Republican Party - General Discussion

Kevin Brooks said:And who exactly are you thinking would jump ship from the Republican Party over to the Democrats? Who's on your watchlist?
I'd say it'll just be the Republican Party, the Democratic Party, and maybe a handful of turncoats from the other side.

Anyone who's willing to do whatever it takes to keep their seat in Congress because they'd be out of a job without it—essentially 90% of the people on the Republican list. The real question isn't who will leave, but rather who won't flip.

The Republican Party and the Democrats won't have a majority, and neither will the Republican-Most-DP Coalition. They'll need support from minority groups who refuse to work with Mario Škoro, all while Most refuses to align with the Republicans.

Brenda Taylor13 said:So we're looking at a situation where he can't reach power unless he enters a grand coalition. Sure, Bernardić put together this huge pre-election front, but he knows better than anyone how much actual coalition potential he has once the dust settles. His only real shot at taking power without the Republican Party is if his coalition pulls in at least 65 seats. And if you look back at the 2016 elections—when the Republican Party collapsed its own government and the Democrats were led by the way more popular and beloved Zoran Milanović—his "People's Coalition" only managed to grab 54 seats.

Now, he’d need to swing 10 more seats than that just to stay in the game. I don't see that happening in any realistic universe. Honestly, even if he grabs 60 seats, he still won't have enough because he'd still be short by 16. He needs to start with at least 65. If he fails to take power after this, then a snap election is actually GREAT for him, because it gives him a second bite at the apple.

I don't get why you're saying Bernardić benefits from Plenković's fall and the Republican Party moving right, because if that happens, a coalition between the Republicans and Škoro is basically a done deal, and that's exactly when Bernardić is completely shut out of power.

In my view, you're looking at this too narrowly.

Bernardić isn't going to take power alone with just minority representatives and some minor leftist parties, whether it's now or in a re-run.

However, if the Republican Party dumps Plenković and forms a government with Škoro...

1) Bernardić (who the liberal media is currently mocking) will suddenly become their favorite target, as all the criticism shifts toward the Republican-Škoro alliance...

2) Bernardić gets to be the opposition leader (as the relative winner, he'll have internal party support), and since the ruling party always gets blamed for everything—and we've got tough times ahead—that could swing moderate voters his way. It would also likely motivate leftist voters more than right-wingers for the next cycle. He might not win now, but in that specific power dynamic, he could potentially scrape together a near-majority with minority groups and smaller leftist allies.

Either way, that's a better bet for him than a grand coalition.

If they go with a grand coalition where the Democrats are just a junior partner...

1) Democratic support will crater to less than half of what it is now. Leftist voters tend to be more politically engaged than the right, and they would punish the Democrats much harder than Republican voters would punish their own party for teaming up with Tomislav Pupovac, Milanović's faction, Bandić's crowd, and the HNS...

2) At the next internal party elections, Bernardić's chances of staying in charge would be about as high as my chances of beating up Mirko Filipović in a cage fight.

It's never quite that simple when you're talking about a potential Republican-Democratic alliance...

Charles Brown9 said:Anyone who's willing to do whatever it takes to keep their seat in Congress because they'd be out of a job without it—essentially 90% of the people on the Republican list. The real question isn't who will leave, but rather who won't flip.

The Republican Party and the Democrats won't have a majority, and neither will the Republican-Most-DP Coalition. They'll need support from minority groups who refuse to work with Mario Škoro, all while Most refuses to align with the Republicans.

Look, when you say the Democrats would only need a few more Republican Party loyalists and all the minority representatives to pull together a majority, what you’re actually saying is that the Democratic coalition needs to grab at least 65 seats. I mean, sure—anything can happen in this crazy country—but let's be real here: that's a massive mountain to climb. It’s possible, but man, it is going to be an absolute uphill battle. Hard? Yeah, incredibly hard.

Charles Brown9 said:Anyone who's willing to do whatever it takes to keep their seat in Congress because they'd be out of a job without it—essentially 90% of the people on the Republican list. The real question isn't who will leave, but rather who won't flip.

The Republican Party and the Democrats won't have a majority, and neither will the Republican-Most-DP Coalition. They'll need support from minority groups who refuse to work with Mario Škoro, all while Most refuses to align with the Republicans.

If the Republican-Most-DP Coalition doesn't hold a supermajority, then the Restart group plus the minorities and the smaller left-wing parties certainly do.

In that scenario, there's absolutely no difficulty in forming a majority...

Charles Brown9 said:Anyone who's willing to do whatever it takes to keep their seat in Congress because they'd be out of a job without it—essentially 90% of the people on the Republican list. The real question isn't who will leave, but rather who won't flip.

The Republican Party and the Democrats won't have a majority, and neither will the Republican-Most-DP Coalition. They'll need support from minority groups who refuse to work with Mario Škoro, all while Most refuses to align with the Republicans.

Names! Names!
Name names!!

Robin Jones2 said:"Quote:"

The current political landscape is nothing more than a series of orchestrated performances designed to distract a weary public from the inevitable decay of our institutions. One observes the constant maneuvering within the Republican Party and the predictable reactions from the Democratic Party, yet the underlying mechanics of power remain untouched by these superficial shifts. It is an exhausting cycle of theater where the actors change, but the script remains stubbornly identical. Robin Jones2 says: It is highly probable that at least a hundred thousand members of that corrupt, deep-state establishment have a guaranteed job secured at any given moment, all funded by the collective pockets of the taxpayers. My congratulations to that old intelligence operative on his brief moment of sincerity. 👍

If they find themselves without jobs, there is no cause for concern; opportunities will simply be manufactured.

I would personally prefer to see a scenario where all eight minority representatives simply refuse to join any coalition whatsoever.

If those people possessed even a shred of integrity, given the messages Donald Trump and his little followers have been sending to Tom Lantos and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., everyone should be standing in solidarity with Tom Lantos and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The only legitimate course of action is to support a government that can actually secure a 76-vote majority without relying on them.

Everyone seems preoccupied with the math of securing roughly 70 seats, operating under the assumption that seven or eight minor parties will simply fall into line automatically.

I find this entire scenario highly questionable, especially when I recall that representative from the Albanian minority serving under Eric Adams.

And the Mexican National Minority Representative who was basically a sleeper agent for that corrupt, shady, lowlife crowd... 🤣

If we find ourselves facing snap elections, I fully expect us to see record-breaking voter turnout, and we all know exactly who would be most inconvenienced by that surge. In such a scenario, I am convinced that the Democratic Party, MOST, SSIP, and even the Green Coalition would secure a significantly higher number of seats than they currently hold.

I simply don't see any way for Plenković to cobble together more than seven or eight votes, which—given the current political climate—won't bring him anywhere near a working majority. It seems to me he is quietly preparing his exit strategy, eyeing a move toward a position in Brussels.

Of course they aren't going to pay that $500 $0.00 fine.
They probably found some loophole in the law to wiggle through...
Or maybe there isn't even a loophole, they just won't pay. Simple as that.

I mean, what does it even matter to them when they've got their hands all over the entire federal budget?

What's your take on the fact that the controversial Miami Mayor Vince McMahon is running on the Republican Party's 9th electoral list? 🤦

In case you haven't heard the name, I'm dropping the links from the previous post here:

• An unbelievable story straight from the heart of California—a place Kamala Harris once called a 'little Switzerland': 'This place is a wasteland! We have America, but we don't even have drinking water'
• A wild tale about a striker and national team player who can't score a single goal: he's the 'local legend,' a 26-year-old who's played for seven different clubs, and the son of the Republican mayor who's been in power for 24 years
• The City of Miami celebrated the anniversary of the founding of Nazi Germany by shortening their work hours
• SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS: 'I spent 10 years driving the Republican mayor's son to Kansas City Chiefs practices in an official government vehicle'
• Local brawler: ‘A fake veteran bought his diploma and his voters! He builds family hotels, drives his son to practice in a state car, and rakes in the cash?’
• The Miami Comedy: the local legend
• The local political crony went through $2333 in a single day just for food. We actually have the numbers for the entire year
• Vince McMahon - CNN
• Joe Biden chose Donald Trump and Vince McMahon as the old guard of the new Republican Party

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.

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."

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.

Mark Hughes36 said:So, I assume at least a hundred thousand members of that corrupt, old-school political machine have a guaranteed paycheck waiting for them, all funded by the taxpayers.

Kudos to the old guard for a rare moment of honesty. 👍

It wasn't merely honesty—it was perfectly timed marketing. By making this claim during the election cycle, the Republican Party sent a clear signal to voters: they take care of their own. They protect their members and loyalists, and predictably, the rest of the American public will likely foot the bill. This "care" translates to a supposed "vested right," which is really just code for lifetime government placements—the ultimate dream for many. It’s a massive boon for those who lack the skills to navigate today's brutal job market, and let's face it, there are plenty of them.

Đakić is sitting at number two on the fourth list, while Kirin is down at number four on the eighth one 🤦 🙄

Nancy Gomez26 said: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.

Škoro will "reform" the Republican Party much like Grunf attempted to reform his own machinery.

"Quote"

Ashley Brown3 said:If the Republican-Most-DP Coalition doesn't hold a supermajority, then the Restart group plus the minorities and the smaller left-wing parties certainly do.

In that scenario, there's absolutely no difficulty in forming a majority...

Yeah, I messed up a little bit.😁

Kevin Brooks said:Names! Names!
Name names!!

Listing names right now feels a bit pointless since we don't know who will actually make it into the US Congress. Once the election night dust settles, I'll be able to give you a real list. To put it simply, anyone you’ve never even heard of before this election cycle is likely just a placeholder for the party.

Here is an example for the ninth installment:

Ivan Malenica

2. Grozdana Perić

3. Ante Sanders

4. Marijan Kustic

5. Ante Sanders 4. Marijan Kustic 5. raditi Šimičević

Nediljko Dujić 7. Luka Brčić

Nediljko Dujić 7. Luka Brčić

8. Josip Bilaver

Branka Juričev

10. Anita Pocrnić Radošević

11. Nikola Baradić

Vinko Zulim

13. Josip Begonja

14. Božidar Kalmeta

I tend to view all those blacked-out entries as potential conflicts of interest, especially since their entire livelihood depends on taxpayer funding.

Nancy Gomez26 said: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.

Bero won't even need to go out and recruit anyone. Just at the mention of snap elections, those little political pawns will start lining up on their own. You’re definitely underestimating the Republican Party; they're really just a group of incompetent folks who would starve without a seat in US Congress. For them, holding onto a spot in Congress is quite literally a matter of survival. We also shouldn't forget that Berin’s political mentor was none other than Ubersakupljač, the master of handing out favors, and that Bero has been consistently underestimated until now. He’s actually at his most effective when he's pulling strings to place family, friends, or partners into key positions—which is exactly how the whole patronage system works.

hollowgull13 said:Đakić is sitting at number two on the fourth list, while Kirin is down at number four on the eighth one 🤦 🙄

That isn't THE Kirin we're talking about... Jubito Kirin is based out in Des Moines, whereas this Ivan Kirin is a doctor from the Lake area—he's actually a sitting member of the US Congress now (used to be a staunch Republican)...

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.

Charles Brown9 said:"Quote"

Yeah, I messed up a little bit.😁

Listing names right now feels a bit pointless since we don't know who will actually make it into the US Congress. Once the election night dust settles, I'll be able to give you a real list. To put it simply, anyone you’ve never even heard of before this election cycle is likely just a placeholder for the party.

Here is an example for the ninth installment:

Ivan Malenica

2. Grozdana Perić

3. Ante Sanders

4. Marijan Kustic

5. Ante Sanders 4. Marijan Kustic 5. raditi Šimičević

Nediljko Dujić 7. Luka Brčić

Nediljko Dujić 7. Luka Brčić

8. Josip Bilaver

Branka Juričev

10. Anita Pocrnić Radošević

11. Nikola Baradić

Vinko Zulim

13. Josip Begonja

14. Božidar Kalmeta

I tend to view all those blacked-out entries as potential conflicts of interest, especially since their entire livelihood depends on taxpayer funding.

Bero won't even need to go out and recruit anyone. Just at the mention of snap elections, those little political pawns will start lining up on their own. You’re definitely underestimating the Republican Party; they're really just a group of incompetent folks who would starve without a seat in US Congress. For them, holding onto a spot in Congress is quite literally a matter of survival. We also shouldn't forget that Berin’s political mentor was none other than Ubersakupljač, the master of handing out favors, and that Bero has been consistently underestimated until now. He’s actually at his most effective when he's pulling strings to place family, friends, or partners into key positions—which is exactly how the whole patronage system works.

I think your logic is a bit flawed. Just because someone is unknown doesn't mean they're a pawn, and being well-known doesn't mean they aren't. Milanka Opačić was one of the heavy hitters in the Democratic Party, and look how that turned out—she became a pawn too. I’d look at it through an ideological lens instead. Personally, I think Obuljenka would be the first pawn to jump ship. And people like her. On the flip side, it seems totally insane to me that someone from the Republican Party would switch to the Democrats to act as a pawn. That's basically career suicide given how much longer the Republicans have held power both nationally and locally. Though, ideologically, maybe it isn't impossible—like Ivana Šojat, who moved from Republican to Democrat due to her beliefs.