FWIW, this is the big problem with the Catholic Church tapping into PPP money. That money was meant for small businesses and small nonprofits.

But the Administration subverted the language of the bill, which required nonprofits to undergo an affiliation test. 1/ https://twitter.com/JamesMartinSJ/status/1281921802369994752

Would Catholic parishes have been affiliates (and therefore their employees aggregated) if the affiliation test had been applied? Idk for sure, but my guess is yes.

But the Trump Administration, in clear violation of the language of the statute, said religious orgs 2/

wouldn't be subject to the affiliation test.

So my thoughts on the Catholic Church getting PPP loans: it was the right thing for it to do. It has to use those loans to protect jobs (and a few other specific things). The loans doubtless will preserve jobs.

But! 3/

It's a travesty of the law that the Trump SBA allowed religions to ignore the affiliation rules. Sure, they're hard to apply to nonprofits. But nonreligious nonprofits have to apply them. (In fact, if I were a nonprofit that was denied a loan because of the affiliation rules, 4/

I'd probably sue. I don't know that I'd win, but this is a case where religion is being treated far better than nonreligion in the exact same boat.)

That Catholic Church does do a lot of good. It may well be the largest provider of social services in the US besides the govt. 5/

And it may well have needed money. But "largest" and "Small Business Administration" don't go together. 6/6