The "Save Our Stages" act would ensure that relief funds only go to small, independent venue operators, promoters and talent reps. The grant amounts would be the lesser of either 45% of a business' operation costs from 2019 or $12 million. Those that receive grants would be able to use the money to cover costs incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as pay for rent, utilities, mortgages, personal protective equipment, maintenance, administrative costs, taxes, and expenses that would allow venues to meet local and federal social distancing guidelines. [...]
In a statement, the National Independent Venue Association hailed the "Save Our Stages" act. "While existing government assistance programs have helped other industries, they weren't tailored to meet the needs of small businesses like ours that have zero revenue, enormous overhead and no visibility into when we can fully re-open," said Adam Hartke, the co-chair of the organization's advocacy committee. "The Save Our Stages Act will provide the assistance we need to get through the shutdown until we can reopen safely and once again become the economic generators for our communities that we've always been."
That sounds pretty good. Let's hope this goes through, and it doesn't end up getting gamed like the Payroll Protection Program was, where a fund intended for small businesses got gobbled up by national and multinational chains instead.
There's only one way for there to still be a bar and nightclub industry once the pandemic is over, and that's press pause on the whole industry until it's safe for us to re-open. But it's not "pressing pause" if we have no income but still have expenses.
The Kleptocracy keeps trying and failing to figure out how to reopen businesses that can't be open during a plague. The only way to end this is to pay those businesses, and everyone else, to not work until the plague is over. There is no other solution.
Just think: if nine out of ten people had worn masks in April, we might be on our way out of this by now, instead of sinking deeper and deeper in.
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Although the administration's behavior makes no sense as law enforcement, it makes perfect sense as a new kind of campaign tactic.