1/Everyone should be clear why the president has NOT been willing to invoke Defense Production Act to direct manufacture of PPE. It’s the same reason we didn’t accept tests early on from WHO: to do so would undercut the ability of someone to market a product in the private sector
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2/ Private over public investment is a like religion to some people; they’re literally willing to see people die rather than undercut the dominance of the market. A healthy society is a balance of both. Private is good for innovation but public is necessary for long-term security

Jul 14, 2020 · 2:53 PM UTC

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3/ It’s important that we all understand these issues because when we rebuild on the other side of this – and we WILL rebuild - we need to not be hoodwinked by people who would build the new house on the same old rotten foundations.
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Replying to @marwilliamson
ehhh I have one small problem with this 9 times out of 10 so called "private" innovation is merely the co-opted result of public sector research, the internet being the prime example government funded, government tested, privately co-opted and exploited
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I think 9 out of 10 is a stretch.
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Replying to @marwilliamson
What is the evidence that the private sector is good for innovation?
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Plenty. But when we’re a healthy society there’s a healthy yin and yang
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Replying to @marwilliamson
I agree we need a balance. The medical insurance billing industry is a legalized scam. The development of drugs and devices in the private sector is undeniably good. So let's pay for it publicly and keep the pvt sector alive, and in check.
Replying to @marwilliamson
"Private is good for innovation but public is necessary for long-term security" ... I agree 100%
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Replying to @marwilliamson
And let's not forget how much of that "innovation" is publicly funded via grants and subsidies. Free market capitalists are lying to themselves, and everyone around them, it's about time they get called out on it while the current situation lays all these systems bare to see.
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