I’m not a big fan of government nationalizing private industry; but sheesh, if these multinationals won’t put America First during a crisis, then it becomes needed. It didn’t take long for 3M to chase profits over patriotism, and end up in hot water:

…”The Secretary, through the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Administrator), shall use any and all authority available under the Act to acquire, from any appropriate subsidiary or affiliate of 3M Company, the number of N-95 respirators that the Administrator determines to be appropriate.”…

[White House] SUBJECT: Order Under the Defense Production Act Regarding 3M Company

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended (50 U.S.C. 4501 et seq.) (the “Act”), it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Policy. On March 13, 2020, I declared a national emergency recognizing the threat that the novel (new) coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2 poses to our healthcare systems. In recognizing the public health risk, I noted that on March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization announced that the outbreak of COVID-19 (the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2) can be characterized as a pandemic.

I also noted that while the Federal Government, along with State and local governments, have taken preventive and proactive measures to slow the spread of the virus and to treat those affected, the spread of COVID-19 within our Nation’s communities threatens to strain our Nation’s healthcare systems.

I further noted that, to ensure that our healthcare systems are able to surge capacity and capability to respond to the spread of COVID-19, it is critical that all health and medical resources needed to respond to the spread of COVID-19 are properly distributed to the Nation’s healthcare systems and others that need them most at this time. Accordingly, I found that health and medical resources needed to respond to the spread of COVID-19, including personal protective equipment and ventilators, meet the criteria specified in section 101(b) of the Act (50 U.S.C. 4511(b)).

Sec. 2. Presidential Direction to the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary). The Secretary, through the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Administrator), shall use any and all authority available under the Act to acquire, from any appropriate subsidiary or affiliate of 3M Company, the number of N-95 respirators that the Administrator determines to be appropriate.

Sec. 3. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c) This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

DONALD J. TRUMP

Apparently it took the invocation of the Defense Production Act to stop 3M from selling masks and PPE to cash paying foreign governments; forcing them to supply the U.S. federal government and states instead.  WATCH:

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Navy Captain Brett Crozier was relieved of his command aboard the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt after the captain used incredibly poor judgement, sent a “non-secure” email to media, compromised his position, violated the chain-of-command (stunningly with a fleet commander on board his ship), put his crew at risk, and incited panic amid the families of the crew members.

Yes, this unstable captain needed to be removed – quickly. Good grief, could you imagine if Captain Crozier was operating in a hostile theater. Navy Secretary Thomas Modly explains the issues.  WATCH:

Comrades, the administrative state will take care of all your food needs.  There is no reason to be self-sufficient in the production of food products.  As a result Vermont has designatedthe selling of seeds as “non-essential” and blocked from purchase:

It is more than a little alarming to see state officials now beginning to drill down into products that stores will be permitted to sell, or not sell, within businesses that are permitted to remain open during the COVID-19 mitigation effort.

Interestingly Vermont is the home state for Comrade Bernie Sanders; a candidate for the position of president, and is a self-described socialist with favorable opinion toward Comrade Fidel Castro of Cuba.  Amid all of the control efforts by various totalitarian state officials, this connection does not seem accidental.

Roping-off sections of products, and banning the sale of specific and designated products within businesses that are operating contingent to the approval of the state authority, takes the control function of government to an entirely new level.

We The People, perhaps as a group who have taken some basic precepts of freedom and liberty for granted, would be wise to look at what is taking place within the big picture.

Various government officials and interests of the state are taking advantage of the current crisis to test how far they can pull the levers of control.  Perhaps you do not garden; perhaps you never purchase seeds; perhaps you do not grow your own food; that’s not really the issue here….  stopping your ability to do so should alarm everyone.

First they told you not to leave home except for essential services.  Now they tell you what those services are; and in doing so they define and limit access to products, thereby controlling your behavior to permit only those activities approved by the state.

Freedom is a tenuous proposition; take nothing for granted.

Eyes wide open.

Dr. Stephen Smith, and infectious disease specialist, appears on Fox News with Laura Ingraham to discuss his work dealing with COVID-19 patients and his protocol of using Hydroxychloroquine as a treatment.

Dr. Smith reports that no patient who has undergone the Hydroxycholoquine treatment has required intubation (a ventilator). That positive outcome is statistically impossible if the hydroxychloroquine treatment regime did not work. WATCH:

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Unfortunately a fast, efficient and inexpensive treatment protocol is against the interests of Big Pharma, Bill Gates, Dr. Fauci and the global medical complex that manipulates world health for maximum power and profit.

The Department of Labor (DOL) released the unemployment claims data [pdf available here] showing a record 6.6 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week due to the coronavirus shut-down.

The 6.6 million claims are double the 3.3 million who made claims last week. Jobless/Unemployment claims, a data-point for layoffs, shows how many workers lose jobs and apply for temporary financial assistance.  It is unknown how many people may be re-hired or retained by the rescue funds within the CARES Act.  This process is only just beginning.

WASHINGTON, DC – Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia issued the following statement regarding Unemployment Insurance claims:

“Similar to last week’s unemployment claims numbers, today’s report reflects the sacrifices American workers are making for their families, neighbors, and country in order to ‘slow the spread.’

The Administration continues to act quickly to address this impact on American workers. That includes a rule the Labor Department adopted yesterday to implement the paid leave provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, and the Department’s work with the States to make available the enhanced unemployment benefits provided in the CARES Act, which the President signed last week.

That legislation also contains significant incentives for businesses to retain workers and continue paying them, which will put businesses and workers in a better position to resume work and re-boot the economy once the virus is contained.” (link)

About six percent of the U.S. labor force has now filed for jobless benefits over the past two weeks.  The average was less than 0.3% at the end of February.  The coronavirus shut-down is having a severe impact on an ever-growing share of the economy.

The unemployment virus is worse inside the restaurant, hospitality, retail, trade and construction segments.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin previously announced that small businesses (0 to 500 employees) and sole proprietorships can start applying for the coronavirus relief funds on April 3rd. One week later, April 10th, self-employed individuals, 1099 contractors and s-corps can apply. [Visit SBA.gov/coronavirus]

[pdf link available here]

WASHINGTON – Following President Trump’s signing of the historic Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza and Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin today announced that the SBA and Treasury Department have initiated a robust mobilization effort of banks and other lending institutions to provide small businesses with the capital they need.

The CARES Act establishes a new $349 billion Paycheck Protection Program. The Program will provide much-needed relief to millions of small businesses so they can sustain their businesses and keep their workers employed.

“This legislation provides small business job retention loans to provide eight weeks of payroll and certain overhead to keep workers employed,” said Secretary Mnuchin.

“Treasury and the Small Business Administration expect to have this program up and running by April 3rd so that businesses can go to a participating SBA 7(a) lender, bank, or credit union, apply for a loan, and be approved on the same day. The loans will be forgiven as long as the funds are used to keep employees on the payroll and for certain other expenses.”

“This unprecedented public-private partnership is going to assist small businesses with accessing capital quickly. Our goal is to position lenders as the single point-of-contact for small businesses – the application, loan processing, and disbursement of funds will all be administered at the community level,” said Administrator Carranza.

“Speed is the operative word; applications for the emergency capital can begin as early as this week, with lenders using their own systems and processes to make these loans. We remain committed to supporting our nation’s more than 30 million small businesses and their employees, so that they can continue to be the fuel for our nation’s economic engine.”

The new loan program will help small businesses with their payroll and other business operating expenses. It will provide critical capital to businesses without collateral requirements, personal guarantees, or SBA fees – all with a 100% guarantee from SBA.

All loan payments will be deferred for six months. Most importantly, the SBA will forgive the portion of the loan proceeds that are used to cover the first eight weeks of payroll costs, rent, utilities, and mortgage interest.

The Paycheck Protection Program is specifically designed to help small businesses keep their workforce employed. Visit SBA.gov/Coronavirus for more information on the Paycheck Protection Program.

• The new loan program will be available retroactive from Feb. 15, 2020, so employers can rehire their recently laid-off employees through June 30, 2020.

Loan Terms & Conditions

• Eligible businesses: All businesses, including non-profits, Veterans organizations, Tribal concerns, sole proprietorships, self-employed individuals, and independent contractors, with 500 or fewer employees, or no greater than the number of employees set by the SBA as the size standard for certain industries
• Maximum loan amount up to $10 million
• Loan forgiveness if proceeds used for payroll costs and other designated business operating expenses in the 8 weeks following the date of loan origination (due to likely high subscription, it is anticipated that not more than 25% of the forgiven amount may be for non-payroll costs)
• All loans under this program will have the following identical features:
  • Interest rate of 0.5%
  • Maturity of 2 years
  • First payment deferred for six months
  • 100% guarantee by SBA
  • No collateral
  • No personal guarantees
  • No borrower or lender fees payable to SBA

Visit treasury.gov/cares for more information on SBA’s assistance to small businesses.

Get your paperwork together now, contact your local bank and make an appointment. You will need one year of expenses and payroll records. You can apply at your current (FDIC insured) bank. Treasury will use the FDIC system to mitigate lender risk. This means you can receive those funds deposited on the same day you apply.