The U.S. Treasury released a list of those who received PPP (Payroll Protection Program) grants. After reading on a few of the well-connected names, I'm sure once again the taxpayers have been bilked by the politicians. A program designed to help small business owners turned quickly to giving funds to the well-connected. There are lots of politicians names coming up in these list. The law firm that represents President Trump is named as a recipient of several million dollars.
We are to believe these well-connected business would have not made it through a few months without a bailout. One of the biggest law firms in the country cold not make it without a grant. The largest chain of movie theaters, Regal, fell to the trough. Auto dealerships owned by families of senators and representatives seemed to all be rescued from utter financial disaster with federal funds. If you are a small mom-and-pop owner of a coffee shop who laid off a few minimum wager earners you probably did not qualify, while business making millions of dollars relieved funds up to several million dollars.
Now there are pleas to have another round under the guise it will be for those laid off. Of course, these well-connected will benefit as well. Do not bother to complain to the crew in Washington, D.C.; they will give you a line about how these were all to save the country. Meanwhile, those small stores around Anchorage are going out of business while the unemployed have run out of benefits.
John A. Parker
Kodiak
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