Mike Johnson: Louisianans ‘The Most Resilient People in the World’

Congressman Mike Johnson joined 101.7 / 710 KEEL's Robert J Wright and Erin McCarty, covering a variety of topics including the increasing possibility of sanctions against China, growing talk in the Congress for a second stimulus package and how to rebuild the economy in the wake of the Coronavirus shutdowns.

Johnson addresses the growing evidence that the source of COVID 19 was not, as originally thought, a Chinese market, but instead a bio-lab in Wuhan. "I'll go as far as the Secretary of State," says the Congressman, "And he said he's pretty well convinced from the evidence from the intelligence community - we're all pretty well convinced - that it came from a lab in China. We are confident that this is a Chinese virus, created by them and who knows for what purpose."

The 4th District Representative the big question that remains is how to deal with the Chinese going forward. "They are culpable in this thing. They operated in bad faith," Johnson emphasizes, adding that if the Beijing government had been less secretive, numerous lives around the world would have been saved.

Johnson suggests that there are a number of things the United States can do in response, including tighter restrictions on Chinese government officials in the US. He also calls for the Chinese to allow access to all their information regarding COVID 19 and an investigation of the World Health Organization because if their close ties to the Chinese government.

Congressman Johnson also talks about the possibility of a second Coronavirus stimulus package, saying, "I can tell you there's not a large appetite (for more spending). We're very concerned about the debt. We're very concerned about what this is going to cost our children and grandchildren." He also addresses concerns about Democrat leaders wanting to "spend in perpetuity."

Johnson then talks about how  - despite the current struggles - he is optimistic about the economic future of the nation and the state. "The reason (to be) optimistic is...we're Louisianans! We're good at crisis recovery. We face unprecedented challenges all the time and we come back. I say all the time, I think we're the most resilient people in the world."