I decided to write this because I have seen too many comments about this “recession” and how we are doomed. This is an artificial recession that we created to protect public health which means if handled correctly, we should be able to return to normal relatively quickly and easily.

The truth is that we are not even close to being done with this and we need to come to terms with that reality. We need to stop incrementally pushing back the date at which shelter-in-place ends, it creates false hope and when looking at the country as a whole, isn’t remotely realistic without ending up with a massive second wave.

Our safety nets are being overwhelmed and the American people are the ones who are paying the price. We are seeing a culmination of broken systems all being stress-tested at the same time, and they are failing. Even the “stimulus” check is a joke, it isn’t free money, it’s what you’ve already paid in taxes being given back to you from what you would have received on your 2020 tax filing. What is happening, is the largest corporate grift in history. You don’t get to claim we have a free market when you are willing to pick and choose the businesses that you save. Having said that, any company that used profits for stock buybacks in the last 3 years should be exempt from any government assistance and receive steep penalties for any layoffs, with the penalties going directly to employees impacted by the company’s layoffs.

I was so excited when I saw the PPP loan forgiveness plan and then reality hit, the banks are overwhelmed with requests. I have Wells Fargo, got my request in on the second-day applications were being taken and am currently still in the queue. If the idea for the PPP loan was to stifle the impact on unemployment, wouldn’t it make much more sense to expedite all of these loans to ensure each state’s unemployment system wasn’t overloaded? I’d even venture to make the argument that the PPP loan should have been treated as the most important part of the entire COVID bill. With banks asking for the following:

• Payroll tax filings
• Payroll Tax form 941
• Form 1099-Misc
• Income and expenses from a sole proprietorship

They are adding stress to their workforce to go through the items. If the loan is only forgivable when used for certain expenses, then fork out the cash and if the business doesn’t follow the rules, they have to pay it back with the allotted interest. This would have kept millions from filing unemployment and reduced the stress on what America totes as the backbone of the country, small business owners. We will see how this process plays out, I for one am not holding my breath.

I wrote what I thought the appropriate response for some areas would be below. There are some overlapping safety guards with ideas such as rent, I did this on purpose to give an either/or option. The underlying principle in this is that the majority of people/small businesses are NOT trying to take advantage of the system but rather to ensure they aren’t doomed for months to come.

I’d also like to point out that this is what I think the most realistic answer would be while operating with the system in place. It doesn’t mean I agree with it.

Landlords

Government payout of any missed lease payments for either an individual or small business up to two months post-shelter-in-place being lifted, as it will take some time for spending habits and inventory backlog to be worked through before profits return.

I do think COVID is highlighting just how broken our housing system is but I will save that discussion for another time.

Small Businesses

I think that on paper the government has done an ok with their response except for the problems I highlighted above. When I called the SBA, I was caller number 1054 in the queue so I can only imagine how they are dealing with this right now.

There doesn’t need to be a means test. Just show payroll, rent, and utilities AND an average of the profits for the last three months, multiply this by 3 or 4 and boom give out the loan. This takes care of small business owners who are not able to receive unemployment and prevent others from filing in the first place.

The problem with the amount of documentation being requested for some of the loans is that most businesses outsource things like payroll so if the payroll company that you use is operating with a skeleton crew it is going to be further delayed while you wait for your document request.

Individuals

By far the weakest response to the pandemic has been the safety nets to the people living here. The underlying theme with a government response in a pandemic is that no one should be concerned about anything other than making sure they can eat and stay the f*ck inside.

Freeze all payments (Rent, credit cards, and their interest, medical bills, car payments, student loans, utilities)

Provide $1500-$2000 per month to EVERYONE. I would have to check the math but based on the income inequality in this country, it is probably cheaper than means testing a temporary UBI. If you are hell-bent on means-testing, do it after the pandemic and send a bill.

Homeless

Our forgotten street family who is arguably the most vulnerable community to all of this has received little to no help and has had their socioeconomic status further criminalized. COVID does not care how much money you make or how you live. It can spread to anyone and with no protection for the homeless community, it has an even higher chance of spreading after the shelter in place is over. Hotels must be used to house our street family and sanitation products must be provided. My understanding is that funds and plans have already been put in place to make this a reality but once again this is on paper. Locally we still see our homeless community being terrorized by law enforcement.

Healthcare

Who would have thought? Tying health insurance to employment was a super f*cking stupid idea. We need, if only for the pandemic period, a national healthcare system. From a public health and safety standpoint, it makes no sense at all for these agencies including hospitals to operate for profit. Profit from private hospitals should be mandated to purchase PPE. People should not be afraid to get checked out for COVID because of a bill, it puts everyone at risk.

We also need to start asking why so many health centers were woefully understocked on the necessary PPE inventory. As an accountant, I will always advocate for audits but now they are more important than ever.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I wrote this as a frustrated business owner and someone who needed to vent. Maybe I am oversimplifying the response but the more likely culprit is that our government is no longer run to maintain a safe and healthy community but rather to serve the business class that has pitted the working class against each other.