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Lucian K. Truscott IV's avatar

Once again, alas, Colombia...not ColUmbia. I'm not very good at spelling Colombia, it seems.

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Linda Weide's avatar

I support the work getting Trump, Miller and Rubio where they belong, which is in front of an international tribunal. They are international war criminals like Putin. No one should be allowing Trump into their country. Europe should not be including them in their meetings to help Ukraine.

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Geoff Anderson's avatar

If there was one damned thing AI could do is to read to context and ensure to switch the O and the U appropriately!

I guess that is too much to ask...

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Calgontakemeaway's avatar

🤣Hapens to us all🤣

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Mary Roeser's avatar

You are forgiven. If making a spelling error were a crime, there'd be no one out running around loose. We would all be in jail.

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Susan in San Diego's avatar

Lucian, I love your newsletter, its jaded let’s-call-it-like-it-is, no BS, gloves-off tone. You inform me and make me laugh at the same time. It really helps take the edge off my despair at the destruction of our norms by the Destroyer in Chief.

Having just returned from a two week trip visiting the beautiful landscape, culture, cuisine and people of COLOMBIA, I have to call your attention to a misspelling in your newsletter(s). It’s “O”, not “U”:

“This morning, the name of another country in the region popped up, Columbia, as if Latin America is a game of checkers, and all you have to do is leap your chip over the other guy’s chip, and boom, you’ve won.”

All over Colombia, the Latin American country, there are hats, t-shirts and sweatshirts printed with the “O not U” message. I should’ve bought you one. 😉

Keep up the good work!

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Anne Layton's avatar

I echo Ms Lesan’s first paragraph above! Thank you; Lucian, for keeping us well informed as well as laughing, for at least a few minutes every day!! It could not be clearer what the real objective of trump and his goons is.

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Carolyn Nafziger's avatar

"I love your newsletter, its jaded let’s-call-it-like-it-is, no BS, gloves-off tone. You inform me and make me laugh at the same time. It really helps take the edge off my despair at the destruction of our norms by the Destroyer in Chief." I couldn't have said it anywhere near as perfectly!!

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Judith Swink (CA)'s avatar

Susan - absolutely love the hats, t-shirts and sweatshirts in Colombia stating "O not U".

What has long irked me has been not only the misspelling but the mispronunciation of Co-loam-bia (although I can understand the mispronunciation from Americans with no foreign language skills).

Just as the misnaming and mispronunciation of the Mexican city across the border from San Diego continually irks me: it's Tijuana, not Tia Juana.

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Cheryl Towers's avatar

Idiocy, idiocy, and more idiocy. Note the use of the Oxford comma for clarity.

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Kozmo's avatar

Huzzah for the Oxford comma!

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Lady Emsworth's avatar

I'll drink, to that!

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Kozmo's avatar
4dEdited

We who toiled (or still toil) in the vineyards of copy editing and prufreding (;-) will go to the mat over things like the Oxford comma. Like no beans in chili!

"Eats, shoots, and leaves" ha!

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Runfastandwin's avatar

ah it works just as well without the comma!

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Susan Travis's avatar

I love the use of the Oxford comma!

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Henry Cohen's avatar

The Republicans in Congress will be responsible for everything Trump does regarding Venezuela. They're already responsible for the 115 people in boats whom Trump murdered and the 80 more who were killed when Trump kidnapped Maduro. They could remove Trump from office tomorrow. Having sworn to uphold the Constitution, they have a duty to do so.

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Karen Simmons's avatar

Heard that at a gathering of Republicans yesterday or today he informed his spineless congressmen that they had to win the mid terms or he would be impeached. Can’t wait!

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Henry Cohen's avatar

Did he think that they didn't want to win for their own sakes? Wanting to win, after all, is why they are spineless. But, of course, he didn't think that. Everything is always about him.

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Tom Twain's avatar

I'm sure that never occurred to Piggy, in his demented mind they all owe their jobs to him and are therefore in Congress solely to serve him. Impeachment bad for Trump, must win is all they need to know.

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Lady Emsworth's avatar

I think some of them might be worried that THEY'LL be impeached as well. . .

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Henry Cohen's avatar

Under the Constitution (as interpreted by Congress), members of Congress cannot be impeached. See the bottom paragraph of https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artII-S4-2/ALDE_00000689/

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Lady Emsworth's avatar

I read that. The Constitution is seriously flawed in parts. you can impeach the President and the Vice President - but not all the little critters that keep them in place? Where's the sense in that?

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Henry Cohen's avatar

Under the Constitution, Congress can expel a member by a two-thirds vote, which is the same that is required for the Senate to convict upon impeachment. So it seems to amount to the same thing. See the Wikipedia article, "Expulsion from the United States Congress." Congress expelled George Santos not long ago.

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Peter's avatar

I think some of them are looking at the rotting maniac and wondering if tying themselves to him is still a wise political move. We'll see how they act once they get thru the primaries.

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Mary Roeser's avatar

My guess is the same. Blind devotion is their mantra. Denial is a force as great as gravity.

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Tammie Diepen's avatar

Yes, Lady Hemsworth... The imbecilic maga members of Congress SHOULD be worried about this! These nincompoops are deserving of every bit of scorn and derision that we patriotic Americans can help upon their empty heads! Impeach the whole sorry lot of the lying, greedy, selfish, vile, and unrepentant subhuman degenerates we call Republican representatives! 🤬🤢😡

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Tammie Diepen's avatar

*Impeach* or "remove" (whatever is the legal, constitutional wording, basically resulting in the removal of these seditionist, racist, misogynistic sycophants), and then absolutely INDICT and CONVICT every damned one of them!

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Don Quixote's Reckless Son's avatar

A line I saw here on substack yesterday:

It's a good thing congress isn't alive to see this.

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celeste k.'s avatar

So let's get them to lose. EVERY voter in the country needs to vote to get these spineless republicans out of Congress, BOTH houses if possible. And beware, call your reps, especially those in red states, and stop the voter suppression laws and election deniers they support.

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Timothy Cooper's avatar

Do the Republicans really still have any power, though? It seems to me very questionable. They have abandoned their duty so far, why would that change anyway? They gave away their power so long ago, how can it be regained? I just canʻt see it happening

- Mrs. Cooper

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Henry Cohen's avatar

I wouldn't say that they gave away their power. Rather, they've refused to exercise it. They could start exercising it tomorrow and impeach and convict him. But I agree that it won't happen.

I can't figure out why they want to keep their jobs when they refuse to do anything with them. They ought to change the rule that requires them to show up to vote and give a proxy to Trump to cast all their votes for them. That way they could spend more time with their families.

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Timothy Cooper's avatar

I donʻt know, Henry. Trump has been ignoring laws and judges, not sure if heʻd pay any attention to Republicans in Congress in any event.

I find it odd that those Republicans are not doing their job and letting Trump run amok .... they may soon be considered superfluous and their jobs eliminated, despite their evidently thinking that they will retain their status as long as they pander to Trump. A dictator doesnʻt need a Congress, do they?

- Mrs. Cooper

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Cathy R's avatar

I have often wondered why Republican Congress and SCOTUS are running to jump over the cliff that will make Congress and the Supreme Court totally irrelevant.

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Bob D's avatar

I think there is more dirt out there than just the Epstgein files and someone is holding it over their heads.

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Timothy Cooper's avatar

There is literally a lifetime of dirt, for sure!

- Karen Cooper

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Mary Roeser's avatar

That someone is Putin.

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Karen Simmons's avatar

That is a puzzler.

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shee-rah's avatar

If they weren’t in Congress, then they’d have to get a ‘real’ job.

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Timothy Cooper's avatar

Yeah, are they capable to do that on their own? But they could get hired by some of the entities who have contributed so well to their political campaigns. That seems to be the usual route

-Mrs. Cooper

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Suzanne Cully's avatar

I’m beginning to doubt the Mrs. Cooper thing.

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Lady Emsworth's avatar

What would you suggest? Mike Johnson at MacDonald's. Lindsey as a floor sweeper at a hairdressers. Hegseth as a shoe shine operative. Stephen Miller as a kindergarten assistant. . . .

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bitchybitchybitchy's avatar

Lindsey working at a hair salon? Now THAT I would love to see

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Mary Roeser's avatar

I wouldn't entrust any child to Heinrich Himmler's care. I wouldn't trust anything, not flora or fauna, to his care either. He'd probably have them deported.

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Timothy Cooper's avatar

Oh, heck no, keep Stephen Miller away from children at all cost!

- Karen Cooper

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Sandra P. Campbell's avatar

And they could not possibly care less, because for the spineless jellyfish of the GOP members, that responsibility pales in comparison to keeping their Lord and Master content.

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Suzanne Cully's avatar

Naw. It’s about money. Money, money, money, money.

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Mary Roeser's avatar

They pay no attention to their oaths of office. I think they had their fingers crossed when they took the oath. Besides, how could they do the work they were elected to do? They spend all their time lining up beak to tail to plant big, fat, juicy slobbers all over Agolf Shitler's rear end.

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Keith Kuckler's avatar

Trump keeps saying that the oil belongs to the oil companies, not true, the oil is a resource that belongs to the people of the country. After the oil companies lost their business in Venezuela, they wrote down their losses against their huge profits elsewhere, they did the same thing when they pulled out of Russia in response to the sanctions. So in effect that have lost nothing, now, he wants to subsidize them to go in and rebuild the infrastructure. The excuse of drug running is so laughable, no fentanyl comes from Venezuela, most all of it comes though Mexico, and, most of the cocaine from Venezuela is headed to western Europe. The continued threats to Greenland, Cuba, and, Columbia are all distractions to take the main stream media off the Epstein files. Every time something big starts to happen with them there will be another distraction. Keep your eye on the ball, it is the Epstein files plain and simple.

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Cathy R's avatar

I think he will try to takeover Greenland and by attacking a NATO country will eventually set the world on fire

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Tom Twain's avatar

He won't attack Greenland, he expects Greenland to just hand him control as a sign of respect.

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Carman Moore's avatar

Hey Lucian.... What you write here is brilliant !

(Colombia notwithstanding..Though we have recently been tasked with trying to save Columbia from these dopes so confusion might set in). ).

It is an absolute MUST-READ for all Americans, uniformed or (especially) uninformed.

Thank you so much.... I now personally value the fact that you are militarily-educated and trained. You know how these dudes think (think?).

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Timothy Cooper's avatar

Trump is stuck on oil the same way heʻs stuck on tariffs, both driven by pure greed. Itʻs act/attack first, think/plan later. The problem with this illegal entanglement with Venezuela is that it has got to be incredibly complicated, but the regime seems to be looking at it in a one-dimensional way, as are many others. This could easily devolve into an incredible, expensive mess, and I donʻt see how it can be avoided.

- Mrs. Cooper

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Tammie Diepen's avatar

I agree with your assessment of trump to "act/attack first," but I would also say, "think/plan never!"...

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cal lash's avatar

Trump the Psychopath is never wrong. Just ask the mob of sociaphahs and morons kissing his ass. I'm skeptical that time will heal this horrendous cataclysmic situation.

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David Field's avatar

Why do we think that the oil in Venezuela belongs to the US? During Colonial times the British had mast agents who would mark trees for British ships. It was illegal for a landowner to cut down one of these trees on their land. Aren't there some similarities here?

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Rich Hope's avatar

Back in 1930's the Rockefellers owned much of Standard Oil of New Jersey, and they signed a contract with Venezuela to obtain oil rights, extracting at Esso's expense. No one else had the money to do this. The US Government had no ownership ever. The contract was broken when Venezuela expropriated everything to do with oil. The oil companies lost their stuff; the US government lost nothing. Mexico did the same thing in 1939 (PEMEX was formed). Our response was to pull our Embassy. Tell me if I'm wrong.

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BG Pete Chiefari's avatar

I will never be able to write as well as you do and will never be as articulate as you are. Lucian, you are special!

Reading your post tripped hundreds of wires and reminded me of so many things I learned and experienced throughout my military career, but one thing jumped and stood out in my head: "Those who cannot remember history are condemned to repeat it!" George Santayana.

Trump and Miller are so stupid that they do not know and never knew the history. And, they are so colossally arrogant that they will think that what they're doing is completely and solely their idea! Lovely! Just goddamn lovely! Here we go again!!

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Betty R Gunn's avatar

Absolutely! Trump is interested in Venezuela because he can make money controlling who had access to the oil fields. Let’s face it until this puppet masters put this in his head, he didn’t even know where Venezuela is!!!

Now he can take over a country without anyone stopping him, he is planning to take Greenland and its mineral deposits!

😡

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Suzanne Cully's avatar

Again, money. Money, money, money. Money.

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Richard Ellison's avatar

Thanx!

Buuuuut, it may well make Trump some $$$. And if nothing else, it is Trump lawlessness (again) resulting in no legal consequences.

This unrelenting criminal behavior is once again, more likely than not in my estimation, setting the stage for a vast array of criminality (with our Military’s full-on complicity), intended to destroy free and fair “Elections” in ‘26/‘28.

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SCS - Michigan's avatar

Oy. Vey.

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Runfastandwin's avatar

it will end badly.

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Kathy Hughes's avatar

It always does.

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Mark D. Garfinkel, Ph.D.'s avatar

The Vietnam debacle was brought to us by those whom David Halberstam famously called "The Best and the Brightest." The Iraq War was brought to us by the so-called neocons based at the now-defunct Project for the New American Century. I may catch flak here for saying this, but both groups of Washington insiders and think-tankers were motivated by true patriotism, though terribly mistaken regarding methods, as events proved.

The Trump Klan, Kapo Stephen Miller, and the kleptocrats & kakistocrats in the Kabinet, et al., are _not_ patriots. They are self-aggrandizing power- and money-grubbing schemers.

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bluerainbow18's avatar

Patriot does not apply to war criminals. Bush et all belong in prison. Same for the criminal politicians of the Vietnam catastrophe. Same for Henry Kissinger. I could go on.

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Pam Johnson's avatar

Spot on, Lucian, as usual. "Waist-deep in the Big Muddy, and the big fool said to push on."

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shee-rah's avatar

Where’s Pete Seeger when we really need him?

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Pam Johnson's avatar

His music lives on; more timely than ever.

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