6 ms·

They are being reallocated (with strong indications being that it's for political gain by the current administration and to help vulnerable congressional candid

They are being reallocated (with strong indications being that it's for political gain by the current administration and to help vulnerable congressional candidates) or given to private entities. This is yet another example of something that would be the greatest or one of the greatest presidential scandals in US history, but is hardly noticeable given the background level of scandal and distraction. edit: related example - ventilators, not ppe - with potus tweets on the matter embedded https://www.cpr.org/2020/04/08/colorado-coronavirus-ventilators-trump-polis-gardner-fema/ https://www.cpr.org/2020/04/08/colorado-coronavirus-ventilat... edit: other reporting on the matter https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-04-07/hospitals-washington-seize-coronavirus-supplies https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-04-07/hospitals-..., https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/coronavirus/article241884351.html https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/coronavirus/article241... Respond to me, don't downvote me. Also, explain how Blue Flame Medical started and got its inventory, and how inventory from Operation Airbridge were procured/where they went.

Taniwha 7y ago
"kleptocracy" is the word you are looking for
- pilsetnieks 7y ago
  I believe "kakistocracy" is the proper term (it encompasses kleptocracy but that is just one aspect of it.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kakistocracy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kakistocracy
chris11 7y ago
I was little curious why Newsom wasn't wanting to release details of California's billion dollar contract for N95 masks. His office even said disclosing details could threaten the supply. It makes a lot more sense if they're afraid the government will seize them. https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/Gavin-Newsom-s-administration-not-releasing-1-15208694.php https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/Gavin-Newsom-s-...
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
jolmg 7y ago
> Respond to me, don't downvote me. I wish the guidelines contained a statement like, "Downvotes are for posts that don't follow these guidelines, not posts you just disagree with." Downvoting for disagreement seems equivalent to replying "Shut up."
- SpicyLemonZest 7y ago
  I have never found it productive to respond to a post saying "I downvoted this because I think you're needlessly injecting toxic partisanship into your response". (I'm not entirely sure it's productive even as a meta-comment here, but I feel obligated to explain it's not just a "shut up" button.)
  - throwaway5752 7y ago
    Let me say I made a mistake mentioning it, and I don't care about points. I really only wanted to challenge people to reply in the case they disagreed. I respect their choice not to reply, also.
  - jolmg 7y ago
    I don't know what you mean by productive, but I think it's just a matter of courtesy. There's no need to convince anyone or do follow-up discussion.
    - derefr 7y ago
      They mean that it’s more likely to cost the world utility (in terms of starting a flame war, often between third parties who are neither the OP nor the downvoter) than produce any utility (by satisfying the curiosity of the downvoted person.)
  - deleted 7y ago
    [deleted]
  - deleted 7y ago
    [deleted]
- 7y ago
brlewis 7y ago
Clarifying question...the "strong indications" are that the best explanation of how Blue Flame Medical acquired the inventory it boasts of is that it must be conspiring with the feds?
- throwaway5752 7y ago
  They seem to have little prior experience, ramped up quickly in a competitive sector, and have had extraordinary success. Perhaps they are much better than their competitors, perhaps it's just luck, or perhaps they are less successful than they are presenting. There are other explanations, but you still have to account for the federal seizures of private orders and where they are going.
  - makomk 7y ago
    It's very likely that they're less successful than they're claiming. There have been a lot of really shady businesses set up claiming to be able to provide large quantities of PPE and ripping off desperate hospital systems. If they're new to the business, most likely they're either one of those companies or are being ripped off by another supplier doing the same scam. Has anyone confirmed actual, successful purchases from them?
  - edge17 7y ago
    Prior little experience in what exactly? This is the sort of situation where those with deep rolodexes and lots of connections are able to find opportunity.
    - soneil 7y ago
      I must admit it’s never a good look when a week-old company receives a sizeable federal contract. Especially when the founders are political insiders. There could indeed be perfectly innocent reasons - but it smells funny.
      - derefr 7y ago
        > I must admit it’s never a good look when a week-old company receives a sizeable federal contract. Especially when the founders are political insiders. I don’t see why. A politically well-connected person (previously well-known in their circles for other successful ventures) wants to help get something done; the obvious thing for them to do is to create a new company (for legal reasons, to separate it from their other ventures) and then get people to put money / contracts into it. See also: Herbert Hoover with Belgium (https://slatestarcodex.com/2020/03/17/book-review-hoover/ https://slatestarcodex.com/2020/03/17/book-review-hoover/). Which may have more parallels here than it seems.

Taniwha 7y ago

"kleptocracy" is the word you are looking for

pilsetnieks 7y ago
I believe "kakistocracy" is the proper term (it encompasses kleptocracy but that is just one aspect of it.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kakistocracy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kakistocracy

chris11 7y ago

I was little curious why Newsom wasn't wanting to release details of California's billion dollar contract for N95 masks. His office even said disclosing details could threaten the supply. It makes a lot more sense if they're afraid the government will seize them. https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/Gavin-Newsom-s-administration-not-releasing-1-15208694.php https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/Gavin-Newsom-s-...

deleted 7y ago
[deleted]

jolmg 7y ago

> Respond to me, don't downvote me. I wish the guidelines contained a statement like, "Downvotes are for posts that don't follow these guidelines, not posts you just disagree with." Downvoting for disagreement seems equivalent to replying "Shut up."

SpicyLemonZest 7y ago
I have never found it productive to respond to a post saying "I downvoted this because I think you're needlessly injecting toxic partisanship into your response". (I'm not entirely sure it's productive even as a meta-comment here, but I feel obligated to explain it's not just a "shut up" button.)
- throwaway5752 7y ago
  Let me say I made a mistake mentioning it, and I don't care about points. I really only wanted to challenge people to reply in the case they disagreed. I respect their choice not to reply, also.
- jolmg 7y ago
  I don't know what you mean by productive, but I think it's just a matter of courtesy. There's no need to convince anyone or do follow-up discussion.
  - derefr 7y ago
    They mean that it’s more likely to cost the world utility (in terms of starting a flame war, often between third parties who are neither the OP nor the downvoter) than produce any utility (by satisfying the curiosity of the downvoted person.)
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
7y ago

brlewis 7y ago

Clarifying question...the "strong indications" are that the best explanation of how Blue Flame Medical acquired the inventory it boasts of is that it must be conspiring with the feds?

throwaway5752 7y ago
They seem to have little prior experience, ramped up quickly in a competitive sector, and have had extraordinary success. Perhaps they are much better than their competitors, perhaps it's just luck, or perhaps they are less successful than they are presenting. There are other explanations, but you still have to account for the federal seizures of private orders and where they are going.
- makomk 7y ago
  It's very likely that they're less successful than they're claiming. There have been a lot of really shady businesses set up claiming to be able to provide large quantities of PPE and ripping off desperate hospital systems. If they're new to the business, most likely they're either one of those companies or are being ripped off by another supplier doing the same scam. Has anyone confirmed actual, successful purchases from them?
- edge17 7y ago
  Prior little experience in what exactly? This is the sort of situation where those with deep rolodexes and lots of connections are able to find opportunity.
  - soneil 7y ago
    I must admit it’s never a good look when a week-old company receives a sizeable federal contract. Especially when the founders are political insiders. There could indeed be perfectly innocent reasons - but it smells funny.
    - derefr 7y ago
      > I must admit it’s never a good look when a week-old company receives a sizeable federal contract. Especially when the founders are political insiders. I don’t see why. A politically well-connected person (previously well-known in their circles for other successful ventures) wants to help get something done; the obvious thing for them to do is to create a new company (for legal reasons, to separate it from their other ventures) and then get people to put money / contracts into it. See also: Herbert Hoover with Belgium (https://slatestarcodex.com/2020/03/17/book-review-hoover/ https://slatestarcodex.com/2020/03/17/book-review-hoover/). Which may have more parallels here than it seems.