Politico reported that the president of Colombia refused to allow U.S. military aircraft to land; the two airplanes were carrying immigrants who had been detained. Trump immediately slapped a 25% tariff on all goods imported from Colombia to the U.S. He threatened that the tariff might rise to 50%.
More than a quarter of Colombia’s exports are sent to the U.S. The two countries have a free-trade agreement.
I am not an economist but I wonder: If Trump damages the Colombian economy, won’t that encourage more Colombians to enter the U.S. illegally in search of work?
Diane Ravitch's blog 
It might. But it also might encourage Colombia to accept the return of these migrants, which in turn might encourage the U.S. to drop the tariffs.
It also might encourage Colombia to take action against Americans living in Colombia without authorization.
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This hideous toad of a “human being” is all about revenge, reprisal and nastiness and he’s only been in office a few days. Wow, and some folks by the millions thought it was a good idea to have this miscreant and his gang of ghouls to be in charge of things. SHAME ON THEM! At long last have you no brain matter?!
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He is using our economic prowess like a cudgel against weaker nations. Maybe these types of extortionist tactics work well in business, but it will undermine good will in politics. As Biden mentioned, if you want other nations to work with you, you develop relationships with them, and you don’t sell-out your allies. The man only knows how to bully and threaten.
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If I was Columbia, I certainly would want thorough and complete documentation of who was being sent to my country. No one can convince me that the Trump administration has provided that information. If I had to vet the people myself, I don’t think I would allow the planes to leave Columbian territory before that had been done. Anyone not eligible for repatriation would never get off the planes. We can’t just load people on planes and expect countries to accept them. What kind of preparation could have possibly happened in the time since Trump was installed as President? None!
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I found this to be quite interesting. Convicted Felons cannot enter a number of countries. Of course, now that he is President, many countries on the list will be afraid that he will retaliate.
Hope he can’t do much traveling. I think a number of countries wouldn’t want this miserable example of wasted humanity to enter legally.
As a felon, Donald Trump can no longer travel to 38 countries
The former president may have trouble gaining entry to these countries as a convicted felon. See the full list.
https://www.livenowfox.com/news/donald-trump-felon-travel-38-countries
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More and more countries are pushing back against Felon47 Bully, but it just hurts more and more average Americans at the pumps and grocery store. Colombia exports a variety of products to the United States, including petroleum, coffee, cut flowers, and more. The United States is Colombia’s largest trading partner.
Products exported to the United States
Petroleum: Colombia’s main export, with the United States being the primary importer.
Coffee: A major export of Colombia.
Cut flowers: A major export of Colombia.
Coal: A major export of Colombia, and Colombia has the largest coal reserves in Latin America.
Bananas: A major export of Colombia.
Chemicals: A major export of Colombia.
Textiles: A major export of Colombia.
Trade between Colombia and the United States
The United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (TPA) went into effect in 2012, eliminating tariffs and removing barriers to U.S. services.
In 2022, Colombia exported $15.6 billion to the United States.
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Trump supporters are about to get a hard lesson regarding Tariffs. I watched an interview with a Trump supporter who was adamant that the exporting country pays for the Tariffs and couldn’t accept the fact that it’s consumers who pay.
Did Trump supporters know that deporting immigrants would mean paying more for coffee and other items?
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Did Trump supporters know that deporting immigrants to other countries was going to cost multiple millions of dollars transporting them in military aircraft. It is amazing how stupid some people can be.
They also do know realize that other countries can tell Trump to go F@@@ himself when it comes to want he wants to do with the immigrants.
It is time the rationale United States citizens tell Trump to do the same as the leaders in other countries.
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Diane, don’t expect that foolishly stupid manchild to understand anything about how the “interrelated structure of reality” tends to work to bend the long moral arc toward justice, as did MLK Jr, for example. MLK Jr’s wisdom on “What affects one directly, affects all indirectly” is totally lost on that manchild.
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Viviana was great for my second haircut with her. Very professional. Listened to my description of what I wanted & followed it perfectly. I was very happy wioth my haircut & plan to go back to see her again.
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Crap. I copy & pasted a different message here & don’t know how to pull it back or delete it! Sorry!
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It happens, loved2teach. And, you mis-posted a positive message, anyway.
Funny story…one time I was writing to a fellow teacher at school about our new superintendent. And, I was tired and in a hurry. And, I ended up actually sending my message TO the superintendent instead! Talk about a ‘brain fart’.
Funny thing is, though, I was saying something positive about a book the new boss had published before he came to our district.
For once, I wasn’t on the “poop” list with the administration -at least right away, that is.
Life in the digital age.
Let’s hope we ALL have better week. This past one with FELON47 has been profoundly disorienting.
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Kinda glad that happened, LTT! Gave me a giggle break in the midst of yet another nerve-wracking discussion 😀
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I meant to post:
This insecure, sad little wannabe dictator who has no knowledge of history, geopolitics, or even economics (although his acolytes seem to think he’s a “great businessman”)……bleeechhh! We’re all just going to have to suffer through all of his idiotic, selfish moves till we hit bottom. Maybe then, all the Moms & Pops out there in the heartland will then realize what a mistake they made…….maybe!!!
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You are imbuing our new president with the power to engage in deductive reasoning and logical analytics, skills which I do not believe he shown any evidence he possesses. 🙂
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Too bad he wasn’t around when they were publishing “MAD Magazine”. What a clod.
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https://www.dc.com/mad
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It costs almost 400% more to use military aircraft.
Also be prepared to spend a lot more for a cup of your morning Coffee. Bananas may be in short supply soon. Egg prices continue to rise and once farmers lose their workforce your bowl of cereal will cost more as well. Not to mention the current threat to our milk supply.
So as we start our day in the near future we will be reminded of the Orange Turd and how he dump on us.
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Trump has “mommy issues” and is looking for “a daddy.” He’s a very sick and incredibly stupid person, if one can really can him a ‘person.’
Trump has NO CLUE about anything. He’s a fraud to the max and UNFIT to serve. Thus, his bravado to cover up his many inadequacies.
Trump wears more make-up than a drag queen. Plus, his personal hygiene is to be questioned; he literally stinks.
Wonder what his supporters are gonna do as they find out more and more than they backed a lunatic who doesn’t give a wit about them and only cares about the oligarchs and sychophants with whom he surrounds himself?
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Trump threatens Canada. Canada’s calls out Trump.
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For Sure! The man is clearly showing signs of dementia.
He’s surrounded himself with grifters who have made billions taking our money and building their private companies with it and then charging us high fees for using the things that resulted from the research and manufacturing facilities that we paid for through these large government grants.
Any slight that he perceives as toward him he reacts with anger. Exactly like people suffering from age related Alzheimer’s or dementia do constantly. This man is too dangerous to have this thumb on the nuclear button.
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I don’t think trump will last very long. His purpose was to “win”….and he did X 3 (POTUS/House/Senate). He’ll sign a bunch of EOs to cause mayhem and then bug out so that Vance and his acolytes can swoop in for their “save”…the remaking of the Fed Gov’t. I believe this was the plan all along (maybe I’m wearing a tinfoil hat?).
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Jesus saves. . . but Esposito scores on the rebound!
Gotta be an old NHL fan to understand that one.
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LisaM,
I agree. Trump was running to stay out of jail. Now that he won, he enjoys the perks, the attention, and the press. He has no interest in governing.
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The President of Colombia backed down and agreed to accept planes of deportees.
Biden sent 450 planes of deportees to Colombia without controversy and bluster, 120 in last year.
Trump wanted to make a show.
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That would be the long game plan (An old story in history. European history in rich in this sort of stuff as a brief read into the history of many a king will reveal).
Thing is, all those courtiers will be looking for their own biggest slice of presidential pie, so it will not be a happy united front- buy your popcorn now folks and watch the Ugliest Reality show yet.
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Diane, President Petro of Colombia did not back down; that’s how Trump’s acolytes have spun it.
What Petro wanted was that Colombians be repatriated in a dignified manner, not shackled and denied the use of the bathroom. Colombia accepted many flights of deportees under Biden and they traveled by charter, which was far cheaper than a military transport. Trump has agreed to those conditions.
Brazil and President Lula also lodged complaints about the treatment of 88 Brazilians who were repatriated under similar conditions, including at least one child.
Trump is doing this to demonstrate that he’s top dog, but every literate person in Latin America is laughing at the drubbing he took on Elon’s propaganda network from the president of Colombia.
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Christine,
I was aware of those facts. The President of Colombia objected to the inhumane conditions in which his citizens were repatriated. According to Rachel Maddow, half of those deported did not have criminal records. They were Carrie on military planes to make a statement. These planes cost about $800,000 for each trip, whereas civilian airliners cost about $150,000.
Biden sent more than 400 flights to Colombia, 150 in 2024. The migrants were on civilian airliners. They were not handcuffed. They got water and food and could access the restroom.
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Trump likes to make a spectacle. Makes him feel like a big man. But that is the source of his power. Biden did things in a decent above board manner. No gold stars for decency. Meanwhile the MAGAts are thrilled by Trump’s cruelty.
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Diane — not sure if you watch this, but very interesting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4rkXgM1aWk
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By the way, the White House statement threatening tariffs on Colombia misspelled the name of the country as “Columbia.”
Many jokes on the Internet. Like, “please don’t threaten NYU.”
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Diane’s phrase, “Meanwhile the MAGAts are thrilled by Trump’s cruelty.” caught my eye, this morning.
Yes! What is it about cruelty that they love? That thrill and pleasure they derive from watching another human burn at the stake. Age old but now amped up like never before by 21st century tech.
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I read the comments on the ICE page. About 80% from MAGAts expressing glee that immigrants would be dragged out of their communities. Some even supplied addresses to ICE. Get him! Get her!
I hope those angry white folk are ready to plant and pick the crops.
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It would make perfect sense, in fact if I were a citizen of the USA I would damn well expect it….
That somewhere in both the deepest levels of the Pentagon and CIA Langley down at the end of a dim lit corridor constantly guarded is a room, which is triple locked to be open by three folk entering codes simultaneously. In that room is a safe which is equally and likely fatally guarded by other locks. In that safe lies a volume written in a very arcane code and a language which is changed randomly at irregular intervals.
This volume contains the protocols to be followed by the CIA and Pentagon in the event of such a worthless and unstable character as Trump getting to try and play with the nuclear option and how the character is to be neutralised (and the criteria for who else goes with them).
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Take a look at what we buy from Columbia, coffee and a lot of tropical fruits and vegetables. Within 7 to 10 days the grocery stores of America will raise the prices on these small margin items by 25% or more. 47 ran claiming we were suffering from runaway inflation under Biden. The highest jump under Joe was 20% one month. It will be interesting to see the reaction from the stupid people who knew he is a liar and still voted for him when their grocery bill jumps by 25% and then if 47 follows through with his threat 50% in a couple of weeks!
TOO BAD WE CAN’T RECALL A PRESIDENT!
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The xtian theofascists still need his services. I give them two years before something incapacitating happens to the CONVICTED FELON and Vance takes over.
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In a the court of any aging and deranged king there will be courtiers playing the long game and looking to be the power behind the throne. Folk will be there, quietly grooming Vance and feeding his ego for the day they can place him on the throne and pull the strings.
The trick the Fates can play is that Vance wakes up and turns the tables on the groomers and actually does things his way. Which will not be nice (unless he undergoes his own Road to Damascus experience)
None of this leads to a cheerful outlook for the American public but it will supply some morbid entertainment to see them snap and snarl at each other.
Meanwhile Trump gets shunted off to some luxury care home to live out his days in final delusion and likely paranoia because he does not deserve serenity.
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Just a thought about one ramification which may take place.
I recall, many years back now, probably more than thirty reading an article in Newsweek about the Columbian Drug cartels and one drug lord boasting about cocaine being ‘their A-Bomb’ and how they were going to ‘teach’ the USA..
With this in mind it occurs to me that tariffs will lead to more poverty in the nation and in consequence more motivation for folk to come under the sway of the drug cartels, thus sending more cocaine and whatever else they can concoct to an already addled and willing market in the USA.
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Good, it’ll help fuel the Contras!
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You never know when those The Laws of Unintended Consequences will sneak up on someone.
Trump’s antics might be the cause of a revival of Socialism of the early 20th century style in the USA. You can never tell. Fate is always sniggering in the background.
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Sad to see that Colombia backed down. I was wondering what it would look like if more nations around the world joined together to put up a united front against FELON47’s bullying -before it might become too late. But I guess money talks, louder than ever these days given the internet (which at this moment in history appears to have ensnared, not liberated the world.) Will that change?
To quote from yesterday’s The Guardian:
“But while fact-checkers continued to hold Trump to account, Republicans seemed less willing than ever to correct the record while rightwing influencers were eager to amplify his falsehoods in what is now a fragmented media ecosystem. The leaders of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google and X attended his inauguration; Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg recently announced that the platform will abandon third party fact-checking.
Kurt Bardella, a Democratic strategist and media relations consultant, said: “If there’s any lasting impact from Donald Trump’s time on the political stage it’s that we live in a world now where you can just make up your own facts and truth is how ever you decide to to bend it.
“There are content creators and content machines that exist solely for the purpose of laundering anything that Donald Trump says and making it true to a certain degree. It’s a play off the [Richard] Nixon quote: if the president does it, it is legal; well, if the president says it, it’s true. That’s the world that we live in now.”
My take: according to Jacques Ellul et al… technology will create a problem (in our case, trump 2.0) then create a technological solution to allegedly address that problem….. hence FELON47 and his cronies wanting to funnel half a trillion to A.I. efforts and the techno-billionaires going along for the ride reaping even more power.
It’s like digital quicksand, folks….imagine civilization sinking into an ocean of 1s and 0s.
Turn off trump? Hell, so many people can’t even turn off their own phones.
How bad will it continue to get….Week 2 of trump redux begins right now…
Stay tuned….. this program brought to you by corporate America!
The Guardian link: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/26/trump-white-house-lies-immigration-economy
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they caved in and agreed to all of his demands. Sad
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Another blog I read said that the detainees arrived handcuffed and had been denied water and bathroom facilities on the plane. The president of Colombia refused entry to any detainees unless they were treated humanely. Reportedly the US agreed to these terms. Of course, if that’s true, it will still be spinned as Colombia giving in to Trump.
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Yes, Sharon, I read the same account. Biden sent deportees in a civilian place. Not handcuffed. Trump treated them like criminals. Trump backed down, not the president of Colombia.
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It was just the other day that someone around here was referencing Cenk Uygur/The Young Turks as progressive, so just wanted people to see this.
https://x.com/cenkuygur/status/1883991514302566599
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