Posts by swiftotter9

Maria James40 said:Oh, and I think you forgot about Jean-Claude Juncker—the guy who suggested some totally unrealistic bureaucratic nonsense for tomorrow's meeting, which, honestly, I'm pretty sure we aren't going to go along with.

I didn't feel like listing everyone, but that group includes Angela Merkel, Aleksandar Vučić, Jean-Claude Juncker, and basically anyone else who publicly advocates for migration while secretly trying to figure out how to slow it down, stop it, or wave a magic wand to make it vanish (or at least keep it from hitting America).
And somehow, they expect us to foot the bill and carry the weight of it all.

They’re just used to treating America like a submissive little follower. You only have to look at that arrogant attitude Viktor Orbán takes when he addresses us, and that Canadian-Canadian minister follows right along behind him.
I guess they’ve just gotten comfortable settling things with America through backroom deals and under-the-table handshakes.

It’s like if someone proposed a high-speed rail running from St. Kitts all the way to somewhere remote.
Well, they wouldn't actually do that.
Instead, they’d spend all their time dreaming up "strategies," commissioning endless studies, registering people, and making lists.
All while hundreds of thousands of migrants are piling up right here in America?
We don't even need to get into arguments with them.
We should just do exactly what they do.
Agree to one thing at the negotiating table, but then in practice, just keep doing exactly what we've always done.

As for the public, if they want to keep singing battle songs while the borders are wrapped in wire, let them.

wanderingbadger77 said:Thanks for the reply.
So the "chaos mode" strategy—just keep pushing and pick fights with the neighbors.
It’s basically the only plan that actually works right now, since there haven't been any other options on the table.
Fine.

What do you think actually matters more here?

a. Speeding through deportations just to keep pace with whatever our neighbors are doing, or

b. Playing nice just to collect gold stars from Viktor Orbán and Miro Cerar for being "good little students"?

Honestly, when everyone is just looking out for themselves and the only way they can win is by screwing over the person standing right next to them, I don't have any problem hearing Biden issue some protest notes.
It’s actually a sign that he’s doing right by his country.

Has any American city been overrun by migrants like Budapest, Mexico City, or Athens have?

And has any of those countries ever performed better than the US, with less damage and more controlled border management?

Does anyone seriously believe that Viktor Orban, Aleksandar Vučić, or Miro Cerar actually want what's best for us, or that they'd give a damn about our security and our interests?

Look, we can argue about being left-wing, right-wing, East, or West, but let's be real: this is a dirty game where everyone is just waiting for a chance to kick whoever looks the weakest.

They say one thing, do another, and think something else entirely.

As long as that's how it works, I fully expect people to hate everything Biden does.

Those types will only praise you and pat you on the back once you've completely surrendered.

Look, she’s who she is. Nothing you say or do is going to flip a switch and change her personality overnight.
But I'll tell you, there’s one little trick—it’s definitely a long game, but if you stick with it, it works wonders on people like this.
Assert yourself.
Use your knowledge, your skills, and your wits.
You're younger, you've got a better education, and you're more versatile. Take the lead.
Bring up topics where she’s clearly out of her depth.
Become a better cook than she is.
Show her—and everyone else around—that you can handle a mountain of problems that she just can't touch (whether it's because of the generation gap, being out of the loop, or just lacking the technical know-how).
I honestly believe there are a hundred things that you, as a young, educated, social person, can do or understand way better than she can.
Lean into that. Give her advice. Teach her something new.
Trust me, it might take a while to get there, but people like this need time to shift their perspective. You want to move from being seen as some helpless, dependent kid to being recognized as a smart, capable woman.

Matthew Castillo5 said:She’d probably feel like a terrible, uninviting hostess if she didn't push it on you. Personally, I find her insistence a little easier to stomach (even if I think it’s way over the top) when I remind myself it's just tradition and coming from a good place.

Man😉 that is so true.
Back home in the Midwest, it’s basically unthinkable to have guests over without feeding them until they can barely walk—and then sending them home with leftovers because they couldn't finish everything at the table. 😍
It’s just how we do things; it's our culture, and food is practically a ritual here. It’s arguably the most important thing in life. So much focus goes into growing stuff, prepping it, and serving it properly. In my 35 years, I honestly don't remember anyone ever visiting us and leaving with an empty stomach (or empty Tupperware). I remember when I was a kid, we’d have friends visiting from overseas, and for the first day or two, they’d try to be polite and hold back, like "Whoa, this is so much, it's spicy, it's salty, I'm not used to this..." But by 10 PM, they were crushing the pot roast, sausages, and homemade cookies, and they adjusted pretty fast. 😁
I think it stems from the fact that where I grew up, you always had to work incredibly hard to put food on the table. That shaped our whole attitude toward eating—food is a sign of love, a way to say welcome, a way to show care and respect, and you *never* let anything go to waste.
Now, imagine being me, living my whole life at about 108 pounds... it used to drive me crazy with the constant nagging, like "Come on, eat this, try that, look how good it is, are you sure you aren't hungry?" But now? I've chilled out about it. Now, I just laugh. 😁

Steven Rivera76 said:That isn't my child's property, it's mine. Like I said, that's where the child support was being deposited so we could actually save something. I can say with total certainty those funds would go toward the kid, since most of my income goes straight to them anyway. My grandma obviously can't touch that account—no one can except me. But the whole situation is absurd. How am I supposed to prove to an agency like CPS that I spent the money on my child? Am I expected to carry around receipts just because I bought them sneakers or jeans?
And how does this actually protect my child's rights?

Honestly, I have to admit that at the social services office they didn't even ask why I was withdrawing cash or what I was spending it on, but I was acting pretty pissed off, so maybe they just didn't want to deal with me.😁
And I’ll never understand how this protects my kid's interests. It just sounds like another half-baked idea from some out-of-touch politician.🙏

As for whose money it actually is... sorry wearytrucker22, but it’s mine. My kid, my responsibility, my assets. This isn't some untouchable trust fund or a housing savings plan, and it's definitely not an "emergency fund" because life is hard enough as it is right now. It’s just basic savings for a child that gets topped up by child support a few times a year—it's entirely my call whether I save those amounts or use them.

Steven Rivera76 said:So, I had a lovely little surprise today at Geico. It turns out that since September 1st, you can't withdraw more than $367 from a little bee account (for a child over 13) without getting approval from the Social Security Administration. For younger kids, the limit is even tighter. 👎
My ex pays child support into that specific account. When we originally opened it, there were no limits, and it never crossed my mind that this would become an issue. I used to withdraw funds whenever necessary, usually for larger purchases. Today, I needed some cash for school books—and well, I'm stuck.
I won't be putting any more support money into the little bee account. From now on, he'll pay it into my checking account instead. Of course, that just means there's a higher chance the money gets spent elsewhere.😳
Has anyone dealt with requesting permission to withdraw funds or close an account? This is absolute nonsense. 👎 👎

Here is the direct copy-paste from the Zabin website:

Funds in a child's savings account may be accessed by the legal guardian upon presentation of identification and the little bee card, in accordance with current Family Law provisions and defined amounts based on the child's age:

* for a child up to 6 years old: $301 per month
* for a child aged 7 to 12: $354 per month
* for a child aged 13 to 18: $389 per month

Man, I am in the exact same boat. I haven't touched three months of child support, about $233 each, because I was planning to use it right before school starts to get some clothes and gear for my son. Then, I walk into Chase Bank today and—bam! Total shock. I ended up rushing downtown and spent about two hours waiting while they figured out which manager needed to sign off on what specific paperwork. Finally, I got the damn thing and withdrew the measly $667. Honestly, I am never stepping foot in a Chase branch again, and the thought of opening a kid's savings account in a country like this never even crossed my mind—where I need someone else's permission just to touch my own money!! In my opinion, this is a violation of my basic constitutional rights. First off, nobody lifts a finger when my ex hasn't paid support for over two years, and then when he finally does pay, I can't even access it without... what??... whose approval? I don't get how anyone can restrict me from using my own funds. Seriously, it's not even worth arguing about; this whole country feels like someone else's private playground.🙄