Apparently it took the invocation of the Defense Production Act to stop 3M from selling masks and PPE to cash paying foreign governments; forcing them to supply the U.S. federal government and states instead. WATCH:
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The always political Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer sent a letter to President Trump today saying it was “long past the time” to name a senior military officer to lead the supply-chain effort.
Senator Schumer was attempting to construct a political narrative around the administration not taking action to secure U.S. supply needs combating COVID-19.
The letter was/is ridiculous; and built upon an entirely false premise; because Admiral John Polowczyk is already in that supply-chain procurement and distribution position working closely with Peter Navarro after the invocation of the Defense Production Act.
Replying to the ridiculous Schumer letter, President Trump calls out his stupidity:
Comrades, the administrative state will take care of all your food needs. There is no reason to be self-sufficient in the production of food products. As a result Vermont has designated the selling of seeds as “non-essential” and blocked from purchase:
It is more than a little alarming to see state officials now beginning to drill down into products that stores will be permitted to sell, or not sell, within businesses that are permitted to remain open during the COVID-19 mitigation effort.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin explains some of details about how the CAREs Act provides financial relief for small businesses (0 to 500 employees). Mnuchin explains how the primary part of the relief bill will support approximately 50% of those impacted.
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The Treasury Department has stood up a system inside the Small Business Administration that cuts through much of the bureaucracy. By using FDIC lenders (local banks) as the point of contact for small businesses and S-corps Treasury can backstop the process.
White House Coordinator for the Defense Production Act, Peter Navarro, appears on Fox News to discuss how U.S. manufacturers are shifting their production lines to generate products needed to combat coronavirus.
GM CEO Mary Barra appears to have found a spark under her corporate butt after President Trump invoked his power under the DPA to support a greater sense of urgency.
Take one heap of hypocrisy and one heap of irony and combine them; what you end up with is a New York Governor going bananas about the potential for the New York metropolitan areas being quarantined.
On March 10th New York Governor Andrew Cuomo called-in the national guard to quarantine a New York City suburb called New Rochelle. The alarming effort was called a “containment plan” by the governor to stop the spread of coronavirus.
However, Cuomo is now having fits as the potential for a “containment plan” over the New York City metropolitan area is being considered as a federal mitigation effort.
NEW YORK – New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has said that President Donald Trump’s proposed quarantine of New York to limit the spread of coronavirus would be tantamount to a ‘federal declaration of war.’
‘If you start walling off areas all across the country it would just be totally bizarre, counter-productive, anti-American, anti-social,’ said Cuomo in an interview with CNN on Saturday. (link)
Governor Cuomo uses national guard to create containment zone of New Rochelle, and all is good. President Trump contemplates using national guard to create containment zone for New York city, and it’s a declaration of war… Gotcha.
Realistically, what President Trump is likely considering is a shut down of the airports in the New York metro area. But it’s quite typical to see the apoplexy about it.
The White House COVID-19 task force briefing is being held today at approximately 5:00pm to 5:30pm ET. Livestream Links Below:
White House Livestream Link – Fox News Livestream – Fox Business Livestream
Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser closes the nation’s capital until April 25th, effectively closing all public gatherings for one month. [Order pdf Here]
There is a certain aspect to dèjá-vu showing up on the horizon… Welcome to an economic civil war. But first, the latest details.
WASHINGTON DC – The intent of the Order is to temporarily cease all non-essential business activities, including tour guides and touring services; gyms, health clubs, spas, and massage establishments; theaters, auditoriums, and other places of large gatherings; nightclubs; hair, nail, and tanning salons and barbershops; tattoo parlors; sales not involved in essential services; retail clothing stores; and professional services not devoted to assisting essential business operations.
The Order goes into effect on March 25, 2020, at 10 pm, through April 24, 2020 (link)
On the horizon it appears the state and regional shutdowns are going to mirror the shutdowns from Obama’s infamous sequester-fiasco from the spring of 2013. That looks like the road-map that will be followed as the coronavirus issue starts to level-off.
Earlier today New York Governor Andrew Cuomo blasted FEMA during a press conference for sending 400 medical ventilators when his state needs 30,000. WATCH:
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However, in 2015 the New York State Department of Health specifically studied the issue, warned about a critical lack of ventilators during a pandemic, and the New York Governor made a specific decision NOT to order them: [pdf link here]
So Andrew Cuomo is blasting FEMA today for not providing something he choose not to order and prepare for in 2015. That’s a little bit unfair and hypocritical, no?
President Trump and the coronavirus task force will be updating the public and answering questions from the Brady press room at the White House today at 5:00pm ET.
There may be questions about the DOJ requests for increased authorities to arrest and detain non-compliant citizens without judges/lawyers – Livestreams Below:
WH Livestream Link – Fox News Livestream Link – State Dept. Livestream Link