"Yes, it's handing out free money to some and not others based on basically nothing." It's not based on "basically nothing" - at least from the banks perspecti

"Yes, it's handing out free money to some and not others based on basically nothing." It's not based on "basically nothing" - at least from the banks perspective as originators in this case - it's based on which corporate accounts are deemed to be of greatest financial value to them. They can, will, did pick and choose loan beneficiaries in their portfolio based on how it will benefit them - nothing less. This means that business customers with big debts to the bank were a priority. It's absolutely a bailout of the banks in a difference scheme, albeit a bit more blatantly nepotistic than we're used to seeing so far. And yes, they get a point in services for treating themselves too... All that said, your gist is correct in that it's basically free money benefiting some at the expense of others which is why personally, morally, I am not in favor of corporate welfare under any circumstances - impossible to do so "fairly".