Let this be a lesson to you. Anytime a government program doesn't specifically target a group for assistance, anyone and everyone will try to share in the wealth. The loan programs set up after the 9/11 terrorist attacks are a prime example. People and businesses that were completely unaffected by the terrorist attacks were able to take advantage of loan programs through the SBA because the SBA did such a poor job making sure that those businesses were actually affected by the terrorist attacks.
That's taxpayer money going to help a Dunkin Donuts on the West Coast. Or a funeral parlor in Oregon. Those businesses themselves probably did nothing wrong when going to the SBA for loans, but someone should have done a better job making sure that the money was going where it was supposed to.
With similar programs expected to assist in the Gulf Coast recovery, will we see any better oversight or demands for proper documentation? Red flags should have been raised on any business outside the affected areas relating to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, but weren't. Will the SBA do a better job this time around?
I'm not holding my breath.
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