Trump Administration’s Global Grab For Masks Angers Allies

All of the consequences of Trump’s isolationism and America First jingoism are coming home to roost with a bloody vengeance.

12 Likes

Sad to hear, but didn’t Katie Porter browbeat the CDC(?) head to commit to covering the cost of any COVID-19 testing?

Edit: It was CDC.

9 Likes

So we had heard. I only know what the young woman texted to my daughter, so can only guess that there is some checklist to become eligible?

ETA: or the feds are again lying & cheating.

3 Likes
16 Likes

As a Canadian, I heard about this and was only mildly surprised. Your President simply cannot be trusted.

In response, our PM Trudeau has said we would not retaliate but that could be a hockey tactic…lull the offending player into complacency until he’s exposed in a corner, then come in with elbows high and paste the f*cker into the boards. Hey, it worked for Gordie Howe, it could work here.

14 Likes

This. It’s one thing to block the export of masks by profiteering middlemen. It’s another to block export of masks according to volume contracts that pre-date the crisis; essentially robbing Peter to pay Paul. Nearly two-thirds of 3M N95 masks are manufactured overseas; one might think that a disproportionate number of the remaining third (manufactured in the US) are what American hospitals use, but the complexities and economics of the global supply chain mean that isn’t necessarily true.

It’s not stated anywhere in the story, but this has MAGA trade idiot Peter Navarro written all over it. Recall that he was (insanely) put in charge of this sort of equipment distribution; that’s partly what prompted the letter from Schumer et al requesting that a military logistics specialist be put in charge instead. A bomb-throwing, poorly-reasoned, aggressive act is right up his alley, and will be incredibly counterproductive. Most of the supply of ventilators consumed by American hospitals is produced overseas. A tit-for-tat trade war will cost countless lives; the middle of a crisis is the worst time imaginable to attempt a reset of the entire global supply chain.

They need to add capacity, and avoid exploitation of existing capacity through profiteering. Disrupting supplies from and to the US is incredibly far down the list of priorities.

14 Likes

If Trump knew anything about effective leadership, he wouldn’t playing these antagonistic games, for the sake of the short term or the long term. This is going to be over some day, and when we walk out of this, with our economy (and maybe even our military) weakened, we’re going to need allies. In the past we’ve had friends simply based on being the kid with the fattest in the wallet in the room. But maybe that’s not going to be true when all this is done. You would think our leaders, senators included, would be wise enough to behave like it.

7 Likes

Well, there really is nothing here that should surprise anyone. All of Trump’s chronic dishonesty, grafting, self-serving, and utter lack of a sense of duty to the country has been on full display throughout the pandemic. This is all absolutely routine and predictable.

I admit to being curious to see if Trump can keep the scam running while thousands start dying in places like Idaho, Utah, and Missouri while he blames everyone for his impotence and his government flounders…

The question is, what will the public decide it is time to get rid of the DOB?

4 Likes

Where are the CEOs demanding the Repub senators remove him? Bill Gates need to say it.

2 Likes

Somewhere, a Luke Skywalker awakes to do battle against the empire.

1 Like

Or a Lucille Skywalker? I’m good with either…

2 Likes

You should have stopped right there, y’know.

6 Likes

So, in a week or so the electricity and gas pipelines from Canada will shut down for “unforeseen technical reasons”

Your move, eh.

2 Likes

Trump thinks of government as a kind of institutionalized protection racket, just like his approach to NATO.

2 Likes

You know he doesn’t read that s**t, right?

3 Likes

Yes, but he will claim the IC failed to warn him of the coming pandemic.

I think I speak for all of us when I say at least there were no ‘ssssmmohkin’ refernces.

1 Like

Or the mainstream media start doing its job by analyzing and reporting instead of just parroting.

2 Likes

you mean like this?

4 Likes

Came here to write exactly that. All the pieces of the puzzle are laid out on the table before us. They just haven’t been explicitly connected in one single report yet.

1 Like