The simple way to have done it would have been just to send a check to everybody and let it be recouped when you file your 1040. But that doesn't create jobs for bureaucrats.

The really simple way to do it would have been to do the Boortz-Linder prebate/prefund. Say $400/month for one adult in household, $300/mo for second adult, $200/mo for first kid, $100/mo for additional kids. Single person gets $400/mo, every month. Couple gets $700/mo, every month. Couple with one kid gets $900/mo, then $100/mo for each additional kid. Single parent with one kid gets $600/mo, then $100/mo for each additional kid. Goes on whether we have crisis or not. Replaces means tested welfare, which we farm out to the states. And do Bismarck health care, so nobody is without health care. If we had that in place, only crisis would have been northern Virgina and southern Maryland, where house prices would have crashed.

And if we did masks and social distancing, you can stay open, no masks or social distancing, you are shut down, coupled with kurzarbeit, we would. have had no economic crash.

Then again, if ifs and buts were candy and nuts, we'd all have a merry Christmas.