Stephen Moore, former Trump economic advisor, says that the best way to create jobs is to completely suspend payroll taxes on employees and employers for the rest of the year.

Abbey Carlton, director of social impact at the hiring platform Indeed, explains that states should work with Congress to create subsidized employment programs.

Kermit Baker, chief economist at the American Institute of Architects, suggests creating new jobs in at-home care for senior Americans, redesigning offices to accommodate social-distancing, and launching pop-up food venues to employ unemployed service workers.

Andrew Stettner, economist and senior fellow at The Century Foundation, advises that the "additional $600 per week" in unemployment pay should continue until the pandemic ends.

Harold Cole and Lee Ohanian, coauthors of "New Deal Policies and the Persistence of the Great Depression" say that older, high-risk workers "should be incentivized to take early retirement."

Corey Johnson is the Speaker of the New York City Council. He says green jobs could lead the way.

Annelies Goger of the Brookings Institute outlines how governments and public schools could make more apprenticeship programs to get unemployed people back to work while learning new skills.

Jerome Karabel, professor of sociology at the University of California, Berkeley, says new projects to improve America's "dangerously antiquated" infrastructure could put thousands of people to work.

Jeffrey Miron, the director of economic studies at the Cato Institute, says the government should repeal regulations in order to spur private sector growth.

Paula Krebs, executive director of the Modern Language Association, says the government should hire researchers, artists, and writers in schools and libraries to help in research and education.

Jason Furman, professor of the practice of economic policy at Harvard University, says the federal government needs to fund states and local governments to avoid further layoffs.

Rep. Don Beyer says ramped-up unemployment benefits should be tied to the state of the economic recovery and the government should fund infrastructure.

Matthew Jackson, professor of economics at Stanford University, doubles down on infrastructure and wants a reassessment of student loan repayment.