Should the government compensate business owners that are forced to close?

[Madison320]

I would argue yes. I'm against all bailouts but if the government forces you to shutdown you should be compensated. That would be similar to having your property taking to allow for highway construction or something similar.

On the other hand if you are not being forced to shutdown, but you are just losing customers due to the fact that no one is going out, that's different. You shouldn't get bailed out for that. Only if you are forcibly shut down.

[PAF]

I would argue yes. I'm against all bailouts but if the government forces you to shutdown you should be compensated. That would be similar to having your property taking to allow for highway construction or something similar.

On the other hand if you are not being forced to shutdown, but you are just losing customers due to the fact that no one is going out, that's different. You shouldn't get bailed out for that. Only if you are forcibly shut down.

The government does not/should not have the authority to close a business. If people choose to close their own business, or people choose not go out and about to buy/sell/trade, that is on them.

The title “Should the government” - No. “Government should not”, other than defend and protect my individual rights.

I briefly thought the same thing, but thinking about it, it is another slide into tyranny.

[PAF]

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthr...ime-of-Madness

[tod evans]

"Should the government issue checks to every E-Bay and Etsy store owner?"

Is it more important to bail them out or the likes of Monsanto, DuPont and Lockheed Martin?

Who decides?

Who monitors them for bribes and shenanigans?

Leaving me to fall back on the unequivocal truths of;

"Everything government touches it $#@!s up."
And
"Expecting the police to police the police is a fools game."

[Theocrat]

The government does not/should not have the authority to close a business. If people choose to close their own business, or people choose not go out and about to buy/sell/trade, that is on them.

The title “Should the government” - No. “Government should not”, other than defend and protect my individual rights.

I briefly thought the same thing, but thinking about it, it is another slide into tyranny.

My sentiments exactly. Civil governments don't have the authority to tell a business whether or not it ought to be shutdown, unless that business violated someone's God-given rights. And even in cases like that, compensation of damages is the method which should be imposed upon the business.

Businesses are perfectly at liberty to say "No" to the civil magistrate who suggests their closure, just as the States can tell the federal government "No" when it comes to a federal mandate imposed upon a state that violates the U.S. Constitution.

Therefore, no federal compensation should be given to any business. Those businesses were at the liberty to reject the federal and state government's statute and to challenge it in the courts, in order to keep their businesses running. That's their loss.

[pcosmar]

Should the government

NO

[Krugminator2]

I would argue yes. I'm against all bailouts but if the government forces you to shutdown you should be compensated. That would be similar to having your property taking to allow for highway construction or something similar.

On the other hand if you are not being forced to shutdown, but you are just losing customers due to the fact that no one is going out, that's different. You shouldn't get bailed out for that. Only if you are forcibly shut down.

Right now that is every "non-essential" business. There isn't enough money to compensate. What should happen is helping avoid bankruptcies on a system wide scale. You do that with no interest loans for industries most affected. There should also be tons of strings attached so the system isn't so leveraged in the future.

I don't really have much sympathy for Boeing because they should have enough cash. But if you are smaller growth company, how the hell do you plan for the world shutting down? The Russell 2000 and and the NYSE Composite are composed of more entrepreneurial companies. Those indices are down about 42%. Letting those companies all fail will just make a few well capitalized mature companies like Amazon get even more market share.

[RJB]

Right next now, the only restaurants that will survive a month long quarantine will be McDonald's, Burger King, and Kentucky Fried Chicken. This economy is screwed.

Ironically, those corporations will probably get a bailout even if no one else does.