My business got a ppp loan within 2 weeks of our “lay off five people” timeline. Any slower ppp process and we would have put a terrible burden on five people. Yes there are better programs we could develop. Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

We could have even faster just given money directly to citizens. We could have started by refunding their 2019 federal income taxes.

I don't think a less effective program is possible. Using income tax rates means those with the most would benefit the most, while those already barely getting by would be screwed. Those most likely to be harmed by the pandemic are those who would be helped the least.

I wrote "started by refunding". There is no reason we should have stopped there.

We are currently incentivizing many people to not work through unemployment. We should just give them that money unconditionally so that they go back to work.

But we didn’t. So work towards standing up that infra for the next event (Postal banking, FedAccounts, and better tooling at the Treasury for airdropping fiat) and claw back the PPP funds obtained fraudulently and press criminal charges.

These lessons are not new. 2008 taught us that the banks are more important than individuals.

Elect better representatives.

Any good suggestions would require better elected officials. We know that won't happen. Even now, many are still loyal to the DNC and GOP.

That would've left out something like 47% of citizens, mostly lower income ones in the most need of assistance.

There is no reason we should not have sent money directly to them as well. I wrote "started by refunding".

At the very least PPP was targeted in the sense it went to those who asked (or were unscrupulous enough to lie).