The loan program for small businesses is currently out of money while Nancy Pelosi shows off her ice cream stash. Despite that, the media and Democrats are still spinning that this is all somehow the fault of Republicans.

What’s the latest line? That Democrats are just concerned the money isn’t actually helping people, so that’s why they are letting businesses go under while they fiddle. I noticed this yesterday when a rash of liberal mouthpieces all started using the same talking points.

This is the new tactic to defend Democrats choosing to block the program, i.e. claim the program isn't helping people. https://t.co/9Uw8dZoJRo

— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) April 17, 2020

Chuck Schumer wedged his take in there last night, using a variation of the same narrative.

Senate Democrats are fighting for the nail salons, the barbershops, the delis.

Why are Senator McConnell and Republicans only trying to help bigger businesses that already have connections to bigger banks?https://t.co/0ETwtIxAoh

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) April 17, 2020

If you haven’t been paying attention to political Twitter the last couple of days (and who could blame you?), you might not know what this pertains to. Essentially, Democrats are claiming that franchises are big businesses and are using a “loophole” to get funding. In reality, franchises are almost exclusively small businesses, locally owned and operated by someone who pays said franchise fees. But because franchise fees go to a larger corporation, the left is claiming this is somehow enriching big business.

To be frank, that’s asinine. When a small business buys supplies with their loan money, they are also benefiting big business. When they pay the electric bill, they are benefiting big business. Licensing fees for franchises are a part of the economic environment. To suggest they are somehow a loophole makes no sense whatsoever.

Meanwhile, Marco Rubio apparently has receipts that Schumer won’t like.

.@chuckschumer you don’t want to go there.

I have a long list of Democratic members who pushed us to include franchise restaurants & even venture capital owned companies.

And you yourself told me you wanted #PPP to cover businesses you knew in NY with more than 500 employees https://t.co/swjFqvLYOB

— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) April 18, 2020

I don’t doubt for a second that every word of Rubio is saying is true. Democrats spent most of the relief bill negotiations pushing for money for special interests, including giveaways to the environmental lobby and money for places like the Kennedy Center. They also fought for universities like Harvard, which enjoys a $38 billion (like with a B) endowment, to be included. But now they want to pretend they are fighting for the little guy while scapegoating the actual little guys who own franchised businesses? That’s not gonna fly.

When this is all over, thousands of businesses will have had to close their doors because this program is currently being delayed. That’s on Democrats 100%. They get to own that, now and in November.