Dan Lipka Web Log

I just don't understand. Here are the facts: 1) We can't keep the economy closed forever, and every week that it is closed hurts livelihoods and just staying afloat will cost taxpayers trillions. 2) There is no guarantee that COVID-19 is seasonal or that we will have a vaccine anytime soon. 3) The virus will continue to spread (unless we completely lock up society for several weeks, which doesn't seem likely.  Additionally, all international travel will have to be cancelled indefinitely). Given those facts, there has to be a plan to reopen society that doesn't just put us in the same situation over and over again. The solution must include: 1) Testing capacity beyond anything we have ever imagined. Billions of tests, testing people constantly, giving them immediate results (testing for both the virus and antibodies). 2) Develop long-term medical capacity. Assume there will never be a vaccine. 3) Protect those most vulnerable. This will be very challenging and no

There is so much to talk about, but I'll focus on the Paycheck Protection Program, which is the mechanism to allocate a large chuck of the $2 trillion legislated to help businesses. This money goes to small businesses (under 500 employees) to cover payroll costs for staff that they didn't lay off. Take your total payroll, multiple it by 2.5 and the government will basically just give you that money. The form is three pages long and utterly generic (taken from legislation that was written over the course of just a week). As far as I can tell, you don't have to show any proof (like payroll receipts) or that COVID-19 negatively affected your business. For example, my nonprofit organization has to cancel several fundraising events, but they don't actual ask for that information. Banks will have to administer this program and they are completely unprepared to deal with something of this magnitude. And the fraud is going to be overwhelming. My only hope is that technically th