Excerpt: "A deal with General Motors and Ventec Life Systems to produce tens of thousands of the critical lifesaving devices seemed imminent. Then the announcement was pulled back."
A ventilator and other medical supplies on display at a news conference on Monday in Manhattan. The shortage of ventilators has emerged as one of the major criticism of the Trump administration's response to the coronavirus. (photo: John Minchillo/AP)
ALSO SEE: Louisiana Governor: States Are Competing Against Each Other for Ventilators
After Considering $1 Billion Price Tag for Ventilators, White House Has Second Thoughts
27 March 20
A deal with General Motors and Ventec Life Systems to produce tens of thousands of the critical lifesaving devices seemed imminent. Then the announcement was pulled back.
he 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.
Government officials said that the deal might still happen but that they are examining at least a dozen other proposals. And they contend that an initial promise that the joint venture could turn out 20,000 ventilators in short order had shrunk to 7,500, with even that number in doubt. Longtime emergency managers at FEMA are working with military officials to sort through the competing offers and federal procurement rules while under pressure to give President Trump something to announce.
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It is not unusual to see people in a McDonalds with a pistol strapped to their belt.
I personally do not believe anyone should bring a gun to a demonstration. But I'm pretty sure many in Richmond will just to prove that they can legally carry a gun at all times.
I think it mostly up to the cops. They will start the violence as most often happens at demonstrations, including Charlottesville .
--- If there is violence, Northam's gun ban and the anti-gun legislators will be proven right.
--- If there is no violence, then the gun advocated will be proven right.
The governor and anti-gun forces in the VA legislature have an incentive to see violence break out. That was the same for Charlottesville .
Today, we will see what happens.