Wednesday, March 25, 2020

AS THEY HAND TRILLIONS TO CRIMINALS ON WALL STREET, NEW ORLEANS HEALTHCARE CAPACITY IN MELTDOWN

Louisiana Gov. Edwards: Health care capacity in New Orleans could be overwhelmed by April 4

Current models show the need for COVID-19 hospitalizations could overwhelm the health care system’s capacity in the New Orleans area by April 4, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said Tuesday.
That’s a more optimistic timeline than the earliest model, which on March 19 indicated a possible shortage of beds, staff and equipment within 7-10 days.
“‘Better’ is very, very relative,” Edwards cautioned, noting that the earlier projection was based on a “worst-case scenario.”
As testing ramps up, officials get a better idea of how many people who test positive will need to be hospitalized and for how long, and how many of those patients will need an intensive care bed and a ventilator. The Louisiana Department of Health has received more than 8,600 test results so far, including tests performed at the state lab and more than 6,700 by commercial labs.
The federal Centers for Disease Control has agreed to send an epidemiological team to Louisiana, Edwards said. State officials have asked the federal government for help standing up and staffing four field hospitals with a total of 1,000 beds but have not gotten an answer yet, he said.
Edwards’ emergency orders limiting group sizes and closing schools and many businesses are in effect at least until April 12 and could be extended. Though pressure is growing from President Donald Trump and others to resume normal economic activity, or something close to normal, Edwards said he is unable to provide a time frame for when that might happen in Louisiana.
In the meantime, Edwards urged residents to help reduce the spread of the virus by going out as little as possible and practicing social distancing when they do. He acknowledged not everyone is respecting the emergency “stay at home” order, which exempts many types of businesses deemed essential, but did not announce any new enforcement efforts.
As of the Tuesday mid-day update, the Louisiana Department of Health was reporting 1,388 COVID-19 cases in 43 of the state’s 64 parishes. Forty-six deaths had been reported.

SO CALLED "CHEAP" MANUFACTURING BE DAMNED! - MOVE TO PULL U.S. TRAITOR COMPANIES OUT OF RED CHINA!

‘Cheap manufacturing be damned’: Sentiment builds for moving U.S. companies out of China


American companies that produce essential goods in China should plan to shift their operations back to the United States or other Western countries, according to a senior Republican lawmaker.
“We're staring into a significant, significant crisis of supply chain,” Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner told the Washington Examiner. “Cheap labor or cheap manufacturing be damned if you are reliant on them for your life and livelihood.”
Gardner’s warning was spurred by the shortage of hospital masks in the United States, a dearth driven by Beijing’s refusal to allow American companies that make the products in China to ship them out of the country amid the coronavirus pandemic. And he’s not alone in that sentiment, raising the possibility that anger over China’s self-interested response to the coronavirus outbreak could produce one of the most dramatic alterations of global economics in decades.
“Because of the coronavirus problem, people are recognizing that any supply chain that has single points of failure is incredibly vulnerable,” the Heritage Foundation’s Dean Cheng, a senior research fellow in the organization’s Asian Studies Center, told the Washington Examiner. “China is going to be very concerned about decoupling, offshoring, [or any] redirection of investments out of China.”
Chinese officials already have warned against such a shift, in response to White House officials who share Gardner’s views. “Such an attempt is by no means the right prescription amid the pandemic, still less a viable way out for domestic problems the U.S. faces,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said last week. “It will only cause greater damage to the innocent American people.”
Some Western allies share that view. “If there is political rhetoric also pushing that trend then there is a danger, a real one, that in the medium to long-term, if this gets promoted, we will be a much less efficient world economy, which means that our own domestic economies would also be much weaker, and GDP will be lower,” European Union Ambassador to the United States Stavros Lambrinidis told reporters last week.
The Colorado Republican dismissed that warning. “If you want to make Matchbox cars in hot wheels around the globe, fine, do it, I don't think anybody cares where the 1986 Matchbox Maserati is coming from,” he said.
“If you're making life-sustaining drugs solely reliant on a Chinese supply chain that could be disrupted by a corona-type virus that we have now seen several times this decade, you better think twice,” said Gardner, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee for East Asia. “I don't think that's decoupling, I think that's smart.”
That suspicion of China reflects the degree to which the coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated the tensions between the world’s two largest economies. American officials are angry that Chinese Communist officials censored the early warnings that a new virus had emerged in Wuhan. In response, fuming Chinese diplomats have accused the U.S. Army of starting the pandemic while reminding the West that China controls key parts of the medical supply chain.
“There could be nothing more ham-handed and catastrophic than for the Chinese to talk some more about 'how the U.S. created coronavirus, and, by the way, maybe we'll cut off pharmaceuticals,’” Cheng said. “You want to have a situation where there really is that kind of a backlash, where the U.S. actively tries to not only decouple but move specifically away from China? That's inviting that kind of a backlash.”
Gardner has seen enough. "We have Brazil, we have other countries around the globe where we can establish new supply chains that are much more amenable to the Western values that we share,” he told the Washington Examiner.



US Lawmakers Call for Full Investigation Into China’s Pandemic Coverup

BY EVA FU

March 25, 2020 Updated: March 25, 2020
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Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) are calling for an international probe into how Beijing’s initial handling of the ongoing virus outbreak may have endangered the United States and the rest of the world.
In a resolution introduced in both chambers on March 24, the lawmakers asked Congress to condemn the Chinese regime for its coverup of the outbreak, which “almost certainly” heightened the CCP virus’s rapid global spread, they said.
Congress should also quantify the damage of such acts on the health and economic being of afflicted nations, the resolution stated.
CCP VIRUS SPECIAL COVERAGE
The Epoch Times uses “CCP virus” to refer to the pathogen commonly known as novel coronavirus, because the Chinese Communist Party’s coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic.
One of three legislative proposals introduced that day to take aim at the Beijing regime, the resolution also calls on the international community to design a mechanism for the CCP to deliver compensation accordingly.
“It is time for an international investigation into the role their coverup played in the spread of this devastating pandemic,” Hawley said in a joint press release with Stefanik. “The CCP must be held to account for what the world is now suffering.”
Media reports have detailed how Chinese authorities censored critical information when the virus first emerged in the city of Wuhan, located in Hubei province.
On Jan. 1, Hubei health authorities ordered a genomics testing company to stop virus testing, destroy all virus samples, and to keep their findings a secret, according to an expose by Chinese media Caixin.
Police tracked down multiple doctors who voiced concerns about the virus on social media, accusing them of spreading rumors and inciting public fear. Critics of Chinese authorities’ outbreak response were summoned and punished, and several outspoken citizen journalists disappeared after they tried to share firsthand videos from Wuhan.
On Jan. 13, Thailand confirmed the first infection outside of China, a day before the World Health Organization, citing Chinese investigations, announced that there was “no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission.”
A University of Southampton study, currently in preprint and not yet peer-reviewed, found that China could have stopped up to 95 percent of the virus’s geographical spread had it enacted containment measures earlier.
“There is no doubt that China’s unconscionable decision to orchestrate an elaborate coverup of the wide-ranging and deadly implications of coronavirus led to the death of thousands of people, including hundreds of Americans and climbing,” Stefanik said.
The resolution also took note of how senior Chinese officials have tried to push the conspiracy theory that the virus originated in the United States.
“Since day one, the Chinese Communist Party intentionally lied to the world about the origin of this pandemic,” Hawley said.
On the same day, Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) and Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) also introduced a bipartisan resolution to condemn the CCP for the outbreak coverup and disinformation.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), meanwhile, introduced a bill called “No Chinese Handouts in National Assistance Act” to prevent any virus-related relief funds from flowing into China.
“Allowing American taxpayers’ money to go to companies owned by the Communist Chinese government is antithetical to our ‘America First’ agenda,” he said in a statement.
Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) on Tuesday called the CCP’s handling of the outbreak “one of the worst coverups in human history.”
“This is a systematic whitewash of what the Communist Party has done in China,” he told Fox News. He added that the virus “is now wreaking havoc all across the world, costing not only the lives of people but economic chaos.”
For “the harm, loss, and destruction their arrogance brought upon the rest of the world,” Stefanik said, China will need to pay.
“Simply put—China must, and will, be held accountable,” she said.
Follow Eva on Twitter: @EvaSailEast

Josh Hawley: Legislation ‘Necessary’ to Address Chinese Monopoly of U.S. Drug, Medical Supplies

AFP/Getty Images
24 Feb 20201,067
2:59
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) wrote a letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Monday, contending that it is “inexcusable” that America relies on China for its medical supply chain. Hawley called hearings and legislation to determine how to address America’s reliance on Chinese for producing vital medicine.
The Missouri conservative wrote a letter to U.S. FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn after reports revealed that the coronavirus has jeopardized the “domestic supply of some 150 prescription drugs, including antibiotics, generics, and branded drugs.”
Hawley said that the time is coming for Congress to have oversight and consider legislation to address the insecurity of America’s medical supply chain.
Hawley wrote to Hahn:
The degree to which some of our own manufacturers rely on China to produce life-saving and life-sustaining medications is inexcusable. It is becoming clear to me that both oversight hearings and additional legislation are necessary to determine the extent of our reliance on Chinese production and protect our medical product supply chain.
Reports have revealed the extent to which China produces and exports the overwhelming majority of pharmaceuticals to the United States. China exports 97 percent of all antibiotics and 80 percent of active ingredients used to make drugs in Americans.
Another report stated that America is losing its ability to make pharmaceuticals because of Chinese dumping of low-price products into the global market.
Rosemary Gibson, the author of China Rx: Exposing the Risks of America’s Dependence on China for Medicine, told Breitbart News Tonight host Rebecca Mansour that America should pursue a federal industrial policy to renew domestic manufacturing of medicines and medical products.
Gibson said:
I would have our federal government invest in helping to rebuild our industrial base using advanced manufacturing technology that can produce our medicines much more cheaply, safely, with less environmental footprint, and fully, from soup to nuts from those core raw materials to finished drug in one location all here in the United States.
There will be opponents who say, ‘No, we should let the market do it.’ The market will never do this. They’ll never make this investment. So we have to decide as a country, do we want to have some degree of self-sufficiency in our ability to make medicine? Do we want our military not to be dependent on China for pharmaceuticals to treat chemical and biological agents?
Gibson added, “We’ll be depending on China to help us out when we run out of medicines. The absurdity of it is extraordinary. We have to decide as a country, do we want to have some capacity to make our own medicines, or not?”
Sean Moran is a congressional reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3.

Josh Hawley Introduces Legislation to Expose Chinese Monopoly of U.S. Drug, Medical Supplies

Samuel Corum/Getty Images
 27 Feb 202084
4:34
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) introduced the Medical Supply Chain Security Act on Thursday to combat potential American drug shortages created in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak in China and to reveal America’s reliance on Chinese manufacturing of pharmaceuticals and medical devices.
Sen. Hawley said in a statement that the legislation would provide the country with the information necessary to secure the medical supply chain. He explained:
The coronavirus outbreak in China has highlighted severe and longstanding weaknesses in our medical supply chain. This is more than unfortunate; it’s a danger to public health. Our health officials need to know the extent of our reliance on Chinese production so they can take all necessary action to protect Americans. This legislation will give us the information we need to better secure our supply chain and ensure that Americans have uninterrupted access to life-saving drugs and medical devices.
The spread of the coronavirus throughout China has exposed the deep vulnerabilities in the U.S. medical supply chain as well as the country’s dependence upon China producing pharmaceuticals and medical devices.
Axios reported that the coronavirus outbreak has jeopardized the American supply of roughly 150 pharmaceuticals, including antibiotics, generics, and brand-name drugs. Some of these drugs do not have alternatives on the market.
China exports 97 percent of all antibiotics and 80 percent of active ingredients used to make drugs in America. America is losing its ability to make pharmaceuticals because of Chinese dumping of low-price products into the global market.
Public health officials at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) currently have limited resources for assessing supply chain vulnerabilities. The FDA recently asked Congress for more statutory authority to require that manufacturers notify the agency when they discover circumstances that may lead to shortages in essential medical devices. Giving the FDA more authority would allow the agency to ensure that they can take the necessary steps to mitigate potential shortages of life-saving drugs and medical devices.
Hawley’s legislation would:
  • Require that manufacturers report imminent or forecasted shortages of medical devices to the FDA as they currently do for pharmaceutical drugs.
  • Allow the FDA to expedite the review of essential medical devices that require pre-market approval in the event of expected shortages reported by a manufacturer.
  • Grant the FDA additional authority to request additional information from manufacturers of essential drugs or devices regarding their manufacturing capacity, including sourcing of component parts, sourcing of active pharmaceutical ingredients, use of raw materials, and any other details the FDA might find relevant to assess the security of the American medical supply chain.
Hawley’s legislation follows as the Missouri populist wrote a letter this week to FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, asking Hahn what actions he and the agency can take to ensure that American citizens do not face shortages of life-saving drugs and medical drugs.
The Missouri senator said Tuesday that the coronavirus outbreak has proved that America needs to “stop relying on China for our critical medical supply chains.”


If the #Coronavirus crisis makes anything clear, it’s that we need to stop relying on #China for our critical medical supply chains. I will introduce legislation this week to jump start that effort. Details to follow https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/25/world/asia/coronavirus-news.html?referringSource=articleShare 

Coronavirus Live Updates: Markets Reel as Virus Spreads Across the World



Rosemary Gibson, the author of China Rx: Exposing the Risks of America’s Dependence on China for Medicine, recently told Breitbart News Tonight host Rebecca Mansour that the United States should pursue an industrial policy to renew domestic manufacturing of medicines and medical products in the homeland.
Gibson said:
I would have our federal government invest in helping to rebuild our industrial base using advanced manufacturing technology that can produce our medicines much more cheaply, safely, with less environmental footprint, and fully, from soup to nuts from those core raw materials to finished drug in one location all here in the United States.
Hawley also said Tuesday that the Donald Trump administration should consider additional travel restrictions to combat the spread of the coronavirus throughout the United States.
“This is a no-brainer. It’s not just China any longer. With the rise of cases in Europe & Asia, we need to take additional steps to protect Americans,” Hawley tweeted.


This is a no-brainer. It’s not just China any longer. With the rise of cases in Europe & Asia, we need to take additional steps to protect Americans https://twitter.com/kylieatwood/status/1232654412440625152 


Sean Moran is a congressional reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3.

THINK TANK - EXPECT 14 MILLION JOBS LOST THIS SUMMER - HOW WILL BIDEN'S AMNESTY FOR 40 MILLION ILLEGALS SO THEY CAN BRING UP THE REST OF THEIR FAMILY FACTOR IN?

Think Tank Estimates 14 Million Jobs Lost by Summer


March 25, 2020 Updated: March 25, 2020
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As policymakers and investors anxiously eye the Labor Department’s jobless claims report, due for release Thursday, a Washington-based think tank has made a dire forecast of 14 million jobs lost by summertime.
“Our best guess at this point is that the national economy could lose 14 million jobs by summer 2020,” said The Economic Policy Institute (EPI) in a note that blamed the COVID-19 outbreak for the dismal figures.
“These estimates assume $1 trillion in fiscal stimulus—in other words, even with $1 trillion in stimulus, the job losses will be enormous,” the EPI wrote on March 25.
CCP VIRUS SPECIAL COVERAGE
The 14-million forecast is an upwards revision over figures it published last week.
“Sadly, our predictions were likely too optimistic,” the think tank said in a report published March 25. The EPI noted that job loss estimates are “rapidly evolving, with new forecasts from different macroeconomic analysts being released on an almost daily basis.”

Bianca Medici (L), a corporate recruiter for CDM Media, speaks with job applicants during a National Career Fairs job fair in Chicago on April 22, 2015. The Labor Department releases weekly jobless claims on May 14, 2015. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)
Bianca Medici (L), a corporate recruiter for CDM Media, speaks with job applicants during a National Career Fairs job fair in Chicago on April 22, 2015. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

EPI broke down their unemployment estimates by state. Percentage-wise, Nevada is projected to lose 14.2 percent of total private-sector employment. The state’s leisure, hospitality, and retail sectors account for over 40 percent of all private-sector jobs.
By absolute numbers of jobs lost, California is projected to have the most, at over 1.6 million. As a share of total private-sector employment, this number translates into 10.9 percent.
The think tank called for “at least $2.1 trillion in federal stimulus through 2020 to restore the country to reasonable economic health.”
Negotiators said Wednesday that U.S. senators and Trump administration officials reached an agreement on the massive economic stimulus bill.
The Senate will vote on the $2 trillion package later in the day and the House of Representatives is expected to follow suit soon after.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky) said Wednesday the package includes checks to help Americans pay bills during job layoffs related to the outbreak, expanded unemployment insurance, and emergency loans to small businesses.

‘Astronomical Increase’

The U.S. Department of Labor figures due Thursday are expected to shatter the old record for the greatest number of new unemployment claims filed in a single week.
Some economists project that the United States could see around 3 million new unemployment insurance claims when figures are released for the week of March 15-21. That would be around 12 times as many as the previous week and would triple the all-time record of 695,000 set in 1982.
“It’s going to be an astronomical increase,” said Constance Hunter, president of the National Association for Business Economists and chief economist at the accounting firm KPMG. “We don’t have any recorded history of anything like this.”