Posts by Nancy Gomez26

Brenda Taylor13 said:So, here’s my take—just some random rambling as we get closer to election season—but I honestly think we’re looking at one of two possible outcomes:

- The Republican Party somehow strikes a deal with Milan Škoro, only for history to repeat itself just like it did with the Bridge Party back in 2016. You know, when Plenković basically kicked them out of the Government to make room for parties that actually play nice with him. This time, Škoro might be the one getting the boot. My gut says Plenković is probably thinking, "Let me just grab enough seats to secure a majority first, and then I'll settle the score with Škoro later."

- Negotiations between the Republican Party and Škoro hit a brick wall, making any kind of deal impossible. That leads straight to new elections—where everyone’s running solo because the left-wing coalition will be too busy sulking about failing to seize power—and right in the middle of an economic meltdown, maybe another COVID wave, or whatever disaster hits next, the Republican Party and the Democratic Party end up forming this massive "Grand Coalition." They'll use all those tired old excuses like "we need a government of national unity," or "we have to unite our strengths during these trying times," or "now isn't the time for ideological divides" and all that nonsense...

If I were putting money on it, I’d say that second scenario feels way more likely...

Plenković wouldn't have turned his back on Bridge if he didn't already have those Democrats waiting in the wings. Similarly, he won't kick Škoro out of a potential government until he has a suitable replacement ready to step in. Without a backup plan, he'll be forced to stomach whatever demands Škoro makes. My gut tells me those demands won't be unreasonable, though everything hinges entirely on the election results. As for Škoro, if he actually intends to play the role of the Republican Party's "reformer," he needs to keep a very close eye on the opposition in Congress to see how unified they truly are. Because if he wants to fix the party, his biggest threat isn't coming from inside—it's coming from out there. Assuming he even tries to fix anything at all.

Ashley Brown3 said:And what exactly do you expect? Do you think any Republican Party supporter—especially a spineless, power-hungry sycophant like Bačić—is actually going to admit the party will team up with Vulkan Pupovac or IDS once the elections are over?

Campaign rhetoric is one thing; reality after the votes are counted is something else entirely...

The Republican Party doesn't make mistakes that involve tying their own hands ahead of time. They perform this little act of "principled leadership" just to squeeze out a few more votes—much like everything else they fake. Once the math dictates they need to build a majority, that supposed principle vanishes into thin air. In that regard, the Republican Party is miles ahead of the competition. Everyone knows they'll shake hands with anyone to secure power, yet they manage to maintain the facade of belonging to a specific political niche. Personally, I'd call them economically left-leaning. Their real issue, however, is that they act like a black hole for their coalition partners. Only Milorad and Fulio can survive a partnership with them without losing their identity. It's because they are so fundamentally similar that the party doesn't even bother trying to absorb them; they simply view them as "one of their own."

Charles Brown9 said:I don't see a massive coalition forming here. To secure power, the Republican Party will likely need the full support of the Freedom Party, the entire Alliance party, and a few minority representatives. On the other hand, Beri will be hunting for every single minority vote and a handful of Republican loyalists—though it seems Plenković has already laid out a buffet of political favors on those candidate lists.

Let’s be realistic here. Bero and the Democratic Party aren't capable of pulling a single Republican representative over to their side. It’s a matter of principle—the Democratic Party simply doesn't operate that way. Even if they did try—and that's a massive "if"—they lack the operational capacity, the organizational structure, and the funding to pull off such a maneuver. It's like watching a local startup try to execute a hostile takeover of a Fortune 500 company; it just isn't in their DNA. Fortunately, they likely realize this, so they aren't even attempting it. The Democratic Party is already struggling to keep its own elected officials from jumping ship for better offers; how could they possibly attract outsiders? The idea of Republican members seeking shelter under the Democratic umbrella is so statistically improbable that we can strike it from the record. At most, you might see one or two outliers who leave the Republican Party for entirely different reasons and run to the Democrats just to spite their former colleagues.

Jeremy Sanchez4 said:He basically admitted they know exactly who they won't work with—the Democratic Party and the Libertarian Party. So, yeah, it's the Republican Party. Not exactly breaking news at this point...

That leaves the DP and... well, the Democratic Party. Let’s not underestimate Plenković’s ability to maneuver through such scenarios. He has proven himself to be quite a creative operator when his own seat is on the line; he knows that if he doesn't manage to assemble a government now, he likely never will again. Personally, the man seems indifferent to everything else. He's acting like a drowning man who would grab onto any floating debris just to keep his head above water.
The Democratic Party finds itself in a similar predicament, making this look like a potential win-win situation.
The real question for those parties is how they intend to vote over the next four years—assuming they even last that long—but that is a problem for a much more distant day.

Anthony Rodriguez8 said:onward we go
"Before he even sent over a response to an inquiry from a veteran Member of the European Parliament back in January, a certain official within the Commission actually warned his colleague that the American Cabinet’s failure to properly utilize border patrol funding would 'undoubtedly be perceived as a scandal.'"

The Guardian...... 🤣

Grace Edwards said:A 10% pension hike? Lol
That’s basically just a slightly nicer lunch for some poor old lady living on $500 Social Security.
It’s such a tiny increase, too... I guess inflation will just swallow it whole anyway.

If this actually materialized, it would be a massive shift for those struggling on minimal benefits—regardless of how small the bump seems. But even those on the lowest fixed incomes aren't falling for these pre-election gimmicks anymore; they know when someone is just "promising what it costs to promise." If the Republican Party truly wanted to buy votes, they should have started distributing actual relief checks or stimulus payments for things like the pandemic earlier this year. Everyone knows it’s better to have the bird in your hand than the one perched on a distant branch.

Carol Newman2 said:Exactly. But all this really does is highlight just how uneducated and corrupt the Republican Party supporters are.

To me, it simply highlights a void where actual arguments should be; when they run out of substance, they reach for fabrications. The Republican Party way of doing things mostly boils down to small-town gossip and calculated character assassination. If you view it strictly through the lens of political warfare, perhaps anything goes—but looking at the divide between the parties, one sees a massive intellectual vacuum regarding their own policy direction.

Jonathan Phillips4 said:Milan Škoro is actively sabotaging negotiations with Esih and that whole crew because he’s terrified they'll just end up being used as pawns. Meanwhile, Plenković is busy stuffing his list with Lučić, Deur, and even Culej for the fifth district—those are all just little chess pieces Škoro can pull out if things get messy

Total panic breaking out among the big shots at the square

Hold on—that’s the exact same Culej we saw during the presidential campaign asking, "Am I for Škoro, or am I not?" The Republican Party is facing a massive crisis.

Robin Jones2 said:I suspect njonja has played his final hand; even he won't survive the upcoming change in administration.

If he manages to pull the same stunt with the next president, then I’ll give him his damn credit.

The man has been an elite operative for his president. Any future party leader would be lucky to have a collaborator of this caliber—someone with skin thick enough to withstand anything and a Teflon-like ability to deflect blame. This line of work requires a certain stomach, and Gordan Jandroković certainly has the track record. It isn't a matter of whether someone will need him; the real question is how long Jandroković can endure the grind. He might step out of the spotlight to manage public perception, but he could just as easily pull the strings from the shadows, perhaps within the party itself. Political parties are chronically short on seasoned veterans, and they simply don't have the luxury of discarding people of his profile. They can play it smart and try to kick people to the curb now, but they won't realize his true value until they find themselves sitting in those high chairs.

Robin Jones2 said:Naturally. Expecting mothers weren't the ones trekking through the Rocky Mountains in blood-soaked clothes; they aren't the foundation of this nation, the veterans are.

Once mothers have two thousand different "maternity" organizations and their own dedicated federal department, then we will see monuments built for them and subsidies paid out. Until then, obviously, a monument to veterans takes precedence over any actual demographic policy.

Plenković can sense his inner circle—those people who smile tightly for the cameras—are already preparing the rope and the trapdoor. It is common knowledge that the prerequisite for a coalition with the Democratic Party and the Bridge Party will be the ritual sacrifice of the Republican Party leader. It is fortunate that Škoro accepted Prkačin, who stated clearly and loudly what is expected from the Republican Party, to avoid any confusion. The election results will not be favorable for the Republican Party, as they won't be able to form a government without the Democratic Party, and likely without the Bridge Party as well.

For the Republican Party, replacing their leader is trivial; there are thousands of them waiting eagerly to divide the spoils.

Maintaining power is far more important to them than Plenković’s—or anyone else's—personal dignity.

Plenković's political decline is simultaneously the rise of someone else within the party. That is simply how politics works, and it is particularly brutal in authoritarian parties where there is no room left for a former leader. When leadership shifts occur, the most fascinating thing to watch is how quickly those just below the top tier pivot their entire ideologies.

electricnomad8 said:I just caught a headline claiming Plenković is annoyed because the media isn't giving enough coverage to Hajduković.🤦 I honestly can't believe he cares about anything beyond a story that wouldn't even make the cut for Gloria or Bujica. What kind of politician makes such a "thoughtful" statement intended for the less informed segment of the population?

It’s actually quite simple: when you lack any fresh political ideas to present to the voters, you resort to the old tavern-style gossip against your opponents. It's just a way to fill up airtime, occupy the media cycle, and avoid the awkward silence of having nothing to say. Typical behavior for the Republican Party (and honestly, the other side too).

Adam Collins4 said:Cheaper labor—honestly, why is everyone acting so shocked?☕

They’ll be paying people maybe $500 or $600 a week there and everyone will be thrilled... I mean, in the States, you can barely find anyone willing to work for that kind of money anymore... but over in Canada? With cash like that, you're practically living like royalty...

In fruit and vegetable processing, proximity to organized raw material production is everything. Perishables don't wait. Back home, Kraft Heinz is known as a buyer that only shows up when they need something; once their immediate demand is met, producers are left to fend for themselves. I was at a meeting with someone from Kraft Heinz once, and he told us quite plainly: it’s actually more cost-effective for them to just buy a finished product from abroad—pre-packaged under our own brand—than to deal with the headache of maintaining their own production lines or managing local suppliers. I believed him, mostly because I've known the man for years. So, I took a closer look at one of their 500g cartons of tomato paste on the shelf. It turns out, in tiny print that requires a magnifying glass, it was actually produced in Italy—specifically for them. Despite that, their tomato paste sits among the most expensive options on the shelf. Apparently, even their high-end concentrate in tubes is sourced from California. They are essentially morphing from manufacturers into mere traders. I have a nagging suspicion that this "processing plant" will eventually dwindle into nothing more than a distribution center. And the jam factory? There's likely already a facility in Mexico doing all the heavy lifting for them.

Noah Perez5 said:So, the Secretary of Agriculture sets up subsidies worth more than $1.5 million, steps down from politics, and then, almost immediately, submits an application for those very same funds—which will be reviewed by the people who used to report directly to him.

It’s quite a fascinating little life story, I suppose.

I imagine the moral compasses of the establishment will simply claim that everything was done strictly by the book. 🙂

Give me a break. Ten million dollars? Please. In the grand scheme of things, that's pocket change compared to what the real heavy hitters are moving around.

Harold Davis6 said:The biggest issue with the Republican Party is that they’re totally convinced all the mess they’ve made is actually fine. In their own twisted little heads, they don't see anything wrong with any of it.

And once they run out of actual arguments? They invariably resort to that tired old deflection: "Well, you didn't mind when things were done that way under the previous administration, did you?"

Harold Davis6 said:The whole idea behind this Republican "unity" is basically just everyone knowing where all the bodies are buried and using that info to keep each other in line.

No, that isn't quite right. The foundation of their unity is actually built upon a specific political philosophy: the belief that the state can be exploited—freely, without interference, and often with total impunity—for private gain. In such a system, knowing someone's secrets isn't a threat; it's just another layer of protection.

Nancy Gomez26:

The situation remains predictably grim. It’s the same old story we see playing out from D.C. to the coasts—a repetitive cycle of mismanagement and broken promises. One looks at the current landscape and sees nothing but the same tired patterns repeating themselves, much like a faulty engine that keeps stalling despite constant repairs. There is a certain exhaustion that comes with watching these predictable failures unfold in real time. It isn't surprising; it's just wearying. Nancy Gomez26 says: I was reading Mike Johnson's words this morning. The man certainly seems to be privy to certain details—information that could prove quite consequential if it ever sees the light of day.🤦 If he knew all along and just kept his mouth shut, why start making noise only now? It seems the Democrats are carrying around enough dirty laundry to fuel a decade of scandals—plenty of knives ready to be shoved into each other's backs once the timing is right. A pack of wolves, through and through.☕🍿

It is simply a standard power struggle for control within the party, which will inevitably spill over into the broader arena. As for how much dirty laundry gets aired in the process? That depends entirely on the level of political culture at play. In this country, however, the bar is set remarkably low. Since absolutely anything goes, we should probably prepare ourselves for some rather scandalous revelations.
Joe Biden and his inner circle shouldn't lose much sleep over their job security. The reality within the Republican Party is that most members care about one thing only: their own status and personal leverage. To secure that, they are willing to perform whatever role the current political climate demands. You see Republicans who were once the architects of radical leftist movements, only to pivot and join the party ranks just months later. For them, ideology is an afterthought; power and prestige are the only true north. They represent the silent, overwhelming majority. The self-proclaimed conservatives are loud, hogging all the media attention with their grandstanding, which creates the illusion that they hold the reins. In truth, this quiet majority will only consider a change in leadership when their own positions, titles, or bank accounts are directly threatened. That shift won't happen until after a national election defeat wipes out their personal perks.

mirjam said:These ultra-intense Republicans will jump out of any crack they can find. Honestly, I'm just getting ready for bed and I'm genuinely worried whether Ted Cruz, clutching a portrait of Josip Broz, might crawl out from under my covers... Ask God what he was even trying to get at with his comments about Marshall and the Pharaohs; does anyone actually understand? My mind is just spinning with the sheer absurdity of it all...🕺

When there is a total vacuum of actual, fresh ideas—that is when you start invoking either Marshall or the dictator, depending on which segment of the population you are attempting to intimidate, placate, or pacify. And after all this history, it appears that tactic still effectively works on the target majority.

crimsonranger38 said:One thing to clarify: there is no such thing as "Federal Reserve gold." It belongs to the individual member states of the Eurozone. Out of that 11,000 tons, Germany holds about 30%, while France and Italy each hold roughly 22%.

If the EUR collapses, the Eurozone collapses with it, and every nation reverts to its own currency. Even with aggressive monetary expansion, Switzerland maintains a gold coverage level of about 10% against its monetary base. In a standard economic climate, those figures usually sit closer to 70 percent.

Switzerland is essentially the gold standard for macroeconomic policy—they actually care about preserving the value of their money (the franc). Over the last 25 years, cumulative inflation has been a mere 10%. Back in 2003, they implemented a fiscal pact—a set of rules requiring structural balance. If excessive spending leads to a deficit, they are mandated to hit a structural surplus in the following period. Interestingly, there is no rule forcing them to do the opposite. While the IMF frequently suggests that countries should use expansive fiscal policy to stimulate growth, the Swiss refuse to budge from their strictly conservative fiscal stance.

When planning fiscal policy, a surplus is often just the byproduct of underestimating revenue growth rates; you then have to adjust expenditure growth accordingly to avoid falling into passive fiscal management.

In the event of a total collapse of global currencies, Switzerland doesn't even strictly need a nominal anchor, yet if they ever did, they have massive amounts of gold to fall back on. I believe they hold about 6% of global reserves today. They likely regret starting to liquidate their gold portfolio in the early 2000s, which saw them drop from 2,500 tons down to the 1,000 tons they hold now through the end of 2008.

None of this implies we’ll see a systemic collapse within our lifetimes. Maybe the Eurozone and the EUR will go under, but I don't put much stock in the idea of the USA or the USD failing.

One of the primary engines driving the strength of the USD is the oil trade, which has traditionally been settled exclusively in dollars. By mandate, OPEC members are required to price oil in USD. For producers, this was a convenient cycle: they earned USD and immediately funneled those funds back into the US stock market, effectively "recycling" capital back to the very buyers who needed it. It is a potent mechanism for maintaining currency dominance. However, now that one of the major oil producers—Russia—has decided to accept USD instead, we are seeing a significant long-term departure from the status quo. If Wall Street begins to record a decline in dollar demand, one has to wonder how many other producers will remain interested in using the USD as their primary settlement tool. There are massive political implications at play here. Once those dollars begin returning home en masse—assuming they still hold any real value upon arrival—the currency's value will drop, and it will happen abruptly. My prediction? The USD will collapse before the Euro does, regardless of how much economic muscle the US still possesses. The national debt is astronomical. Politically and economically, the US is growing weaker and more leveraged by the day. You simply cannot repay debts of this magnitude within any realistic framework. That leaves only two paths: a total default or a strategic devaluation of the currency in which the debt is denominated. A default creates a messy, permanent catastrophe that no one wants; devaluation is the "elegant" solution. This move would simultaneously wipe out anyone foolish enough to have accumulated massive reserves in USD. Ultimately, devaluation destroys all accumulated capital denominated in dollars, including pension funds and institutional holdings.
It is quite curious. Despite all the quantitative easing, we are still staring down a global shortage of USD. It’s a paradox, really. This scarcity didn't happen by accident; it's the direct result of the math. While central banks were busy pumping liquidity into the system through QE, global debt levels surged at an even more aggressive pace. Now, the bill is coming due. All that debt eventually has to be paid back, and that is exactly where the squeeze begins.

Gregory Wells5 said:If you day trade five times in a single day, you're looking at $10,000.
I honestly don't get all the drama...

There is no drama for people like us—we understand the mechanics of how this works. But a German wouldn't even begin to grasp it.

The real crisis lies in the push for total liquidation of physical cash and coins in favor of a purely digital currency. That is the endgame: total surveillance via the elimination of the black market, coupled with negative interest rates. It is nothing less than absolute state repression against the citizenry.

Robert Vaughn10 said:The banker will "set" the price. He loves his paperwork, but he’ll write it down regardless. I might come off looking a bit "clueless."
Meanwhile, Greg is finding some comfort in talking about the Deep State, all while Rob Kirby opens up a whole new front... Just trying to gauge where we stand. Jim Sinclair pointed specifically to Knowledge Rickards first, then the rest of the crew.
Ha, ha. Fine, fine. I may have rambled a bit regarding that Trump supporter, but nothing major. And if you want my take, there are "close associates who stick by us when things get TOUGH," since we're on the subject. But, back to Trump...
If you ask me, the premise is backward. Which premise?
This one...

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...apvLvNCJHU1B9g

"All that's left of the USA is..." well, fill in the blanks yourselves.

Of course they’re going to set a new price. It’s the only way to (legally) wipe out the debts while keeping the system standing. But a new gold price means a new price for oil and every other commodity too. The debts will just remain at their old nominal amounts. Once that process plays out, they'll draw a line under it all and see what everyone actually has left in the end. One thing is certain: all that oil—bought with dollars—has long since been burned through. As for those earned dollars invested in the stock market... well, we'll see what happens to them eventually. As long as there is oil to trade for dollars, there isn't much point in making waves. So, however long this lasts—it lasts.