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Bob Cekuta

@rfcekuta.bsky.social
922 followers 15 following 76 posts

Diplomat, analyst, focused on development, energy, and figuring out better ways of doing things. When all else fails, have some chocolate.

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Bob Cekuta @rfcekuta.bsky.social · 19h
Exactly, it’s the loss of over 3 million barrels a day of refining capacity out of the Middle East that is the real problem for diesel supply/prices. The deal with Putin won’t have a real impact except to give cash to the Kremlin to continue its brutality.
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Ambassador Greg Delawie @gregdelawie.bsky.social · 11/10/2026
My Governor, on Facebook, tells it like it is!
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Bob Cekuta @rfcekuta.bsky.social · 11/10/2026
In the Senate, Collins Often Defies Trump but Rarely Stops Him www.nytimes.com/2026/10/11/u... This is the real point: Susan likes to say she votes against Trump, but she won’t do the things she could to stop his malicious or dumb programs. She’s not independent, she’s complicit.
nytimes.com
In the Senate, Collins Often Defies Trump but Rarely Stops Him
A New York Times analysis of Senator Susan Collins’s voting record shows that she frequently breaks with Republicans but more seldom changes an outcome.
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Bob Cekuta @rfcekuta.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
www.washingtonpost.com/religion/202... Yes, yes, absolutely!
washingtonpost.com
Live-streaming Hasan execution is ‘barbaric’, top U.S. Catholic bishop says
Archbishop Paul Coakley says publicly killing the Fort Hood shooter further undermines America’s moral fabric.
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Bob Cekuta @rfcekuta.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
As was said at the time the tariffs were put on: consumers pay the tariffs. Tariffs drive up prices for consumers.
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Bob Cekuta @rfcekuta.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Tonight’s debate in Maine. This exchange sums it up. Oh, and Senator Collins was pretty clear she wasn’t enthused about Trump coming to Maine to help Republicans.
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Ambassador Greg Delawie @gregdelawie.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
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Bob Cekuta @rfcekuta.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Maine's heating oil prices are 80% higher than a year ago The headline says it all. Right now it looks like it is going to be a tough winter for Mainers and others on the U.S.
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Bob Cekuta @rfcekuta.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Actually, Democracy Dies in H.R. www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/w... This might be a few months old, but it’s point is worth remembering. Going along to get along with corrupt or anti-democratic politicians does long-term damage. Something to consider when we vote.
nytimes.com
Actually, Democracy Dies in H.R.
New research sheds light on how mediocre employees help would-be authoritarians maintain power.
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The Steady State @thesteadystate.org · 10/09/2026
Tomorrow is the day! Join us for an Ask Me Anything livestream with our Executive Director Steven Cash! Bring your questions to the livestream, or submit them on our Instagram story! zurl.co/axnb4
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Bob Cekuta @rfcekuta.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
youtu.be/tkCk8MpoYyo This says it all: building a 250 arch — that’s about 20 stories or more — between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington Cemetery should NOT happen. We need to side with Vets on this.
youtu.be
STOP Trump’s 250-foot-tall Arch
YouTube video by Home of the Brave
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American Academy of Diplomacy @acadofdiplomacy.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
In this episode of Ask a Diplomat, Admiral James Foggo shares insights on U.S. national security, military diplomacy, global challenges, and the importance of strong partnerships with allies. youtu.be/2kPmI_RWZTA?...
youtu.be
Ask a Diplomat feat. Admiral James Foggo
YouTube video by American Academy of Diplomacy
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The Steady State @thesteadystate.org · 27/08/2026
Lake Ontario's name comes from an Indigenous language, given by the Native peoples who lived beside it for centuries. That's a real monument. Renaming it "Lake America" is a dictator's attempt to erase that history. #holdfast
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Bob Cekuta @rfcekuta.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Desperation Mounts in Indiana After 10 Days Without Power www.nytimes.com/2026/08/21/u... So where’s FEMA? Where is the Dept. of Energy? Where are other state and Federal agencies who get taxpayer dollars to take care of Americans? Like the Abraham Lincoln, incompetence is hurting Americans.
nytimes.com
Desperation Mounts in Indiana After 10 Days Without Power
Floods from powerful thunderstorms devastated Gary, a city where a third of residents live below the poverty line. Full power restoration isn’t expected until next week.
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Bob Cekuta @rfcekuta.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
This might be the most expensive as well as the most incompetent U.S. administration.
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Gail Helt @gailhelt.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Many thanks to the @financialtimes.com and @a-mackinnon.bsky.social for their article about @thesteadystate.org and our concerns for democracy.
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Bob Cekuta @rfcekuta.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Right on the mark. But recognizing the problem, we need to act.
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The Steady State @thesteadystate.org · 07/08/2026
In his latest Substack article for The Steady State, Jonathan Winer examines how intelligence can be weaponized to influence elections long before the first ballot is ever cast. Read his article and watch his video below: zurl.co/LKGom
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American Academy of Diplomacy @acadofdiplomacy.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
AAD member Robin Wright describes the functional collapse of the US-Iran ceasefire. She covers Trumps "fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants policy," noting that U.S. foreign policy experts and former policymakers are concerned. www.newyorker.com/news/the-led...
newyorker.com
Donald Trump’s Ad-Lib Strategy on Iran
The President promised to end what had been a quarter century of forever wars in the Middle East. Now the U.S. is mired in an intractable conflict of his own making.
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The Steady State @thesteadystate.org · 17/07/2026
Former U.S Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Bob Cekuta talks about his most recent Substack article, "From Fighting Corruption Abroad to Fighting It at Home." Read the full, important article below: zurl.co/FlYez
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Bob Cekuta @rfcekuta.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
open.substack.com/pub/steadyst... Bribery, pay-to-play, illicit government pressure on companies — these corrupt practices caused rot, lost profits, and political problems overseas. We have to fight these same corrupt practices now here at home.
open.substack.com
From Fighting Corruption Abroad to Fighting It at Home
A 40-year veteran of the U.S. State Department/Foreign Service examines the emerging corruption in his own country.
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Bob Cekuta @rfcekuta.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Ukrainian ambassador Stefanishyna spelling out the current situation, including Ukraine‘s growing ability to defend itself and the west. But anti-ballistics remain a serious need.
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DER SPIEGEL @spiegel.de · 04/06/2026
Nordkorea baut seine Kapazitäten zum Bau von Nuklearwaffen rapide aus. So stand es zuletzt in einer Warnung der Atombehörde IAEA. Nun äußert sich auch Machthaber Kim Jong Un dazu – gewohnt bombastisch.
spiegel.de
Nordkorea: Diktator Kim Jong Un prahlt mit angeblicher Verdopplung des waffenfähigen Atommaterials
Nordkorea baut seine Kapazitäten zum Bau von Nuklearwaffen rapide aus. So stand es zuletzt in einer Warnung der Atombehörde IAEA. Nun äußert sich auch Machthaber Kim Jong Un dazu – gewohnt bombastisch.
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Bob Cekuta @rfcekuta.bsky.social · 03/05/2026
A new fire engine costs over $1 million, a huge burden for towns all over this country. Mainers are not alone in grappling with this problem. themainemonitor.org/expensive-fi...
themainemonitor.org
Tariffs, price-fixing allegations drive fire truck costs out of reach
Fire engine prices have skyrocketed since the pandemic, rising much faster than inflation. New ones run more than $1 million.
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Kristen Wixx @kristenwixx.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
Say "weak on crime" again. I dare you.
Pope Leo on an airplane, standing in the aisle, holding a baseball bat.
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The Steady State @thesteadystate.org · 12/04/2026
Everybody asks -- "What can we do?" Look at Hungary -- that is what you do. Organize. Make alliances. Write. Speak. Network. March. Wave signs. And help raise each others voices. Here is a Starter Pack for just that! Sentd it around. go.bsky.app/RXFLYri
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Bob Cekuta @rfcekuta.bsky.social · 14/03/2026
share.google/vigSqJVFnBS1... For those talking about US boots on the ground, this is how big Iran is.
share.google
Google Image Result for https://stevehely.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/screenshot-2025-06-18-at-5.03.00e280afpm.png?w=728
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Bob Cekuta @rfcekuta.bsky.social · 12/03/2026
Something businesses have noted in Maine.
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Bob Cekuta @rfcekuta.bsky.social · 07/03/2026
www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202... The Capitol Police and others who did their duty and defended the Capitol and Congress January 6, 2021 deserve better. We owe them greater thanks for their service and courage.
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The Steady State @thesteadystate.org · 03/03/2026
When your foreign ally has to go on Fox to assure Americans this won’t be an “endless war” and explain why Iran supposedly had to be hit “now or never,” it doesn’t look like strength. It looks like the president is someone else’s project.
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Bob Cekuta @rfcekuta.bsky.social · 03/03/2026
A top issue in any crisis is the safety & well-being of Americans. News out of Israel and other countries in the Middle East raises questions as to how much planning Washington did to evacuate/otherwise protect Americans. Right now it looks like Americans might be trapped or scrambling to get out.
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Bob Cekuta @rfcekuta.bsky.social · 22/02/2026
But Pre-Check requires fewer TSA agents than the regular lines, so how is this cutting costs???
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Bob Cekuta @rfcekuta.bsky.social · 22/02/2026
Denmark Rejects Trump’s Plan to Send Hospital Boat to Greenland www.nytimes.com/2026/02/22/u... Mr. President, let‘s take care of the Americans who can‘t afford health care or live in rural areas where hospitals are closing. Greenlanders have free healthcare, we don’t.
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Bob Cekuta @rfcekuta.bsky.social · 31/01/2026
‘We’ve Fought Side by Side’: Danish Veterans March Against Trump’s Comments www.nytimes.com/2026/01/31/w... And Americans remember as well the Danes and others who bravely stood with us. Our alliance made all of us stronger and ensured a better, more secure life.
nytimes.com
‘We’ve Fought Side by Side’: Danish Veterans March Against Trump’s Comments
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The Steady State @thesteadystate.org · 30/01/2026
open.substack.com/pub/steadyst... "There are many problems with ICE’s operations in Minnesota, Maine, and elsewhere. All of them, including this one, need to be addressed ASAP."
open.substack.com
No, ICE Officers, You Can’t Force Your Way Into Diplomatic Missions
the Steady State | Ambassador (ret.) Robert F. Cekuta
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Bob Cekuta @rfcekuta.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
It‘s infrastructure week all over again.
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Politico @politico.com · 28/01/2026
Trump said he’d pressure health insurers to lower drug prices. More than a month later, no meeting has taken place and he has not made any demands.
politico.com
Health insurers dodge Trump's pricing crackdown, for now
While the president's ire can return on a whim, the prospect of an Oval Office dressing down appears, for the moment, off the table.
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Bob Cekuta @rfcekuta.bsky.social · 28/01/2026
Exactly, we aren’t getting stronger, we are getting more isolated and it is going to hurt us in terms of export sales, business, and jobs. We’re in a hole and it is time to stop digging. Americans’ prosperity is at stake as much as our reputation or anything else.
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Bob Cekuta @rfcekuta.bsky.social · 28/01/2026
Wait a minute — this is a foreign diplomatic facility. U.S. police etc have no right to enter it under international law and treaties and agreements the USG not only signed, but authored. As a former U.S. diplomat and ambassador, if Ecuadorean police entered a U.S. consulate we’d be going nuts.
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Bob Cekuta @rfcekuta.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
Exactly: Wake up Congress.
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Bob Cekuta @rfcekuta.bsky.social · 18/01/2026
Trump bought up to $2 million of Netflix and Warner Bros Discovery bonds, WSJ reports, days after Netflix agreed to buy Warner‘s studios and HBO Max. Trump then said he will will be involved in the USG decision on whether to allow. So corrupt — and news that may get lost with his other garbage.
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Bob Cekuta @rfcekuta.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
apnews.com/article/gree... Something that gets lost in a lot of the news media is that there are others out there who are important and have clout in the U.S. system and institutions. This bipartisan Senate del going to Copenhagen is a good example.
apnews.com
US lawmakers to visit Denmark as Trump continues to threaten Greenland
A bipartisan U.S. congressional delegation is headed to Copenhagen later this week to show unity with Denmark amid tensions over Greenland. Sen.
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The Steady State @thesteadystate.org · 12/01/2026
Please join us on Jan 13, 2026 for Episode 2 of The Steady State Sentinel Podcast: “An Existential Threat to the Republic.”
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Bob Cekuta @rfcekuta.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
What is happening here is being watched around the world. Another point: a long-standing USG talking point has been an independent central bank is key to economic growth and a country’s national stability and prosperity. Now we are in danger of ignoring the sound advice we gave others. What?!
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DER SPIEGEL @spiegel.de · 12/01/2026
Jerome Powell wendet sich mit einem Video an die Öffentlichkeit: Die Fed habe eine Vorladung vom Justizministerium erhalten, erklärt der Chef der US-Notenbank – und kritisiert den Schritt mit ungewohnt deutlichen Worten.
spiegel.de
Donald Trump vs Jerome Powell: US-Justizministerium droht Notenbank Fed offenbar mit Klage
Jerome Powell wendet sich mit einem Video an die Öffentlichkeit: Die Fed habe eine Vorladung vom Justizministerium erhalten, erklärt der Chef der US-Notenbank – und kritisiert den Schritt mit ungewohnt deutlichen Worten.
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Bob Cekuta @rfcekuta.bsky.social · 08/01/2026
The mayor speaks for all of us. Can we cut the thuggery? There is no reason for what ICE is doing.
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Bob Cekuta @rfcekuta.bsky.social · 08/01/2026
The world will move on while the U.S., under Trump, sits alone in the corner.
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Bob Cekuta @rfcekuta.bsky.social · 06/01/2026
popular.info/p/venezuela-... Let‘s see: Citgo which was suffering financially because of ities to Venezuela gets bought by a billionaire friend of/contributor to Trump in November and now stands to benefit from the Administration’s actions in Venezuela. Am I the only one thinking this smells??
popular.info
Venezuela raid enriches MAGA billionaire
The ouster of Maduro is a financial windfall for a prominent Trump-supporting billionaire, investor Paul Singer.
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Bob Cekuta @rfcekuta.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
The State Department posted that “this is our hemisphere.” What the …. Terrible to see decades of respectful, effective diplomacy and relations-building wiped out like this. Not something Americans wanted. And, btw, none of this is distracting Americans from Epstein.
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Bob Cekuta @rfcekuta.bsky.social · 04/01/2026
Yep. Plus the questions of next steps. Maduro might be gone, but it looks right now like his cronies still run the place. Mission NOT accomplished??
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