At this point, I really cannot blame the government for its performance handling the pandemic. Yes, there have been significant missteps across the board both at the State and Federal levels that have and continue to cost people their lives. But, there are just so many variables at work and so many differing opinions even in the scientific and medical fields that I’ve come to understand why those mistakes were made and continue to be made.
What I find inexcusable is government’s response to the financial crisis caused by the pandemic. From my lowly perch in life as a CSR in an insurance agency, I’ve the spent the last month talking with business owners who’ve had to close their business and other insureds who have lost their jobs. These people can’t pay their bills (the usual reason they call me), and they are scared.
When you speak with them about filing for unemployment or getting a CARES Act loan, you hear stories about unemployment websites that don’t work and phone calls not answered. You hear about banks and credit unions two weeks later who have no idea what’s going on. It’s a total mess lacking in leadership and understanding of just how on a razors edge so many working class people live. One thing it’s not lacking in is red tape which is inhibiting the allocated funds from getting into the hands of people who desperately need it.
I don’t understand at a time when a good chunk of State workers are home being paid to do nothing why they couldn’t get a few hours of training via webinar and be equipped with a phone, so they could take unemployment applications. I can’t understand why the Feds just couldn’t allow their SBA member banks to just administer the small business loan program. Why would it be so hard? The business owner provides his tax return to show his revenues and payroll expenses. The bank checks it against their own records and voila the bank approves the loan allowing the business to pay its employees.
It’s this stuff that’s going to worsen this financial crisis and make the road to recovery harder and longer. It’s thus stuff I find inexcusable.
But yes, I love Austin. Awesome city.
