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GM’s CEO Offers to Make Ventilators in WWII-Style Mobilization

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Re: GM’s CEO Offers to Make Ventilators in WWII-Style Mobilization

#21

Post by cm2012 »

caymanjim wrote: post #5
asdfman123 wrote: post #2

If we were halfway rational, we would have started this in January. Failing that, start now.

This is pure hindsight. This didn't warrant that kind of response in January, not by a longshot. In January it looked exactly like the other comparatively minor respiratory viruses that pop up every few years. We can't shut down industry and retool factories just in case.

Tell that to South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan who mobilized immediately (South Korea had their first case on the same day we did, Jan 8)

Also, for H1N1 (which ended up being much less deadly) Obama had a million tests made in the first 2 weeks from the first US case. We're now 2 months from the first US case with less than 20k tests done.

Re: GM’s CEO Offers to Make Ventilators in WWII-Style Mobilization

#22

Post by noelsusman »

caymanjim wrote: post #5
asdfman123 wrote: post #2

If we were halfway rational, we would have started this in January. Failing that, start now.

This is pure hindsight. This didn't warrant that kind of response in January, not by a longshot. In January it looked exactly like the other comparatively minor respiratory viruses that pop up every few years. We can't shut down industry and retool factories just in case.

On January 23rd China quarantined an entire city of 11 million people. Nobody does that for a minor respiratory virus.

Re: GM’s CEO Offers to Make Ventilators in WWII-Style Mobilization

#23

Post by Spooky23 »

endorphone wrote: post #8
gkoberger wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hey, at this point, I'll take it.

You should take actual progress , not bullshit. I'll take the whipping, but this administration is 100% show. If they cared about actual progress they would announce an actual plan, with actual participation of the company. Instead it's yet another incredibly lazy "See...and now we'll do jack shit for another week we've presidented". And I'm sure the imaginary ventilators would be the best. Just beautiful. Everyone s…

You are correct and the lack of plan is petty obvious.

We lack the people to run the ventilators too. How and who is coming up with a way to train people to be respiratory therapists in mass? How are you going to attract people to a high stress temp gig where your exit will be coming down with the virus?

Re: GM’s CEO Offers to Make Ventilators in WWII-Style Mobilization

#24

Post by lightgreen »

alex_young wrote: post #9

This is what Musk should be doing.

Elon Musk does not owe people anything. If he decides to produce them, that's fine, but he doesn't have to.

But the governments should buy these ventilators from private companies, so private companies like Tesla or GM were incentivized to produce these ventilators.

Edit: added and then removed a comment about downvotes

Re: GM’s CEO Offers to Make Ventilators in WWII-Style Mobilization

#25

Post by ben1040 »

goatherders wrote: post #17
endorphone wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You should take actual progress , not bullshit. I'll take the whipping, but this administration is 100% show. If they cared about actual progress they would announce an actual plan, with actual participation of the company. Instead it's yet another incredibly lazy "See...and now we'll do jack shit for another week we've presidented". And I'm sure the imaginary ventilators would be the best. Just beautiful. Everyone s…

Would you share what company that is. Interested to learn more.

Ventec Life Systems. Here's an NPR interview with their CEO.

https://www.npr.org/2020/03/18/817934608/ceo-of-ventilator-m...

Re: GM’s CEO Offers to Make Ventilators in WWII-Style Mobilization

#26

Post by Spooky23 »

goatherders wrote: post #17
endorphone wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You should take actual progress , not bullshit. I'll take the whipping, but this administration is 100% show. If they cared about actual progress they would announce an actual plan, with actual participation of the company. Instead it's yet another incredibly lazy "See...and now we'll do jack shit for another week we've presidented". And I'm sure the imaginary ventilators would be the best. Just beautiful. Everyone s…

Would you share what company that is. Interested to learn more.

There was a story published earlier in the week. At that point, no orders had been placed for ventilators.

Presumably the defense procurement authorization will result in that purchase being made. Hopefully it’s not another family grift.

Re: GM’s CEO Offers to Make Ventilators in WWII-Style Mobilization

#27

Post by ocdtrekkie »

lightgreen wrote: post #24
alex_young wrote: post #9

This is what Musk should be doing.

Elon Musk does not owe people anything. If he decides to produce them, that's fine, but he doesn't have to. But the governments should buy these ventilators from private companies, so private companies like Tesla or GM were incentivized to produce these ventilators. Edit: added and then removed a comment about downvotes

The point is not whether or not Musk owes it to anyone. But that some people claim to be making the world a better place, and others batten down and actually do make the world a better place. And usually the latter is a lot less glamorous than the former.

Re: GM’s CEO Offers to Make Ventilators in WWII-Style Mobilization

#28

Post by rpedela »

lightgreen wrote: post #24
alex_young wrote: post #9

This is what Musk should be doing.

Elon Musk does not owe people anything. If he decides to produce them, that's fine, but he doesn't have to. But the governments should buy these ventilators from private companies, so private companies like Tesla or GM were incentivized to produce these ventilators. Edit: added and then removed a comment about downvotes

No one is saying Musk owes people or has to do it. No one.

Re: GM’s CEO Offers to Make Ventilators in WWII-Style Mobilization

#29

Post by lightgreen »

ocdtrekkie wrote: post #27
lightgreen wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Elon Musk does not owe people anything. If he decides to produce them, that's fine, but he doesn't have to. But the governments should buy these ventilators from private companies, so private companies like Tesla or GM were incentivized to produce these ventilators. Edit: added and then removed a comment about downvotes

The point is not whether or not Musk owes it to anyone. But that some people claim to be making the world a better place, and others batten down and actually do make the world a better place. And usually the latter is a lot less glamorous than the former.

Making the ventilators is not the only way to make world a better place.

I consider my daytime job making the world a better place even in these dark days. But I don't work at ventilators factoy (or in hospital, or in anything directly related to coronavirus).

(Edit: clarification; cleanup)

Re: GM’s CEO Offers to Make Ventilators in WWII-Style Mobilization

#30

Post by [deleted] »

rpedela wrote: post #28
lightgreen wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Elon Musk does not owe people anything. If he decides to produce them, that's fine, but he doesn't have to. But the governments should buy these ventilators from private companies, so private companies like Tesla or GM were incentivized to produce these ventilators. Edit: added and then removed a comment about downvotes

No one is saying Musk owes people or has to do it. No one.

[deleted]
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