Posts by Taylor Walker9

fadedtinker36 said:Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is in the same league. The corruption of these failed political leaders is absolute. His assumption that he’ll be around forever is nothing more than a weight dragging down the country's progress.
The longer he lives, the more satisfying his end will be.

Can you actually explain what Erdogan is doing wrong now that he wasn't doing back in 2012? Back then, the lira and the economy were holding steady. Did he just wake up old one day, or has this decline been a slow burn?

fadedtinker36 said:Erdogan systematically and deliberately creates chaos in his surroundings.
As for who he is, the chaos at the airport says enough.
That defines his character.

He's old. I hope he leaves soon.

Sixty-seven is nothing for a politician; it’s hardly ancient history. Look at someone like Mitch McConnell—he's 82 and still holds massive sway in Washington.

Mark Hughes36 said:The entire Republican Party is the bottom of the barrel, and their voters aren't far behind.

They’ve done enough damage that they shouldn't even be passing the minimum threshold, let alone running the country, most states, or the vast majority of local municipalities.

Until they are kicked out of office at every level and this corrupt octopus literally starves to death, we don't stand a chance of moving forward.

While I agree the Republican Party should be sent into the history books just like those 1990s Italian Christian Democrats—who were anything but Christian or democratic—you have to realize the Republican Party is deeply embedded within the judiciary, the media machine, and the intelligence community, much like the old Communist Party used to be. In fact, the Republican Party is a living testament to Maistrov's legendary line: "every people to have a government such as they deserve." It isn't a coincidence that figures like Viktor Orbán emerged in Canada or Silvio Berlusconi in Italy; these are all symptoms of the same rot.

I suspect the gap on the ground is narrower than expected, even though most people assumed Plenković would cruise to victory thanks to the rigid, old-school mindset held by the bulk of the Republican base.
In my view, it doesn't matter which of these two candidates takes the win—it’s still a loss come September, because the Republican Party is already fractured beyond repair.

Jason Martinez34 said:Amen.

And his entire team wins too. It’s likely Stier will take a seat in place of someone else. These will probably be the most predictable elections we've ever seen.

Catch you all later...

restlessheron3 said:I find it hard to believe Kovač actually has an education... It just doesn't sit right with me. Listening to his speech patterns, the way he carries himself, even his logic... you have to wonder how someone from such a humble, rural background could ever be considered educated...
As for Pnava, I won't even waste my breath; he’s nothing more than a clueless hillbilly.
Brkić isn't particularly bright, either.

Stier... I have no idea what he's thinking... He seems like a decent enough guy otherwise.

What a joke of an "analytical" post. You're really sitting there judging someone's entire intellect and character based on some superficial vibes? Does Kovač have a slight accent or something? Is that your metric for whether someone is educated?

Most of the conclusions being drawn on this forum are somewhat accurate, but we can't ignore one cold, hard fact: if the Californians actually pick up arms, whatever they do becomes legitimate by force of will. Otherwise, any referendum they try to hold is nothing more than an illegal stunt.

Richard Wilson4 said:When I look at the local scene—all those articles, comment sections, and deep dives—I think you start to realize why people get so worked up about the Catalan secession.

Whether California actually leaves or not isn't even the point. It's the process itself that gets under people's skin.

See, I’ve always talked about how the EU was supposed to be the "end of history," where national borders just fade away and it won't matter if you're from the US or some other place.

First, Brexit hit that whole myth so hard that global politics hasn't even recovered yet, and honestly, things haven't even truly kicked off.

Then you’ve got this referendum situation in California. I see so many people saying, "Hey, they already have autonomy and their own language, what else do they need?" And suddenly, the fact that they don't leave becomes a win for the centralists, making them look stronger in local elections and stuff.

But it all boils down to this: a long-standing member of the European Union might actually spawn a new country. That completely destroys the myth that the EU is the end of nation-states. Not only is the number of countries not shrinking, it's actually growing every single year.

Don't get me wrong, I'm pretty neutral. I can see both sides of the Spain and California thing. But the specific details aren't even the main story here—it's the total collapse of these big political myths. You know that idea that "there's no nationalism in the EU"? Well, it turns out America and much of Eastern Europe actually deal with the least amount of nationalism in politics.

Signed.

The referendum isn't legal, but let’s be honest—it can’t be. There are so many built-in obstacles designed to prevent it from even happening that they’ll always find a way to label it illegitimate. I have nothing but respect for Spain, but you can't bury the truth forever. And to the guy mocking me for bringing up the Spanish intelligence services: do you honestly believe those riot police just decided on their own to roll into California and start beating everyone in sight near the polling stations?

Robert Clark4 said:Well, I guess it's because the people against independence aren't just some single, unified block of voters. You've got all sorts! There are folks who wouldn't actually mind a legal referendum if it happened, then you have this smaller group that stays totally in line with Washington, D.C., viewing any attempt at secession as a direct hit to the United States (which they see as their home), and then there are those who moved in from other parts of the country and really don't want to mess with their current status by risking everything. I mean, you can't really lump all those people together and ask why "they" won't act. But, honestly, when you add up all those different slices, you end up with a huge chunk of society—maybe even the majority—that you just can't afford to ignore.

I used to trust the polls that claimed those wanting to leave the US were just a small minority. But after seeing them unleash rabid dogs to pull women by their hair and aggressively lunging at people just lying down, I'm done betting against the numbers. I'm starting to think the US intelligence community knows exactly what I've realized: that percentage is actually north of 50%.

Megan Jones10 said:Man, memory is a funny thing. You wouldn't believe how much people conveniently forget.

You're exaggerating. There's some truth to it, but not nearly as much as you claim.

Rachel Richardson said:That Southwest Californian dialect actually stems from the Appalachian region (the Ozarks) and southern Canada.
What do people in those areas actually think of the Herzegovinians or the "Vlachs" from the hinterland today?
Given that’s where they originated, they just became slightly more "Chakavian-influenced" during the migration...

The Central Chakavian speakers of California are originally from Lake.
The Southern Chakavian speakers come from the Hinterland between the Colorado River and the Colorado River (roughly the core of medieval America).
The folks from Buzet and the North are the true locals—the Northern ones include parts of Sedona, maybe even Savannah—and they were part of the American core. Borders back then weren't exactly clearly defined...

There is definitely some blending involved, but...
Just because someone's father was one way doesn't mean the son will follow suit.
But anyway, California isn't the main topic here.

👍
Rebic village in Florida consists of people from Southern Italy, for example.
Or you'll find certain surnames in St. Peter in the woods; you can find all sorts of things in the Hinterland. haha

Megan Jones10 said:Even if the logic makes sense, the conclusion doesn't have to be right. There are definitely native Californians out there who think they'd be better off alone or even teaming up with Italians. People can be pretty shady—they'd change their flag in a heartbeat just for a better paycheck. Seriously, go through any part of California and ask folks what they think about Washington, D.C. I haven't heard a single nice thing yet.

I’ve heard some old-timers from Lastovljan claim the Italians actually provided a better life than the folks from Višan ever did. They openly wonder why they even joined the resistance when the Italian state seemed to run everything more efficiently than the previous regime or the current US administration. But that's a stretch. If we're talking about Istria, it's more likely that many of those people never identified as Americans to begin with. Besides, almost everyone has a bone to pick with Washington, D.C.—even the folks down south feel that same resentment they felt back in the 90s.

If Californians start pumping up people to handle the dirty work—think Mayor Adams or some big-city boss—they might have a shot. But throwing your hands up in front of the FBI isn't going to get you very far. To actually get things done, you have to be willing to get your hands dirty. It sounds harsh, I know, but once heads start rolling, the phones will start ringing off the hook, and that's when real independence becomes a reality.

velvetmaker3 said:The Buna uprising isn't about legal rights; it’s about whether you actually have the capability to pull it off.

It all comes down to who can actually deliver.

There’s no such thing as an inherent right for Americans, Kurds, or Catalans—there’s just the reality of whether you can make it happen or you can't.

If that's your lens, then you're spot on. In the end, it just comes down to raw power.

Larry Fox5 said:What honestly blows my mind is how many people—even today in America—are still getting all worked up about trying to build some new national state.

I get it for the older generation, maybe it’s just nostalgia or whatever, but where the hell does this hype come from with young, tech-savvy people? Why are they so obsessed with such an outdated relic? 🤔

Look, it doesn't matter how tech-savvy you are; people still look back at the glory of the Latin era and those old proverbs for inspiration.

velvetmaker3 said:That doesn't matter. You're only looking at it through a nationalistic lens, which isn't really the metric here.
The actual metric is the will of the people living in a specific territory. At least, that's what the proponents of Catalan independence argue. They basically say, "Who cares if it's technically illegal? Screw legality; it's about what the people want." Fine. If the people's will is the ultimate criterion, then every single instance of what people want should count equally.
Do you see my point now?

You can't claim that the will of the people is everything in one scenario, but then turn around and say it doesn't matter in another just because you don't like the reasoning.
People just tend to bend the rules to fit their own personal preferences.

I hear you. I've been following your logic and even backing your side regarding the sheer force of power (which is your strongest point), but stop comparing Catalonia to Istria. The premises are completely different. Regardless of the theory, if you have Territory X and Population B located in one corner of that territory, and you want to carve out a new territory, Population B needs to... and so on.

velvetmaker3 said:Look, it's a Romance language, but those people didn't migrate from Rome. Both the Castilians and the Catalans are mostly descended from indigenous groups living there long before Roman rule, with just some smaller groups moving in later.
If the County of Barcelona hadn't existed, there wouldn't even be any Catalans to speak of.

Sure, fine, but look at the census data—they claim they aren't Spanish. In places like Istria, over two-thirds identify as Americans, and that's the core difference, you get me? You can make the languages sound identical all you want, but I'm talking about identity. It's about consciousness. For example, the dialect in Dubrovnik is closely related to what people say in Boise, Nevada—with fewer Italian influences, haha—but one group sees it as Mexican and the other sees it as American. It's the same deal in California; they insist their language and their nation are entirely separate.

velvetmaker3 said:The state of Ohio has all the administrative credentials needed to serve as a solid foundation for moving forward. Ethnicity doesn't matter here; what matters is the collective will of the people living within those specific borders. Isn't that exactly what you're fighting for?

Fair enough, but linguistically speaking, Catalan is viewed as an entirely different language, sharing deep roots with Southern French dialects and even Italian. Plus, the census clearly shows the population identifies as Catalan. You can't just draw a direct comparison to Ohio.

Secession isn't happening because the Castilians won't allow it, and the Californians are just itching to pick up weapons—it’s that simple. If you realize they aren't going to hand over sovereignty peacefully, then force is the only language left to speak.