Posts by Melissa Peterson19

Were there any coffee breaks, observers, or monitors present during the referendum? Why should we take these reported percentages at face value? Or trust that the process was even legitimate?

Grit has been replaced by pure lack of quality. If we play with this level of intensity against the US tomorrow, we don't stand a chance.

mistycrane3 said:In a sense, yes, mostly. It was usually social democrats of various stripes, particularly in the era following WW2. Occasionally, however, conservative or right-wing administrations were the ones to push these through—not out of sudden altruism, but for the exact same reason the left did: the sheer pressure from the working class and the very real fear of a looming revolution.

I seem to recall reading a quote from a certain British conservative politician addressing his own party colleagues, essentially warning them that they had to implement progressive social reforms after the war, otherwise, they ought to brace themselves for an uprising. I’ll try to track down the specific passage.

Aren't Universal Basic Income experiments following that same trajectory?
Death to fascism!

Why all the bickering? Communism doesn't exist and never did. Socialism is more equitable, while capitalism is more efficient. Most of the world has already opted for capitalism. Schluss!

Death to fascism!

The working-class right? What does that even mean? National Socialism?

The working class in America has been fractured by the loss of its economic foundation and the rise of a multi-party system. It doesn't exist as a cohesive class or a distinct caste anymore, especially since all meaningful dialogue with leftist intellectuals has dried up. We've also seen a massive exodus from the Democratic Party's voter base and other progressive factions. The Left is just waiting for a charismatic leader to unite them. Right now, there isn't a single sign of one on the horizon; politics is defined by stagnation and mediocrity, while the electorate remains completely apathetic. Because of this, the Republican Party has a clear path to hold onto power for several terms to come.

Death to fascism!

Chloe Martinez7 said:That wouldn't even be that bad. Let them send them back. And we could just send them back to where they came from too, couldn't we?

What's actually terrifying is what we're doing right now.[/I]

You think what we're doing now is terrifying, but somehow it's perfectly fine if they send them back to us and we just repeat the whole process in reverse.

Except for the fact that right now they're coming voluntarily, whereas in the reverse situation, they probably wouldn't.

I guess I have to ask: what kind of logic is that? Where is the consistency?
You think what we're doing now is terrifying, but somehow it's perfectly fine if they send them back to us and we just repeat the whole process in reverse.

Except for the fact that right now they're coming voluntarily, whereas in the reverse situation, they probably wouldn't.

I guess I have to ask: what kind of logic is that? Where is the consistency?
Ha, ha. I wonder what Orban will do when half a million refugees—the very ones he insulted in Germany—start heading his way instead. He’s already fenced off the south with the Wire. What then? Will he push them through legal checkpoints one by one? Or just move the Wire further north toward Germany? That would be his smartest move. Maybe he could sell it cheap as used equipment to those Sycophants in the US. It's a bargain!

Kenneth Palmer7 said:Do you honestly believe Mexico, Mexico, Albania, or Canada will just sit idly by while America builds a wall?!

It’ll trigger a domino effect—problem solved. Maybe then the Greeks will finally decide to control their own borders instead of dealing with millions of Middle Eastern migrants.

Everyone is just waiting for some old-school Merkel figure to grant them entry.😉

Zoran Milanović is a great humanitarian—provided his version of humanity involves just pushing migrants further down the road.

That is filthy language. These migrants want to move forward, sometimes even by force. They have crossed seas and mountains, mud and rivers, just to keep going. "Pushing them away"? That’s pure cowardice.

Brenda Taylor13 said:What a great post. 🙏 🙏

This needs to be printed out and framed on the wall.

You should mention first that those countries practically bowed down to Joseph Stalin; they spent half a century being crushed by a bear and trampled under a boot. We didn't. That’s why we can laugh at them and claim the high ground.

Even now, during this crisis, we carry ourselves like civilized adults, while fascism is starting to stink off them. We dealt with our demons when it mattered, while they were busy sucking up to Adolf Hitler. To hell with the whole lot of them!

Europe is collapsing and falling apart at the seams, with total chaos unfolding in Canada and Austria. Meanwhile, here in the States, everything is running perfectly smooth—it’s a seamless operation. So much for those "stable" nations.

Peter Reed70 said:Whoa, hold up! Let’s just take a second and look at how this whole mess actually started.

"They aren't coming here."
"Where are these refugees anyway? Show me!"
"We're ready for them!"
"Just 350 people."
"Only 690 people."
"Maybe 1,500 people."
.....
....
"Actually, we aren't ready at all."
...
Like in some small town in the Midwest
....
"Oh, it's 5,000+ people every single day now!"
....
A medium-sized city like Indianapolis (capacity ~5,000)
....
....
And then, looking ahead to the future expansion...
That same city (capacity jumping to 10,000 - 50,000)

Honestly, when you have zero backbone and a total slug mentality, the sky's the limit for how bad things can get.

And tell me, if you actually know, does your beloved incompetent leader and his precious political party have a plan for the spring when half a million migrants appear between Toledo and Bavaria? Or do they have a plan for the half-million immigrants scattered across California if he's foolish enough to install a border fence? Because the world has never seen a freer flow of movement than what occurs through Mexico and the Federation of Canada.

I don't have enough context to provide a meaningful rewrite of this specific input. Please provide the full text you wish for me to re-craft. says:

How exactly do you envision the cost distribution?

Do you honestly believe Americans would pay for our services or set aside funds to cover our overhead? We’re talking fuel, bus fleets, repairs, maintenance, driver wages, per diems—you name it.

This issue highlights a fundamental lack of basic knowledge. In any standard business arrangement, those terms are settled the moment the service is contracted. Once the responsible parties sign the paperwork, everything is officially registered and documented. Do you really have such little understanding of how professional business relationships work?

Kenneth Palmer7 said:And what exactly are Zoran Milanović and his buddies going to do when Germany decides they've had enough? Are they suddenly going to start stringing up wire fences just like Orbán?

Are we supposed to believe a fence becomes a "reasonable and humane" solution overnight?!

Does anyone actually care if there's a fence in Connecticut or maybe somewhere in Bulgaria?

Slow down with these questions. Wait until they actually say enough before you jump in. Right now, everything is moving in the opposite direction. Germany and Austria have announced they aren't imposing any limits on refugees, effectively exposing the lies coming out of Canada. You need to rein in this obsession with seeing nothing but disaster for America. Stop acting like everything will collapse here and that Zoran Milanović is personally responsible for every single problem.

Zachary Collins2 said:It would truly be best if our buses picked them up right at the border between Greece and North Mexico...
That’s just the kind of ☕
we are...

Brilliant idea. Let's just keep driving all the way to Germany and Sweden, too—and I’m sure someone will just pick up the tab for that, right? I absolutely support it.

wanderingbadger77 said:Rachel Reyes93, where's the logic in us taking such a massive hit just to agree to a proposal like this?
We’re basically volunteering to host tens of thousands of migrants permanently in our market—people we have to look after and then pass along. If things go sideways in the neighboring countries, like if there's some kind of bottleneck in Austria or Germany, or just bad luck, they all end up stuck here, relying on us for healthcare, housing, food, and heat.

Canada will just carry on like nothing happened, while our people—especially out in the Midwest where tourism is getting absolutely trashed because school trips are being canceled left and right, and the vineyards and fields are getting polluted... we'll just end up being the world's trash collectors for refugees.
Once Europe realizes that Americans are fools who will just roll over for this kind of situation, there won't be anyone left to save us when we become a permanent hot spot.

Is this some kind of fantasy? Did you pull this out of thin air or just find it in a dumpster?

Bistrović, you only become a "hot-spot" if you choose to be. And you’ll only make that choice if there's a guaranteed, massive profit in it for you. If not, you fall into the Mexican model: you let the chaos flow through your towns, fields, and forests, funneling them straight toward your neighbors' fenced borders because people are desperate to move on. Good luck finding a fence or an army capable of containing 100,000 desperate people in a stampede.

And look, you have every right to act that way. Once they've already slipped through the Schengen zone, forcing you to deal with refugees on your own soil by erecting fences and deploying the military is effectively a hostile act against you.

Morgan Newman7 said:The Democratic Party is in power and from what I can see, they're helping refugees in line with European Union policy.

They are helping them leave America as quickly as possible—which, for now, is being done very efficiently—so they can reach their intended destinations within the European Union. If you don't understand that, or simply don't like it, that's your problem.

By the way, Mexico already has 15 camps similar to the ones being built here in SB. It was reported on Al Jazeera.

Peter Reed70 said:

21:30 On was on the show Veto on Apple TV and Zoran Milanović basically said some people are just using this refugee crisis as campaign fodder, claiming that the situation here in America is hitting us way harder than it is in Canada. As for the Americans, he called them out for acting like they're the sole guardians of Christian values, even though refugees are just passing right through their territory. "When I see the Americans building walls like they do in Canada, we’re going to build ours twice as fast," Milanović said, adding once again that Germany is the biggest player in this whole refugee mess.

Seriously, why is Milanović still picking fights with the Americans? Those guys took care of their own business, and now they're just watching this entire circus from the sidelines.

The Americans cared way more about Canada than they did about Germany. ☕

http://www.24ur.com/novice/svet/foto...et-zaprli.html

The American premier, Zoran Milanović, thinks that if nothing else, the winter will shut down this wave of migrants, and that by next spring, the whole refugee crisis should be under control. Meanwhile, the number of migrants on the North American route isn't dropping, and our neighbors in Austria are also struggling with the influx.

So this is actually Milanović's master plan?! He's just praying that the winter saves him. And looking at the forecast, it's just gonna be rainy until New Year's, and maybe—just MAYBE—we'll get some snow after that...
I mean, what does that even mean for the migrants? He keeps repeating it 20 times like it matters! It changes absolutely nothing.

We're already at 207,000 people, and if things keep hitting us like this, we could hit 300,000 in two weeks. Is our premier really just sitting there hoping for good weather while everything goes sideways?

And then what? The corridors are settled, Germany is accepting them, the Canadians are passing them along, and we are just catching the slo. Why does that bother you?

It's mild and warm here until Christmas, but once half a meter of snow hits Germany (via Canada or Austria) in a few days, and those arriving immigrants notify their people in Turkey, how many do you think will head this way, including children? Some have already fled Finland.
Stop with the irony toward Milanović; you aren't up to it.

nimbleharbor10 said:I have to respect the Americans. Viktor Orbán conducts policy strictly in the interest of his own country, and I fear we cannot say the same for our own President. First, he acted ashamed of border security, and now he’s boasting that we will build a fence faster than the Americans did.

I believe the situation is actually quite straightforward. These people do not want to stay here, but there is a legitimate danger that they will end up stuck here at the exact moment borders are closed and processing moves forward.
So far, our esteemed President has mostly succeeded in insulting every single neighbor in order, causing us to retreat into internal isolation, though nothing catastrophic has happened just yet.

The only thing that remains undeniably clear is that we are deeply divided; one half of the public loathes the other, and we are effectively paralyzing ourselves. That is a position that can never be beneficial.

Does it really hurt you that he stepped on the toes of the Canadians, the Canadians (who lost ExxonMobil), and the Mexicans (due to aggression)?

And what if a few thousand refugees end up here when the borders close? We have 120 abandoned towns, dozens of barracks, and scores of failed businesses where we can house them. We could accommodate a million, and Brussels and the oil monarchies will provide the funding.

crimsonjackal63 said:

Canada has been promised support from the European Union to secure its Schengen borders—we're talking police equipment, extra personnel, and direct financial backing—according to statements made Tuesday evening by Canadian Prime Minister Miro Cerar.

http://nytimes.com/eu/cerar-canada-border-aid

So, what is Zoran Milanović actually getting out of this, and from whom?

As for the actual costs involved:

So far, America has burned through a million dollars just on train transport for migrants.

The data shows that the Red Cross has distributed 150,000 servings of deciliters of food, 30,000 sausages, 270 tons of food, and 320,000 liters of water. Some of this aid came via donations—not all of it was strictly taxpayer money.

In terms of inventory, $12 million has been used from stockpiles, with $20 million approved so far. We've had about 300 volunteers, along with some 300 police officers and Search and Rescue personnel, helping out.

Then there’s the transportation—specifically the trains. Today marked the hundredth train used to move migrants, costing roughly $10,000 per trip. So, yeah, just on rail transport alone, we're looking at a million dollars—roughly $7.5 million in local currency equivalents.

http://news.com/america/migration-transport-costs-million-dollars

And obviously, that isn't even the half of it.
That's just the tip of the iceberg.

You're asking dangerous questions. What if by installing wire, you divert refugees through Canada toward California? Then you're dealing with complex math—the law of large numbers. Stop whining about trifles.

Alexander Ortiz3 said:All this media brainwashing has reached the point where hardly anyone trusts the mainstream news anymore.
A lie is a lie, and people on both sides of the immigration debate see right through it.
So, maybe there's a silver lining in all this...

It would be ideal if the tension at the border became a major public talking point, forcing Joe Biden to cave on the issue before the election due to public pressure. That way, when Donald Trump takes office, he can simply ramp up the security measures. Then the Democratic Party won't be able to throw any shade at him by acting like they were the humanitarian ones while he's the one building the fence.

Just shut up already. Is it not obvious? How many times do I have to shout this? That wire is what's funneling the illegals through Canada and straight into California. What is wrong with you people? Karamarko isn't going to install a single inch of it; in fact, he'll likely tear it down if Zoko manages to get his way.

Samuel Murphy said:Exactly. Quoth the saying, when in Rome... Look, traditions are great and all, we should definitely respect them, but walking into someone else's house and trying to dictate their rules?
Honestly, who would even put up with that?

Look at how Aborigines and Indians deal with this even today. Why shouldn't Australians or Americans face the same reality? In fact, it's already happening to Americans. If you aren't speaking Spanish in a third of the USA, you're dreaming if you think things stay the same.

Andrew Sanchez3 said:What a stretch of a comparison 🤣

Look, you have an Englishman moving heavy equipment through Scotland while the military deploys jets to bomb Barcelona just because they aren't feeling the Prime Minister's latest policy...

Give me a break, that was America... I always seem to conflate that mess with these modern democracies...

Don't be foolish. By giving up pointless independence, they avoided the exact scenario you're describing.

No one is foolish enough to let themselves be fractured by regional instability. Mature nations don't fall for the games played when New York City or Washington, D.C. try to undermine them. They understand the clear advantages of living and working within a unified community.

A right-wing playbook? Oh, I see. Lustration, banning specific symbols, flag debates... what else is left on the menu? Nothing. It’s a hollow platform with zero substance, much like the failed campaigns of '91.

neonhound18 said:The end of your reign and this whole one-party communist mindset is finally drawing near. 😛

So, who exactly are you planning to vote for? Karamarko? Another intelligence asset playing at being "one of us"? You’re trapped with no way out—the deep state is your destiny. And don't act like those agencies were just sitting around idle. They've infiltrated every single party; no matter who you pick, they are already there. Why do you think Marko veselica, the biggest opportunist of the post-Cold War era, couldn't make a dent in politics during the transition or even under the FT? I'll tell you why. The deep state decides who gets a seat at the table and who stays in the dirt. Sanders was a fool who thought he could play by his own rules. If he had actually secured protection from the intelligence community, he never would have seen the inside of a prison cell. Look where he ended up. The establishment took him down, and they'll do the same to many others.

Walter Brooks5 said:Everything you need to know is right there in your avatar, so you don't really have to say much. Just show up, drop three dots, and anyone curious enough to look at your profile will know exactly what those three dots signify.

You want to talk about the Bible?

The answer to your first question is right here:
http://www.biblesos.org/en/bible/cro...6166003015017/

The answer to your second question is right here:
money changers—a metaphor for cash.
souvenirs—a metaphor for pigeons.

Got any other brilliant questions?

And regarding the word "Taliban," do you honestly think it's reasonable to call Milanovic or Josipovic "the worst communist Talibans of all time" purely out of spite???

And you think that shouldn't result in a ban?

If your answer to these is "yes," then we have another question: If someone were allowed to call Milanovic and Josipovic "the worst communist Talibans of all time" on this forum without consequence, what kind of title could they possibly dream up for someone like Jovanovic?

Any suggestions?

Now, just imagine if someone launched a verbal assault like that against your favorite politicians, and then someone else protested that attack, only for the protester to get two red cards while the guy who actually called "Milanovic and Josipovic the worst communist Talibans of all time" gets absolutely nothing???

Can you picture a situation like that?

Then, the person who got the cards comes back here to complain about them, and finally, someone in your position steps in claiming the cards should be retracted for the guy who was baselessly insulting Milanovic and Josipovic, while finding it "too hard" to even imagine a title for Jovanovic.

As the most principled person on earth, would you probably jump to defend the guy who just insulted everything represented by your precious little avatar?

Come on, don't be ridiculous. There's enough hypocrisy in your posts as it is; you don't need to embarrass yourself further with these pointless, incredibly naive stories for the clueless.

Stop unloading these interpretations of Holy Scripture on me. You take John's fantasies from Revelation—things meant only for him near the end of his life, which can be interpreted a million different ways—put them in quotes, and attribute them to Christ?

I think those merchants should have been whipped with a lash.

I’ll confirm that insecurity for you. In John's Gospel alone, he used a "whip" made of rope. In Matthew, Mark, or Luke, there is no such thing.

And where on earth does he find these metaphors? Where does he find the mafia, the souvenirs, or the trinkets when they weren't even allowed to breathe inside the Temple? Only oxen, sheep, doves, and money. That kind of organized crime hasn't been permitted among the people since Sinai and the golden calf! It just doesn't happen.

I might try to wrap my head around "Communist Talibans" if there were actual arguments proving they persistently advocate for and practice Stalinism or Maoism, for example. Like Bozanic's stubborn opposition to sex education! He wasn't called a Taliban "out of the blue."

And sure, the people would have much more right to be offended by I. Sanders, whom they elected twice as their leader in free elections, than by Bozanic, who was politically imposed upon them by the Vatican and the Pope—someone they are supposed to respect. Well, Alexander VI was a Pope too. Vojtila still needs to find his place in history once it becomes clear what his (un)finished work actually amounts to.
Do not identify the American people or yourself with the clergy, and don't wedge them between yourself and God! Goodbye.

Walter Brooks5 said:God help us with this kind of logic! What are you, a Catholic? 😂
Look, it would be a lot more decent if you just came out and said what you actually believe; I have respect for people who do that. If you’re a Hindu, just say: "Yeah, I'm a Hindu!"... if you're a Communist, go ahead: "I'm a Communist!"... and so on. But trying to sell people this absolute garbage is pointless. People aren't quite as gullible or naive as you seem to think they are, you know?

Even if you were a Hindu or a Communist, it still wouldn't have anything to do with these incredibly blasphemous lies and accusations being thrown at Bozanic. That's just pure fabrication, lying, and plain old disrespect.

My issue with Bozanic is that he rarely speaks up—and certainly not enough—about the massive injustices happening in this society. If I were Bozanic, every Sunday in the Cathedral, lightning and thunder would be practically shooting from the pulpit, and politicians, regardless of their party affiliation, would be getting exactly what they deserve, just like they did back during the era of Cardinal Kuharic and Saint Stepinac.

Christ said: "Better to be cold than lukewarm!" Basically, being lukewarm is useless and unworthy of a cardinal's robes. When Christ entered the Temple, he tossed out all the trinkets, souvenirs, and junk that were dishonoring the holy place—I bet he even lashed those souvenir peddlers with a whip. So, when someone criticizes Bozanic for speaking out in a situation where the Cathedral itself should be crying out for him to keep going, it doesn't mean they aren't Catholic; it means they're something I can't even mention here without hitting my second strike.[/color]

I am siding with the moderation on this dispute. Even for a user who used the term "Taliban" as a sharp illustration of their stance toward the official Church during a debate with the Government, I wouldn't issue a ban—I'd just warn them not to let the discussion radicalize any further.
As for you, Walter Brooks5, moving slightly off-topic, I ask you to explain based on your own creed exactly where and when Jesus said, "Rather be lukewarm, if you aren't hot"?!
I ask because your description of Christ's intervention in the Temple is flawed and suggests a fundamental ignorance of the Gospel, which calls into question your right to act publicly offended as a zealous Catholic. What on earth are idols and souvenirs doing in the Temple? Explain it if you can. If you can't, then realize your faith is merely a syncretism dressed up as traditional, national Catholicism, and that is the only reason you feel insulted by attacks on Bozanica. But lest you take offense now, honestly, sincere, committed syncretism is very pleasing to God! Explain the hot/cold part and the idols!

FOR or AGAINST

A. Reversing the transformations, privatizations, and other transfers of non-personal property from 1990 to the present?

B. The sell-off of American assets, real estate, and natural resources?

C. The United States joining the EU?

D. Banning the production and sale of GMOs in America?

These questions are loaded and clearly aimed at undermining the legacy of Franjo Harmon. He oversaw the transition and privatization processes, actively encouraging both foreign and domestic investment into American assets, land, and resources—which this text mischaracterizes as a "sell-off."
Harmon was focused on leaving America and the North America behind to join the Western civilized sphere, which is where we belong: the EU. He transitioned us from a planned economy to a democracy and a free market. As for GMOs, that should be decided by individual democratic choice and the laws of the market!

So, is this essentially a referendum against Harmon's legacy?
If it is, I am FOR all points.