Posts by Nancy Gomez26

Nietzsche said:I’d love to see some strategic bombing over Pittsburgh. It's high time those Boeings were put to actual use; those radicals need to face the consequences.

In that case, you should probably just pack your bags for Pittsburgh and wait for the bombs to start dropping. While you're at it, feel free to tell the locals how much you're looking forward to watching their city get leveled. Then, let us know how that conversation goes.

William Anderson5 said:I’m not so sure about that. For instance, the decision to freeze the assets of Putin and Lavrov was made today. Yesterday, that wasn't on the table.

It seems to me that Europe is trying to hit as hard as possible, announcing things only once an agreement is reached. In reality, they're likely negotiating behind the scenes about what else to throw into the mix. I read somewhere that they're discussing embargoes on exports and the leasing of civilian aircraft and spare parts...

There isn't much left to escalate from here...

That's all minor details. As top state officials, Putin and Lavrov likely don't even hold significant assets outside of Russia; they simply don't need them.
The aviation issue is a much more difficult sanction to implement, though even then, there are workarounds to temporarily bypass it. Look at how Iran has managed those exact issues for decades. And Russia is far more advanced in those technologies than Iran is. As for SWIFT, that will have to wait a while longer. Personally, I think inviting Finland into NATO will play a much larger role than any sanctions ever will.

Keith Williams3 said:Total misunderstanding of the situation.

The Chechens live how they want. It wasn't the Russians who forced Sharia on them; if anything, they were given actual autonomy, and the Chechens chose their own path. Sure, the Russians crushed the separatism, but they also granted them autonomy and stepped back from the region. Back in '89, Chechens made up maybe 60-70% of the population, but today they’re over 90% and live in an ethnically homogenous area.

Ukrainians will get that same choice eventually.

I agree. Having the freedom to choose is paramount. For Ukrainians today, that freedom would mean the ability to select various types of anti-tank and infantry weaponry.

William Anderson5 said:View on twitter

Italy and Germany were pushing back against kicking Russia out of SWIFT. Now, it looks like Italy is folding...

Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if we see them cut off the Russians by tomorrow...

That won't happen tomorrow. It’s all about escalation. Sanctions have to be structured so there's always room to tighten the screws; SWIFT is just a massive lever to hold in reserve. You always have to leave them wondering how much more they can lose if they don't change their tune. That said, it feels like we've passed the point where rational logic applies. He doesn't care. He won't blink just because he sees a military advantage. Perhaps the only thing that might deter Putin is actual defeat or massive losses in Ukraine. And achieving that requires a decisive response on the ground—and time.

kandraxII said:Look, this is what self-censorship looks like. I didn't dare mention Kaganovich's ethnicity, because that would require acknowledging that 98% of the Bolsheviks shared the same background—and mentioning that might give the moderators a headache.

To the Bolsheviks, nationality was irrelevant. They worked tirelessly to erase everything else—nation, faith, heritage—until nothing remained but Marxism-Leninism. Anything that smelled like it could challenge the new system was physically liquidated. Now, Ukrainians are paying the price for that era (along with the corruption infecting the new state). People no longer identify with the country they live in; frankly, they couldn't care less whose tanks are rolling down their streets. If those people were pro-Russian, they’d be greeted with flowers. But they aren't. Instead, they just don't care at all.

Micek123456 said:Now the media is suddenly spinning narratives about him losing his grip.
It’s funny how that topic never seems to surface when American presidents initiate wars.🤣 🤣

POTUS is clearly suffering from cognitive decline, and it’s been an ongoing issue for quite some time. It isn't his fault personally, but those in his inner circle really should have advised against a run for office. The man simply lacks the mental capacity required for the job anymore. Replacing him with a Vice President is hardly a solution—so I can only pray that Biden manages to finish his term standing upright. Those currently managing his affairs are going to have their hands full.

On another note, I didn't expect this kind of erratic behavior from Putin, even if I find his political maneuvers quite narrow-minded given the resources at his disposal; I generally consider him an intelligent man. There was logic behind his previous moves—perhaps Syria wasn't necessary, but there was a rationale there. This current dragging out of the conflict in Ukraine has lost all sense of purpose. If he intends to seize that nation, he should assemble a legitimate force and commit fully to the struggle. What we see now is indecision at its worst. The only thing more frustrating than that is the reaction from the Ukrainian citizens, acting as if none of this affects them. There are reasons for that apathy—much like why people stay home during elections in certain parts of the States—rooted in history, economics, and social fractures—but resistance to an aggressor is both possible and mandatory.
When you fail to resist, you essentially give the aggressor a green light to do whatever they please. They are feeling the consequences of that passivity regarding Crimea right now.

Bryan Taylor9 said:Exactly! Nobody wants to hear that this version is mild; they just want to scream "new variant!" and trigger the usual cycle of panic, lockdowns, masks in public, remote work, and canceling everything in sight. 🙂
It completely ruined Christmas for nothing. 🕺

It isn't all being done "for nothing." That specific label—"the most dangerous strain yet"—serves as the perfect pretext for mandating vaccinations. They declared this strain so lethal that we were forced into strict restrictions during the Christmas and New Year season. Even if it turns out to be harmless, the argument shifts: perhaps it will mutate into something worse, making these measures "preventative." Or if it doesn't mutate immediately, it might later. The cycle is endless. The ultimate goal remains driving mass vaccination. A clear signal was sent by the primary architect of this entire crisis: "sometimes you have to take unpopular actions..."

View on twitter

urbanwalker72 said:Which option did you select in my poll regarding when the pandemic will finally conclude?

I didn't vote—the system is still prompting me to cast a ballot. I only clicked because I had absolutely no recollection of the poll existing in the first place.

I suspect we are finally seeing the twilight of this pandemic. The virus tends to mutate toward more contagious yet less lethal strains, which aligns perfectly with historical patterns and what we’ve seen play out before. Everything we know right now suggests that Omicron fits that exact profile. The real question is how the mainstream media will spin it; panic regarding Omicron is still being manufactured everywhere. This could serve as a convenient exit strategy for those in power.

hollowmason64 said:Honestly, I actually think this is great news.

The real disaster? We still haven't found the backbone to handle it ourselves properly.

Emily Smith6 said:Skyrocketing costs for a new preschool in this Republican municipality have raised eyebrows: 'This looks like a money laundering scheme'

A municipality in the South is currently building a preschool using funds from the European Union. Local opposition is sounding the alarm over potential fraud, as project costs continue to climb indefinitely.

It seems they aren't afraid of anyone; they just grab whatever they can the moment an opportunity presents itself.

While they hold the keys to the kingdom, they have to exploit the opportunity. After all, nobody knows how the next election will swing....

hollowmason64 said:It feels like this is becoming the main takeaway lately—that they've basically stripped away any sense of hope that things could actually improve.

Quincy:

I honestly think the Republican Party understands the average person's mindset and they play that hand really well. You don't just "accidentally" win back power after so many failures. There's actually something to be learned from them...

Actually, no, they don't understand the nature of the average person at all, because the average person isn't inherently corrupt or shameless. Those types are outliers. And those outliers make up their voter base.
If you do some basic math comparing their membership numbers to the votes they pull in, the result is pretty obvious: they're being voted for by their own members and families—a group that expects direct favors in return.
So yeah, I'm done with that whole "they know what makes an average person tick" argument.
It's a fascinating organization, really—the bottom feeders smelled opportunity, banded together, multiplied, and there you have it: a voting bloc.

When I spoke of "human nature," I was also referring to how a massive segment of the electorate has simply checked out and stopped voting. That is something they count on, because apathy is also a facet of human nature. By definition, the pie of corruption and various perks isn't large enough to bribe an entire nation. Besides, even if the government somehow succeeded in corrupting everyone, there would be no distinction left between citizens, and there would likely be no incentive to vote for one specific party over another.
As it stands now, members of the Republican Party can rely on various small-scale privileges. It might just mean landing a job at the local sanitation department, but in this economy, that provides a motive to vote. In smaller towns, where options are slim, a garbage collector position becomes a coveted perk. The essence of this corruption isn't necessarily the bribes themselves, but the public rewarding of loyalists—making it visible what loyalty to the party actually buys you. For some, that's impressive; for the vast majority, it’s infuriating and leads to total despair. The situation turns critical the moment other political parties start using the exact same playbook.
Most people view political struggle as a choice between left and right, but our current predicament transcends that binary. That distinction is irrelevant right now. We need to build a functioning state with a solid administrative apparatus, because what we currently have is a state tailored to serve private interests. We need to go back to the drawing board and rebuild the foundation. The tragedy is that we have the European Union coming in to accuse us of blatant corruption, while all the domestic institutional tools required to handle it routinely exist and should be doing their jobs without outside interference. Fortunately, that remains our primary administrative hurdle.

hollowmason64 said:The votes the Republican Party pulls don't have anything to do with "understanding human nature," much like their voters aren't actually rewarding or punishing their behavior.
It's pretty simple: thieves stick together.

The motivations of their voters are obvious enough. The real question is why the (remaining, bloated) majority fails to punish this behavior at the polls. Is the opposition truly that incompetent, or do voters simply view them all as one indistinguishable mass? Perhaps the Republican Party’s habit of obstructing everything except their own agenda has bred total apathy. Or maybe the opposition just isn't doing the legwork within their own constituencies. I suspect the Republican Party understands the average American perfectly and plays that hand with precision. You don't "accidentally" reclaim power repeatedly after so many failures. One could actually learn something from them—and then use those lessons against them.
Perhaps the real answer is that we haven't had any truly successful politicians in power to begin with. We haven't seen leaders capable of drawing a clear line between themselves and previous administrations; it all feels equally dismal. There are no major triumphs here, unless you count "securing federal grants" or joining various associations as an achievement.

hollowmason64 said:Exactly. And let’s be real—none of that counts as an actual win or any kind of expertise. The only people who would try to slap those fake positive labels on such nonsense are the ones who share the exact same pathetic mindset as that criminal scum.
The Republican partisans are absolute bottom-feeders who deserve nothing but total contempt.

One can certainly dismiss such behavior, assuming it’s even worth the effort. However, given our current circumstances, one cannot deny that this conduct was rewarded. It wasn't just rewarded by allowing them to maintain their grip on power from the previous term—after all the manipulation involved—but also in this current term, where the same crew regained legitimacy at the polls through those very same tactics. This is what happens when evil wins. We have to be realistic and admit they won the battle; only once we acknowledge the reality we inhabit can we hope to defeat the corruption surrounding us.
The Republican Party understands human nature perfectly; they cater to the lowest instincts whenever it serves their purpose. We can hold whatever opinions we want about them, but they are a group that wins elections through their sheer, hollow mentality. They have adapted to the environment they exist in. It is entirely reasonable to ask: what kind of mindset does an opposition have if they cannot compete with people like this?

hollowmason64 said:There you go, already starting to sound like a true Republican. ☕

What kind of expertise? What resources? The only thing they actually possess is the sheer audacity to know that nobody is quite big enough to team up with them to stay in power.

They had (and still have) the expertise required to grease the palms of members of Congress through corruption. It’s a simple formula: we drop the charges against you if you join our ranks. Not an impossible feat when you hold the leash on those filing the indictments.
They also wielded every single resource of the state to enforce their agenda. Granted, having the ruling party exert control over the Department of Justice might not be strictly legal, but in practice, it is clearly the reality. And that is merely one shared resource they weaponize to push their policies. We aren't talking about someone misusing a government vehicle for a personal errand; this is the systematic deployment of the state's repressive apparatus for political ends. It is a different magnitude of abuse entirely, and it inflicts massive damage on society.
Calling it shameless might be an exaggeration by your standards, but to them, these are likely viewed as perfectly legitimate methods of political warfare. Along with everything else, this is simply the standard operating procedure for the Republican Party. The DOJ becomes a tool for political combat; that is the level at which they play. If you intend to counter people like this, you have to be prepared to dismantle the entire system once you seize power. That is precisely where the opposition failed miserably during their last term in office.

Emily Smith6 said:Former Republican Party representative and her son slapped with 3.5-year sentence for allegedly swindling $15 million from the EPA

Quincy:

On Thursday, a regional court in Washington, D.C. handed down a non-binding three-and-a-half-year prison sentence to former Republican Party congresswoman Barbara Bush and her son, Krunoslav Bešenić. They were charged with defrauding the Environmental Protection Agency of roughly $15 million through a series of sham PET packaging buyback schemes.

It seems they never go for the small change, do they?

It’s just bad math. If they land a sentence that light—and they’ll likely be out early anyway—while keeping the cash, then those 3.5 years are essentially a profitable business trip. You grab the money, serve your time, and walk away a free man.
The punishment is far too lenient.

hollowmason64 said:Charles Fox10 joined the Republican Party under the Guarantor banner🙂

Of course they weren't; that's how smoothly they aligned themselves. But look, that's a stain on them that people are always going to bring up. I don't see any kind of win in this.

I wasn't thrilled with how things shook out either, but in that particular political brawl, the Republican Party walked away with a clear win. It was tight, sure, but they had the expertise and the resources, and they leveraged them effectively.
MB 365 didn't hold them hostage; there were just a few minor "adjustments" made along the way. MB knew exactly how to play that game—he wasn't trying to demand everything at once like some unrealistic bridge builder. Instead, they mostly cooperated quite smoothly, much like two sides of the same coin. They operate on the same level and understand one another perfectly. For the late MB, I honestly believe he was one of the most gifted politicians this country has ever seen; it's just a shame he squandered such raw talent on the wrong causes.
To actually defeat an opponent politically, you have to identify their strengths and their weaknesses first. If an opponent is doing something well, you have to acknowledge it and pivot your own strategy accordingly.

hollowmason64 said:I mean, look at how they pushed out Gabby, even though she was actually quite capable.😢

That was some seriously bitter bile coming out of him.🙏
It just goes to show how incredibly on edge he is right now.

Saying he became a hostage to Bandić after kicking them out... you can't exactly call that a "win."

🍿Why did they scrub the part about the final court ruling from the headline?

Hostages of Eric Adams? Hardly. It was more of a successful symbiosis between similar political kleptocracies. Everyone knew exactly who was doing what and why; it was a predictable arrangement carried out through the end of the term. They could have easily maintained that synergy for five or six terms if they had remained just as aligned and entrenched.
The Microsoft party certainly wasn't some group of wide-eyed idealists hoping to "fix" the Republican Party.

copperdrifter26 said:Honestly, it feels like Andrej Plenković has a deeper grudge against MOST than anyone I've ever seen. I mean, seriously, this is next level. He’s basically out there acting like kicking them out of The Cabinet was his absolute favorite thing to do just to grab all the political capital for himself. It makes me think they probably had him on such a tight leash back then that he couldn't move an inch without their permission, and now he's finally cutting loose.

Let’s be realistic about the Republican Party perspective here: that entire saga with the Bridge Party was actually a massive win for Plenković. He managed to break free from a suffocating coalition partner while simultaneously maintaining his parliamentary majority and total control over the country. More importantly, he displayed that specific brand of arrogance typical of the Republican Party, which, predictably, earns him points with his party members. It wasn't a small feat. He owes much of that success to the political amateurism and naivety shown by the Bridge Party leadership, coupled with the deeply corrupt methods practiced within the upper echelons of power. However, I suspect the average American citizen isn't particularly interested in Plenković's victories from the previous term—that certainly wasn't the focus of this latest congressional session. Someone needed to say it out loud (if they haven't already).

Emily Smith6 said:This particular Republican, who seems to have a strange fondness for singing songs about Ante Pavelić, spent years running a tiny little municipality. Now that he’s moved on, the town is stuck footing the bill for his massive private debt.
The Court ruled against Jurgec and Donji Voće, meaning the local government is now on the hook to pay back $50,000 of what was essentially his own personal debt.

They basically just leave a trail of chaos in their wake; honestly, there’s no future with people like this in charge. I can't help but wonder where that $50,000 could have been better spent instead of covering for him. But more importantly, I’m curious to see what happens to him personally—what kind of penalty is he actually going to face?

If you read the article, the situation is transparent. The only real mystery is why a municipality would ever be responsible for settling someone else's private debts. Honestly, the creditors who provided goods in exchange for guarantees that are now worthless are partially to blame themselves. This "player" essentially volunteered as a municipal leader—which is a whole different level of absurdity. He was employed by another firm, yet they couldn't seize anything there. To me, this reeks of a blatant scheme to siphon money from the local budget. If I were investigating this, I’d want to see those severance packages for supposed fuel expenses. Where was that fuel used? Who received it? When? How much? Where are the witnesses? It simply defies common sense.