Trump Admin Says Yes To Bailouts, No To Ventilators

After Helping to Negotiate a $500 Billion Bailout For Corporations, The Trump Administration Is Hand Wringing Over A $1 Billion Emergency Order For Life-Saving Ventilators 

SEE: New York Times: After Considering $1 Billion Price Tag for Ventilators, White House Has Second Thoughts

In response to reports that the White House is having “second thoughts” on the $1 billion pricetag for lifesaving ventilators, Kyle Herrig, President of Accountable.US released the following statement:

“The Trump Administration couldn’t make its priorities any more clear: they’re putting corporate bailouts ahead of live-saving medical equipment. As states across the country fight for precious healthcare resources, the President is singularly focused on the economic ripples from his administration’s mishandling of this public health crisis. Saving lives should always come before bailing out billion-dollar businesses. Donald Trump and his team seem to be the only ones who don’t get this.”

KEY POINT FROM STORY:

The White House had been preparing to reveal on Wednesday a joint venture between General Motors and Ventec Life Systems that would allow for the production of as many as 80,000 desperately needed ventilators to respond to an escalating pandemic when word suddenly came down that the announcement was off.

The decision to cancel the announcement, government officials say, came after the Federal Emergency Management Agency said it needed more time to assess whether the estimated cost was prohibitive. That price tag was more than $1 billion, with several hundred million dollars to be paid upfront to General Motors to retool a car parts plant in Kokomo, Ind., where the ventilators would be made with Ventec’s technology.