Well, it's a similar metaphor to the cake-batter-in-the-oven one that brink provided, both of which are trying to highlight that it's weird to shut off the econ

Well, it's a similar metaphor to the cake-batter-in-the-oven one that brink provided, both of which are trying to highlight that it's weird to shut off the economy then being surprised that it resulted in greater unemployment, as if it wasn't obvious that one thing would cause the other.