A relief organization is stripping their labels off boxes to avoid being confiscated by FEMA.

[Pacifist Patriot]

My son is working for an established relief organization that is acquiring and distributing PPE to front line healthcare workers. They took extra time today to remove their logo labels from boxes containing several thousand masks bound for a major hospital in a large metropolitan area in the northeast before sending it. They took that extra step to try to prevent FEMA from confiscating the shipment.

I'm not going to be any more specific than that for reasons that must be abundantly clear.

I wasn't sure I was understanding my son so I made him clarify his message to be sure I got it right. His last sentence was, "If the current administration handles this any worse we might need to switch over to sending shovels."

I have no words. At least none for polite company.

[pandr32]

1. Good gawd!

Our own government are pirates and we have to conceal valuable and needed goods from being pillaged.

[Pacifist Patriot]

3. It also points to a huge trust issue...

that there is no faith in the federal government taking those confiscated supplies and redistributing them in a responsible manner.

[Midnight Writer]

13. Destroying the People's faith in government is a GOP goal.

[Igel]

15. The distrust is there.

The burden of proof is on providing evidence that a given shipment of masks or ventilators was taken and redistributed to where it was needed.

For that they'd need identifying marks.

And have to overcome the suspicion of having that information falsified.

They'd have to find enough evidence that there'd be no choice but accept it as proving the claim that nothing nefarious happened, but the bar would just be raised higher and higher--and if the case were made for one incident, then there'd be 20 others to repeat the game with. It just takes one fact to let a person believe, but scores to deny a person that belief.

[appalachiablue]

50. Yes, and they're maybe halfway there

[Starfury]

57. It's also one of Putin's goals. nt

[olegramps]

68. You make critical important point that is being overlooked.

It is one of the key elements in the fascists tactics for the takeover of government. It is troubling that the Republican Party has been allowed to employ basic fascist tactics without any general alarm to awaken the citizens to the peril that we race if they are successful. I have posted "The 14 Characteristics of Fascism", by Dr. Lawrence Britt several times on this board. Each of these characteristics are identical to the exactly what the Republican Party has pursued during and since the Nixon administration. It seems that our national media has turned a blind eye to the facts and failing to alert the citizens of exactly the same identical tactics used by the Nazis that lead to the utter defeat and destruction of Germany and brought universal death and tragedy to millions though out the world.

We are not impervious to the same threat that resulted in millions slaughtered by Hitler, Mussolini and the Japanese and latter dictators such as Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot and a host of others. Citizens should not hesitate to realize that there is a significant percentage of our fellow citizens that would not hesitate to impose their will on those who oppose their ideology and would justify coercion to force compliance. The propaganda spread by the Nazis and every other aspiring dictators is no different than that which is being broadcast 24/7 on thousands of broadcast stations.

The observation that when fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross is an unquestionably perfect description of the gist of the lies that are being propagated by the extremists preaching that the boogeyman, "liberals," are immoral un-American vermin who are the enemies of the nation who responsible for every conceivable evil. They are also responsible for protection of those who are robbing the masses of the under-educated of their jobs by unlawful immigrates. Of course they also don't fail to throw in a heaping of racism that blames the shiftless minorities for sponging off of welfare system.

This message has most importantly been given a powerful voice that is being echo in thousands of fundamental and evangelical churches providing a moral rectitude and justification to a message of hatred and division. When coupled with divine benediction it takes on a unique aspect that becomes holy a crusade to save the nation. Once that mania takes hold it is difficult to stop until it has run its complete course of destruction and its own implosion.

[wnylib]

69. Adolf used nationalism and religion, too,

to promote himself and his thugs.

[SheltieLover]

51. This!

[rustysgurl]

2. What's in those boxes, son?

"Bedpans, sir ... lots and lots of bedpans."

[htuttle]

4. "It's just a bunch of oxycontin...certainly not PPE or anything..."

[DBoon]

5. Cocaine...

... nothing you would be interested in. No N95 masks or other contraband.

[Historic NY]

6. I'd label them embalming supplies.

[klook]

67. History books, dictionaries (nt)

[gibraltar72]

7. I thought Newsomes announcement about masks was ill advised.

Trump is going to use this stuff to blackmail governors. Mark my words.

[C Moon]

10. I was kind of cringing when he was giving out the numbers, myself. It's great to hear, but you gotta

figure that Trump and his hobgoblins are listening.

[liberalla]

18. It would be great if someone, or some agency were to do a sting. Ship a bunch of PPE and put

GPS trackers in them. Better yet, ship the *used* PPE (safely sealed for protection) for proper medical disposal, and let FEMA confiscate that!

I really want this dirty trick to be exposed. I want the criminal Trump FEMA crew exposed. This just pisses me off.

[gibraltar72]

23. Barr would be all over prosecuting that.

[Squinch]

63. It isn't illegal to ship GPS trackers. Along with other things.

[SheltieLover]

53. Yes a sting would be great!

I just cannot wrap my head around the fact that authorities cannot remove him.

[Squinch]

62. That would be a GREAT idea!

[bluescribbler]

39. the governors he's not blackmailing

He's bribing.

[oldsoftie]

8. Label them "copies of the Constitution". They'll never be touched.

[Mr.Bill]

29. Or "textbooks". n/t

[calimary]

44. Yep.

[Lochloosa]

61. They would just burn them.

[calimary]

40. No kidding!

[ck4829]

74. +1

[C Moon]

9. FEMA will next have dogs trained for sniffing out PPE.

[jayschool2013]

11. ProPublica would love to hear about this

We Want to Talk to People Working, Living and Grieving on the Front Lines of the Coronavirus. Help Us Report.

https://www.propublica.org/getinvolved/we-want-to-talk-to-people-working-or-living-on-the-front-lines-of-coronavirus-help-us-report

[Pacifist Patriot]

24. I suggested to my son that...

he send that link to someone higher up in the organization.

[jayschool2013]

43. Great.

I have a good friend who's an investigative reporter there, and he would receive the information and follow the money trail. Thank you.

[moonseller66]

12. F E M A

Federal Enemy Monetizing America

[Hotler]

58. Can the governor's use the National Guard to protect this stuff? I heard..

that FEMA grabbed ventilators from Colorado. I emailed the Governor to stop letting that shit happen. At least put up fight, tell them to go fuck themselves. I'm tired of play nice.

[DENVERPOPS]

14. I'm sure there are a ton of people

who wouldn't mind loading it in their personal vehicles and transporting it to the destination. Even setting up an underground railroad type of thing where they drive it so far and another person takes it to the next point......

Can you believe that we even are having to discuss such measures to protect our nation's people against this Tyrant and the Republican Party???????????

Hey, I am all in on doing anything to help the people of this nation......

[Bettie]

16. So, when they are conficated

the state that ordered the material has still paid, right? So, he's stealing from the states to give to other states?

[2naSalit]

19. He's stealing paid for goods

and reselling them to other states and countries at a mark-up. And claiming it's coming from Jared's warehouse full of OUR supplies. The same stuff is being stolen and resold over and over again. If any other person or were doing this, it would a crime worthy of life w/o parole for all involved.

[Bettie]

21. That's what I thought

but I figured I had to have read it wrong....hoped I had read it wrong.

[2naSalit]

22. That's exactly what they are doing

while also playing "keep away" from We the People. It's all about making us so desperate that we will acquiesce to his authoritarian demands.

[Beartracks]

54. That's a chilling possibility. And that is definitely not American. n/t

[2naSalit]

56. Nope. But it is straight out of pootin's playbook...

I can smell it from way over here.

[spike jones]

20. It's fun to think the confiscated medical supplies will be given at the place with the most need,

Using the Cov-19 pandemic as a business enterprise, the business guy (Trump) would want to corner all the resources (confiscate the medical gear, better if it was made with tax money), sell them to the highest bidder (private companies) to be resold to the consumer(tax payers) at a big profit. Great if you have stock in those companies.

Letting people die for your bottom line, priceless!

[2naSalit]

17. Good!

I was going to suggest that but I figured they'd be doing that eventually.

[Pacifist Patriot]

28. Good that FEMA is confiscating PPE from relief organizations?

[2naSalit]

31. Good that the relief orgs

have figured out that they have to relabel or remove labels and the bills of lading to avoid confiscation. They should also adopt new terminology for the items just to be safe. I'm sure Barr has their communications monitored at this point.

The scary part is that it may come to armed showdown somewhere eventually if this highway robbery continues. I used to work in transportation and I have seen hijackings in strange places, made me think twice about not carrying a gun in the truck.

[Pacifist Patriot]

33. I felt weird being circumspect with details here.

It's insane!

[2naSalit]

38. It's a coup no matter how you look at it...

The good part is that most of us are resisting.

[lame54]

25. Yes - also...

Create dummy shipments to throw them off

[machoneman]

30. Yes, classic bait and switch. Maybe Newsom spoke so freely as a distraction....

from the real shipment. Mention the airline, plane type, ETD but it's all phony to distract the FEMA & Homeland Security folks to look in the wrong direction.

Gotta' love it yet no state should ever need to lie or distract the Feds to get badly needed gear.

[2naSalit]

32. +1

[aggiesal]

26. Shouldn't confiscated be in quotes? ...

... "Confiscated" by FEMA

Stealing might be a better choice of words.

[Pacifist Patriot]

36. Yes, it should be.

[The Magistrate]

27. Sensible, Ma'am

Armed escort by state and local police may soon be required.

[ffr]

34. I think it's safe to say the WH branch of the federal govt has gone rogue

They are out to enrich themselves, basically rape the system and cost lives of Americans in the process.

Disgusting!

[spooky3]

59. They also want to have power to extract favors

From governors, using OUR tax money as if it should go in their personal pockets.

[ck4829]

75. Very disgusting

[blueinredohio]

35. Maybe people are going to have to deliver PPE themselves to prevent stealing

by the government.

[bobbieinok]

37. Disgustingly, unforgivably believeable!!

[AllaN01Bear]

41. hem

[Botany]

42. Trump is a monster and he has unleashed a hell on earth.

Who are these FEMA workers getting their orders from? Is this part of a bigger plan
to kill as many of us as they can and then set up a dictatorship?

[ahlnord]

45. racketeering

This is what happens when organized crime takes over our government (I mean that literally). We would not blink an eye if we heard of such a racket in Russia. After all, Russia (and the USSR before it) were always known to be run by a criminal enterprise. Now it has come to America. Trump is just another extension of the Russian racket. RICO, anyone?

[Wednesdays]

46. K&R. nt

[Mopar151]

47. Merely the next step.

Civil Asset Forfeiture. = Cash, cars, etc. With little due process. Cash is criminal? You gotta put up 10% to eve ask for it back

[I_UndergroundPanther]

48. Patriot act

Made confiscation legal .

[Mopar151]

60. My friend did 39 months on that bogus law.

Posession of a semi-auto, while "comitting a drug crine" Never charged for the weed (8#) they found, just the patriot act bs.

[Hekate]

49. Thank your son for me. I hope other agencies follow suit.

I hate Trump more than words can ever express.

[Flaleftist]

52. Would it be possible for them to contact the governor's office

and see about security, like maybe a state police escort for the shipment? Or at least have people ready to record/livestream if the feds try to confiscate the materials.

I can't believe I actually have to suggest something like this. The fucking orange tyrant can't get thrown out of office soon enough.

[Hoyt]

55. There seems to be some question whether FEMA is doing this internally.

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/fema-denies-involvement-in-ppe-seizures

[Squinch]

64. Jesus. I do not recognize my country. So either it IS FEMA and they are lying to us,

or it is not and they are being hijacked, but how can someone get away with that?

My gut says Donnie Bodybags's government is lying, because that's what they do. And after all, Jared is at the head of our CV efforts.

But who knows?

[Pacifist Patriot]

66. That's the problem with a loss of trust. Who knows?

You're exactly right about that!

[wryter2000]

65. Please let us know if it worked

This administration has gone beyond criminal

[Hekate]

70. Here's why: How a stockpile of 39 million masks was exposed as fake"

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100213270539

Apr. 11, 2020

How a stockpile of 39 million masks was exposed as fake

A powerful California union that thought it had made a deal to purchase 39 million masks for healthcare workers fighting the coronavirus was duped in an elaborate scam that originated overseas, federal prosecutors say.

Authorities who stumbled onto the scheme while looking to seize the masks for the Federal Emergency Management Agency found there were in fact no masks.

This showed up from the LA Times in my email today. Just read and re-read this snippet from a Kafkaesque world.

[EndlessWire]

71. I just don't get it.

He tells the Governors to get the supplies on their own. Then, when they do, he confiscates the supplies. This is just evil.

Okay, we can figure this out. First, he doesn't really want to give supplies to us. He said as much. He wants to control the supply line, and by doing this he magnifies his power, and he keeps the scarcity going. That makes a governor have to kiss his orange ass.

Second, the Blue states can be made to suffer. He can kill off those blue voters who oppose him. Heck, this is stuff we already figured out.

So, he owns stock in the company that has to do with the medicine he is pushing as a cure. So, he pushes this medicine for all he's worth. He's going to make money off it. The more sick people, the better.

Now, some scientist came up with good results, but only if you take zinc with it. He says the zinc opens the door to the cell for the hydroclo...(whatever) to kill the virus.

Yes, that sounds right to me because, there are combinations of medicinal products where you have to take both in order for them to work. One opens the door so the other can walk right in to fix the cell.

So, Trumps product doesn't have the zinc. We will probably see something about this in the future, something Trump does to interfere.

Trump has no feelings, no morals, and in addition, he is dumb. I thought for a long time that it was an act, but he blusters on as if no one else on the planet has eyes to see what he is doing. Quite frankly, with a little more clarity, I'd probably look the other way as he is led out to the....this is heinous conduct.

This prick sold our supplies to the Chinese. Now, Chinese people are people, too, and we need to stick together, but the conduct here is egregious in view of the fact that he did this, probably knowing that we would definitely need what we had.

Feds don't just confiscate stuff without an order to do so. There is a purpose here. Why was he on the phone to Putin two days in a row??? Is he getting ready to ship off a bunch of our PPEs to Russia? Not saying that! Just trying to figure out what he is up to.

Can you see how horrible this is, having to have an underground railroad for PPEs so our frontline guys and gals can fight this virus? How nothing we have done kept the virus off our fighting ships?

And, he wants to lift all the restrictions so that we can go back to work to make him more money. What a shitload of trouble we have.

VOTE BLUE. That's it. Only someone who actually cares about our citizens can be President.

[EndlessWire]

71. I just don't get it.

He tells the Governors to get the supplies on their own. Then, when they do, he confiscates the supplies. This is just evil.

Okay, we can figure this out. First, he doesn't really want to give supplies to us. He said as much. He wants to control the supply line, and by doing this he magnifies his power, and he keeps the scarcity going. That makes a governor have to kiss his orange ass.

Second, the Blue states can be made to suffer. He can kill off those blue voters who oppose him. Heck, this is stuff we already figured out.

So, he owns stock in the company that has to do with the medicine he is pushing as a cure. So, he pushes this medicine for all he's worth. He's going to make money off it. The more sick people, the better.

Now, some scientist came up with good results, but only if you take zinc with it. He says the zinc opens the door to the cell for the hydroclo...(whatever) to kill the virus.

Yes, that sounds right to me because, there are combinations of medicinal products where you have to take both in order for them to work. One opens the door so the other can walk right in to fix the cell.

So, Trumps product doesn't have the zinc. We will probably see something about this in the future, something Trump does to interfere.

Trump has no feelings, no morals, and in addition, he is dumb. I thought for a long time that it was an act, but he blusters on as if no one else on the planet has eyes to see what he is doing. Quite frankly, with a little more clarity, I'd probably look the other way as he is led out to the....this is heinous conduct.

This prick sold our supplies to the Chinese. Now, Chinese people are people, too, and we need to stick together, but the conduct here is egregious in view of the fact that he did this, probably knowing that we would definitely need what we had.

Feds don't just confiscate stuff without an order to do so. There is a purpose here. Why was he on the phone to Putin two days in a row??? Is he getting ready to ship off a bunch of our PPEs to Russia? Not saying that! Just trying to figure out what he is up to.

Can you see how horrible this is, having to have an underground railroad for PPEs so our frontline guys and gals can fight this virus? How nothing we have done kept the virus off our fighting ships?

And, he wants to lift all the restrictions so that we can go back to work to make him more money. What a shitload of trouble we have.

VOTE BLUE. That's it. Only someone who actually cares about our citizens can be President.

[ck4829]

73. K&R