America's coronavirus shutdowns lasted "way too long" and business probably should have started a couple of weeks ago, and as a result, "it's going to be a really hard summer," economist Steven Moore told Newsmax TV on Monday. 

"The good news is that we're starting to see 20 states that are opening up their states in a very smart way," Moore, who appeared with Club for Growth President David McIntosh on "The Chris Salcedo Show," commented. "Obviously, saving lives and keeping people healthy is the most important thing, but we can do this in a way that actually gets businesses up and running."

Moore said he does believe there will be a "light at the end of the tunnel," at the end of the summer, but until then, times will be tough. 

"You see the food trucks with people who have never had to depend on government assistance," Moore added. "I think Americans mistakenly believe that somehow, two or three weeks from now they can come out and everything will as it was. 

"I do think those states that open up quickest, those tend to be the southern states like Georgia, Florida, Texas, and Tennessee, and some of those midwestern states, like Iowa and Nebraska, those states, I think are going to see a faster recovery," Moore said.

States that stay closed longer, like California, New York, New Jersey, or Illinois, that refuse to open, will see their businesses be "really hurt," he added. 

McIntosh said his organization, of which Moore is a founding member, is proposing the government take some action to make sure businesses can get going, including cutting red tape and waiving regulations they do not need. He also said businesses should be protected from lawsuits from people seeking damages related to the coronavirus. 

Meanwhile, Moore said he does agree the shutdowns made the "cure worse than the disease" when it came to the shutdowns that took place.

"I mean, we're not going to know the exact answer to that, but when you look at 30 million people unemployed, it's going to be hard to get those people back to work," said Moore, noting he is on the board of a company who had to declare bankruptcy.

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