Main frustration with PPP is that gov did not prosecute fraudsters aggressively enough. The basis if the programs are very different.

How is it similar? Businesses that employ people and generate tax revenue vs someone with a gender studies degree that will never add value to anything or anyone but the institution that charged them $150k for the degree.

Probably different accounting treatment. I believe the student loan program is run by issuing treasuries, so the subsidies are the main expense.

Are you comparing loans given to businesses to stay afloat during a government mandated shutdown of an unprecedented scale where those businesses were forbidden by the government to do business, to the free will of students taking a loan understanding very well the consequences of their decision?

Much of the PPP loans taken were fraudulent, wasteful, unnecessary and inflationary. Businesses who had no need for them took them and had their best quarters and year. The market sloshed around and shot up with all this 'free' money.

We're willing to spend all this money unnecessarily on businesses but when it comes to supporting students all of a sudden - its too much and we have to draw the line!

I'd much rather see individuals paid directly than go through businesses and hope they are benevolent enough to use it on their employees.

There is overwhelming evidence that most of those were loans were fraudulent so yeah, it’s not any different, that was bullshit too.