By Charles Denowh

Keeping Montanan small businesses afloat during the coronavirus shutdown was one of the most important actions taken by our federal government. The relief package kept many people working and may prevent, in the long term, the closure of thousands of businesses.

Some have characterized the relief for business owners as “bailouts.” They’re not. A bailout is a government handout to businesses that lost money due to their own mismanagement. The government bailed out financial institutions during the 2008 financial crisis.

That’s not what’s happening today. The busin...