minimis, minimus = 'minimum,' 'minimal'

[Jonathan Lighter]

 Last week I heard Sen. Lindsey Graham of SC say that we had to reduce
something to the "minimus." Just now I heard NYC Mayor Bloomberg tell CNN
that "The fact is that the number of people crossing the border illegally is
at the minimus number."

Think it's just me? Think it's just plain "minimus"? CNN, Apr. 30
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1104/30/cnnitm.01.html :

"JIM ROGERS, CEO, DUKE ENERGY: First of all, and most importantly, the
national grid of the United States relies on just a de minimus amount of
oil. So the movement in the oil price really doesn't affect the price of
electricity very much."

All three speakers are Republicans. Presumably, a confudiation of the legal
"de minimis" is at the root of it all.

JL

--
"If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."

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