Working Daily On The Needs Of The Country

This person is unwell. pic.twitter.com/3QqcHjkPu8

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) August 28, 2026

Lutnick: "The president works all day every day" pic.twitter.com/r9UAdQSIhZ

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 27, 2026

Nutlick didn’t say what Trump works on….

Remember when Trump kidnapped Maduro and Rick Scott and a bunch of south FL Republicans told Venezuelan-Americans this was all about liberating the country so free & fair elections could be held to oust the remainder of the Maduro regime, and I said it was all about stealing oil. pic.twitter.com/h5xMgBVjyK

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) August 29, 2026

65 billion barrels is not immediately available; it’s estimated reserves. It’s also “sour” and very heavy, meaning it takes more effort to refine. Production in Venezuela has also fallen to less than half the 3.5 million bpd it was. By comparison, Permian Basin production is 6.6 million bpd. Venezuela currently produces about 1.2 million bpd. So, yeah….  

But don’t listen to me, listen to the people who know what they’re talking about:

Analysts said they needed to see more details on the agreement's legal and financial structure before assessing whether it could attract significant investment.

Also unclear is whether the deal will lower ​gasoline prices in the short term, as developing the ​infrastructure needed to produce, transport and refine ⁠Venezuela's heavy crude could take years.

David Goldwyn, president of Goldwyn Global Strategies, said it was unclear whether a U.S. government lease would have a legal basis under Venezuela's constitution and its new hydrocarbons law, adding that there is "no precedent for having the U.S. government enter into a lease to operate oil fields."

Goldwyn ​also questioned whether the plan would address the obstacles that have deterred investment in Venezuela for years. "It is hard to see how this kind of ​arrangement would accelerate investment at ⁠any material scale," he said, citing political uncertainty, an inadequate power grid, limited export capacity and government discretion over the industry.

Even if investment starts crowding into Venezuela starting tomorrow, it’s not going to affect oil prices soon, if ever. 65 billion barrels can’t be sent to refineries overnight (they couldn’t handle it if that happened). So it can’t affect the market. Unless and until production even gets back 1998 levels (3.5 million bpd), it won’t significantly affect U.S. oil prices. Rubio says this arrangement will lure $100 billion in investment. Well, maybe.

Or maybe not.

But the Strait of Hormuz still looms large, and will for the foreseeable future.

Trump & @ScottJenningsKY : “The strait is open! We won!”

Reality: pic.twitter.com/DemWxzIoOY

— The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) August 28, 2026

Meanwhile....

Minnesota Republican US Senate candidate Michele Tayofa doubles down on her remarks that people should skip Starbucks to support Trump's war against Iran: "We do need to patriotic about this, so I stand by that" pic.twitter.com/DLlBtSd8N6

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 28, 2026

If there are people in Minnesota who can’t afford Starbucks in the first place…let them eat cake.🍰 

Finger on the pulse, from the top, down….