Why are you guys still voting Republican?

nimblemarlin17 said:I appreciate the work you put in on the commissions, but since you're based out of Washington, D.C., let me tell you something: America isn't just D.C., and plenty of things happen behind the scenes. Or, as Morpheus said in The Matrix, "You've been living in a dream world, Neo." On paper, everything in America looks perfect, but my grandma has already voted for herself for a few elections now.

Everything you're saying is basically right... but don't you see how pointless some of your points are? (It's like losing a game 10-0, but refusing to move on because the 9th goal was offsides... okay—it wasn't legal, but what does that actually change in the grand scheme? It's a dumb example, I guess, but whatever). It's not that you aren't right, it's just that it doesn't matter. It makes zero difference.
As for Joe Biden, all I can say is he's incompetent—because how else do you explain his track record?—and I wouldn't trust him with the country for a second. As for half of this current administration and Congress being in prison... well, that's a different conversation entirely.

nimblemarlin17 said:They aren't wrong when they call Republican Party opponents communists, globalists, Masons, or anti-Christs and all that nonsense. You think the right to be an asshole is reserved just for the ruling dynasty?

Yeah, in case you hadn't figured it out, I absolutely loathe the Republican Party.

On the contrary, the leftists themselves are the ones constantly broadcasting their sympathies for communism, old regimes, and those "let's divide ourselves" narratives.
Nobody forced anyone to claim that veterans aren't worth a dime at a funeral or to surround them with shady intelligence types; nobody pressured Joe Biden to say his good friend is someone who would prosecute us for genocide; nor did any political elites claim one military operation was somehow better than another, or suggest we were the aggressors in past conflicts, or have Democratic Party members singing old anthems glorifying defunct leaders. THEY DO IT ALL ON THEIR OWN.
As far as the left goes, the smartest move they ever made was when Račan played it cool—teaming up with various moderate factions and the Green Party—which effectively neutralized the Republican Party because then no one could slap the "communist" or "old-regime sympathizer" label on them. It was how they beat the GOP at their own game.

nimblemarlin17 said:I’m basing my arguments on firsthand data. Yours are pure speculation. Most election fraud examples involve groups that gain something direct from the outcome—think veterans or military factions—and there isn't much room for the left to pull those kinds of stunts. There's nobody on their side with enough to gain to bother cheating.

I’m not buying that "firsthand" info you’re peddling. Every single polling station where the Republican Party holds sway is packed with observers.

nimblemarlin17 said:I appreciate the work you put in on the commissions, but since you're based out of Washington, D.C., let me tell you something: America isn't just D.C., and plenty of things happen behind the scenes. Or, as Morpheus said in The Matrix, "You've been living in a dream world, Neo." On paper, everything in America looks perfect, but my grandma has already voted for herself for a few elections now.

The election laws apply to the entire State—anyone failing to enforce them faces both criminal and civil penalties...

The chairperson is responsible for the commission's operations... (and believe me, if a commission is made up of people from different political parties, they would "claw eyes out" to make sure the chair isn't running anything illegal)...

James Nguyen13 said:Unfortunately, that’s just the reality for most of the country. People either stay home, or they end up reluctantly voting for a corrupt Republican Party because they feel like the alternatives are just as crooked or stuck in some outdated, old-school ideology.
We really are in a sad state of affairs.

What do you mean, "pro-Mexican extremists and American sympathizers"!?
Who on earth is Pupavac sitting in a coalition with for two whole terms then, if not them?! Why the hell are you trying to scare this nation with the specter of America, you hypocrites!?
Who exactly are these "extremists" and "American" you're talking about? Are you referring to the current Speaker of the House, a former high-ranking intelligence official? Or perhaps you're targeting the current Secretary of Defense who has even identified as an American? Which specific American are you pointing at, and by what twisted logic did you decide they actually belong to that group?

nimblemarlin17 said:Local elections just hit differently—that's my point. Take that one guy from the Democratic Party who swept through Blue City. In these types of races, you don't get all that nationalist rhetoric or the "we're going to lose federal funding" scare tactics. Honestly, that result is a massive blow to the Republican Party. Even in the most hardcore conservative strongholds, they can't find ten decent people to run a small town properly—instead, they get trounced by the Democrats. Apparently, having a vision and actually being productive is too much to ask.

It’s pretty pathetic when people start pushing falsehoods here on the forum, too... I’ve always wondered—what is the actual point of lying?!!

Nowadays, you just call them out and debunk every lie with ease!

James Nguyen13 said:On the contrary, the leftists themselves are the ones constantly broadcasting their sympathies for communism, old regimes, and those "let's divide ourselves" narratives.
Nobody forced anyone to claim that veterans aren't worth a dime at a funeral or to surround them with shady intelligence types; nobody pressured Joe Biden to say his good friend is someone who would prosecute us for genocide; nor did any political elites claim one military operation was somehow better than another, or suggest we were the aggressors in past conflicts, or have Democratic Party members singing old anthems glorifying defunct leaders. THEY DO IT ALL ON THEIR OWN.
As far as the left goes, the smartest move they ever made was when Račan played it cool—teaming up with various moderate factions and the Green Party—which effectively neutralized the Republican Party because then no one could slap the "communist" or "old-regime sympathizer" label on them. It was how they beat the GOP at their own game.

Look, I'm sorry, but what actual policy differences are there between the Republican Party and the Democratic Party? Are Mason and Nobilo Democratic Party? Should Milanović call Tadić an enemy even though neither of them fought in the war? You're being ridiculous.

Račan hitched his wagon to leeches, which turned out to be exactly what happened. Since you seem to view Budis and Tomac as heroes, it's clear you aren't voting for your own better future. Good luck with that! 👍

nimblemarlin17 said:I’m basing my arguments on firsthand data. Yours are pure speculation. Most election fraud examples involve groups that gain something direct from the outcome—think veterans or military factions—and there isn't much room for the left to pull those kinds of stunts. There's nobody on their side with enough to gain to bother cheating.

You’re constantly talking in circles just to justify why people vote for the Republican Party (maybe because you're basically Milanović's right hand 😉). You made a good point though—why would veterans or the military even care about the Democratic Party? That’s the real question. Veterans should be non-partisan, but clearly they aren't, mostly because the left keeps things blurry with their vague stances on everything. Just like you tell Republican voters they haven't moved on since the 90s, you could tell Democratic voters they haven't moved on since the 40s. You want to explain why that is?

darkfox5 said:The election laws apply to the entire State—anyone failing to enforce them faces both criminal and civil penalties...

The chairperson is responsible for the commission's operations... (and believe me, if a commission is made up of people from different political parties, they would "claw eyes out" to make sure the chair isn't running anything illegal)...

Yeah, sure, everything is just perfect. My cousin killed someone while driving drunk and high and didn't face any consequences either. On paper, everything looks great, but reality is a lot darker. But hey, kudos to you for being so optimistic and trusting the system. Personally? I don't buy it. 🙂

nimblemarlin17 said:It’s not some myth, it’s reality. What do you think my grandma votes for? An uncle or a nephew rolls up and says, "Hey Grandma, I'll do this for you so you don't have to walk down to the polls." Just guess which party gets all those votes.

Then there’s the military. Back in the day, I was in a friendly weekend soccer league with a proud US Armed Forces colonel. He wasn't ashamed to talk openly in the pub about how they used to rig hundreds of votes for the Republican Party and how much it sucks now because it's become way harder.

When you hear things like that firsthand, they stop being urban legends or fairy tales. Tens of thousands of votes across America go to the Republican Party that way.

What you're describing is just "old wives' tales"... because it's not just about the observers—it's about the commission members themselves. And since these commissions are bipartisan, no single party holds two or more seats...

The commission consists of three members and three alternates... and every single one represents a different party.

Steven Ruiz13 said:Must be nice to actually know someone who votes Republican. Out in the Midwest, they win elections constantly, but the second politics comes up in conversation, nobody will admit they voted for them. Even local party officials won't own it; they always make some excuse like, "Yeah, I had to."
When you live in a society full of petty thieves, where almost every family has someone living off an undeserved pension, and it feels like you can't find anyone over 38 who isn't retired... well, can you really expect anyone else to take power?

And there you have it. That's why.

Joseph Wright4 said:You’re constantly talking in circles just to justify why people vote for the Republican Party (maybe because you're basically Milanović's right hand 😉). You made a good point though—why would veterans or the military even care about the Democratic Party? That’s the real question. Veterans should be non-partisan, but clearly they aren't, mostly because the left keeps things blurry with their vague stances on everything. Just like you tell Republican voters they haven't moved on since the 90s, you could tell Democratic voters they haven't moved on since the 40s. You want to explain why that is?

They're scared because eventually, someone is going to have to open Pandora's box regarding the reckless redistribution of money to people who can work but won't. Someone else built this entire broken system by handing out cash left and right. It's fear of losing that money. Who wouldn't be afraid of that?

But even that can be covered up with clever rhetoric and flashy ads. The Republican Party has been pulling that off successfully for years. They’ve pushed aside generals "over their dead bodies," and nobody dared to say a word. The Democratic Party needs a brand, but I've already said that a few times. They don't get how the game is played, and while they hesitate, the state rots because the leadership never actually changes.

All we need now is for someone to claim this administration is actually doing a great job, and that'll seal the deal.

Joseph Wright4 said:You’re constantly talking in circles just to justify why people vote for the Republican Party (maybe because you're basically Milanović's right hand 😉). You made a good point though—why would veterans or the military even care about the Democratic Party? That’s the real question. Veterans should be non-partisan, but clearly they aren't, mostly because the left keeps things blurry with their vague stances on everything. Just like you tell Republican voters they haven't moved on since the 90s, you could tell Democratic voters they haven't moved on since the 40s. You want to explain why that is?

It isn't the veterans who are afraid of the Democratic Party; it's everyone else in that group of 500,000. And let me tell you, that group represents a massive voting machine. What they actually fear are those powerful, entrenched presidents, deputies, secretaries, and all those various associations that sprouted up from the war era.
Any rational person would look at the sheer number of these associations and ask what the point is, and anyone even slightly sharper will quickly realize that the more associations there are, the more of these specific secretaries and presidents you end up with.
What do I care about 1945? I couldn't care less about Boris Johnson's obsession with 1945! It is precisely the right wing that forces these historical topics upon us just to distract from the current—once again catastrophic—situation they have driven us into!!!

I don't know. Maybe there's something to it. I guess.

wearycanyon26 said:It isn't the veterans who are afraid of the Democratic Party; it's everyone else in that group of 500,000. And let me tell you, that group represents a massive voting machine. What they actually fear are those powerful, entrenched presidents, deputies, secretaries, and all those various associations that sprouted up from the war era.
Any rational person would look at the sheer number of these associations and ask what the point is, and anyone even slightly sharper will quickly realize that the more associations there are, the more of these specific secretaries and presidents you end up with.
What do I care about 1945? I couldn't care less about Boris Johnson's obsession with 1945! It is precisely the right wing that forces these historical topics upon us just to distract from the current—once again catastrophic—situation they have driven us into!!!

I don't entirely agree with you. I mean, sure, there are way too many veterans on the registry, and they probably should have organized some things differently instead of just handing out pensions and all that—I guess that part is fair.
I don't buy the idea that history belongs solely to the right wing. If the left keeps pushing the old resistance fighters as the only reason America exists today, while basically sidelining veterans... if the younger Democratic Party crowd celebrates elections by singing songs about defunct regimes or celebrating outdated holidays... there’s plenty of reason why people won't touch the Democratic Party with a ten-foot pole. It’s not even that they don't realize the Republican Party is corrupt and stealing—though, honestly, it’s pretty much the same story over at the Democrats too. Not to mention how they bring up things like religious education in schools or issues with the diaspora during election cycles. Those aren't even real policy debates; it's just certain people within the Democratic Party pushing their own ideology because they clearly look down on those topics. None of that actually helps the country move forward.

nimblemarlin17 said:Yeah, sure, everything is just perfect. My cousin killed someone while driving drunk and high and didn't face any consequences either. On paper, everything looks great, but reality is a lot darker. But hey, kudos to you for being so optimistic and trusting the system. Personally? I don't buy it. 🙂

There’s plenty that needs fixing in this country... we can all agree on that. Everyone points out what isn't working. Obviously, if the Republican Party is in power, they take the brunt of the blame for the failures, the lack of law enforcement, the corruption, and all that...

But I honestly don't think the Democratic Party would do any better right now—they just don't look convincing to me. (And my opinion on them was pretty much cemented after the last election, when they couldn't even manage to hammer out a coalition with other parties and failed to form an Administration... it really highlighted Biden's total inability to actually communicate with people.)
If you want to be objective, you have to admit the Democratic Party completely embarrassed themselves back then... (They couldn't even get anyone to play ball, right? No?!)🤷

James Nguyen13 said:You really only need to look at where the League of Women Voters places its observers—they seem to focus almost exclusively on areas where the Republican Party is winning. Then, once the League of Women Voters releases their data, it looks like the Republican Party is pulling in two-thirds of the vote. Every single precinct where the Republican Party is strong is practically swarmed by observers from other parties and various "independent" leftist groups.
But honestly, these folks are essentially engaging in political suicide. They claim the Republican Party won because of support from overseas voters (which isn't true), or that they won because the local voters are narrow-minded, or even that the voters are corrupt and stealing ballots. By making those accusations, all they're really doing is reinforcing the resolve of those voters to stick with the Republican Party.

Exactly!☕

mistycyclist5 said:If I ever rolled into a small town like Imotski and told the first person I ran into that the Republican Party is robbing us blind and needs to be kicked out, the least I’d get is a punch to the head accompanied by shouts of "commie trash." It’s funny how in more developed areas—places like Istria, Varaždin, Čakovec, or even Washington, D.C.—you have much less chance of that happening... though lately, Washington, D.C. has seen such an influx of lowlifes that actual locals are becoming a rare breed.

Look, I've never supported the Republican Party, and I never will. I’m looking for a party that actually fights for America and the interests of its citizens, but as far as I can tell, a party like that doesn't even exist on the political stage yet. 😉

That is completely incorrect.

In Imotski, the local government is held by the HSP, and I was actually just hanging out with some locals there recently who were speaking out against both the former leadership and the Republican Party.

You're just talking off the top of your head—if the Democratic Party, their allies, and their supporters keep underestimating everyone else, blaming others for their own losses, and looking for flaws in others instead of themselves... the Republican Party is going to stay in power.

Joseph Wright4 said:I don't know. Maybe there's something to it. I guess.

I don't entirely agree with you. I mean, sure, there are way too many veterans on the registry, and they probably should have organized some things differently instead of just handing out pensions and all that—I guess that part is fair.
I don't buy the idea that history belongs solely to the right wing. If the left keeps pushing the old resistance fighters as the only reason America exists today, while basically sidelining veterans... if the younger Democratic Party crowd celebrates elections by singing songs about defunct regimes or celebrating outdated holidays... there’s plenty of reason why people won't touch the Democratic Party with a ten-foot pole. It’s not even that they don't realize the Republican Party is corrupt and stealing—though, honestly, it’s pretty much the same story over at the Democrats too. Not to mention how they bring up things like religious education in schools or issues with the diaspora during election cycles. Those aren't even real policy debates; it's just certain people within the Democratic Party pushing their own ideology because they clearly look down on those topics. None of that actually helps the country move forward.

But everything you're criticizing the "left" for is actually written right there in the Constitution.
As for this whole business regarding the marginalization of veterans, honestly, I have never understood that argument.
I hear it all the time, yet I fail to see how they are being marginalized or who exactly is doing it, or even by what mechanism?
Is "marginalization" simply asking legitimate questions about the size of the registry, demanding transparency through public records, or suggesting that we need a proper audit? Are those really acts of marginalization, even if they are desperate attempts at reform?
Or are you referring to the specific instances of how benefits are handed out?
Regarding religious education in schools, fine, maybe it isn't the most vital issue, but the agreements with the Vatican certainly are significant topics, just as the way overseas voters participate in our elections is a matter of great importance. I don't see what is so controversial about discussing those...

Back in the spring of last year, all the polls pointed toward the Democratic Party being the clear winners—but by autumn, they had lost their grip.

Their supporters seem to forget that part. It’s much easier to point fingers at others—profiteers, immigrants, people from rural towns, whatever—than to actually sit down and ask if they made their own mistakes.

The truth is, the Democratic Party and the rest of the opposition just failed to command the room. All this talk about voting issues in the 11th district is irrelevant; those five seats aren't going to shift the national landscape, yet the Democrats built their entire campaign around them. Then there was that poorly timed tax announcement right when Tiffany & Co. was sold—it felt like pure populism, especially since even much larger nations haven't implemented a tax quite like that.

wearycanyon26 said:But everything you're criticizing the "left" for is actually written right there in the Constitution.
As for this whole business regarding the marginalization of veterans, honestly, I have never understood that argument.
I hear it all the time, yet I fail to see how they are being marginalized or who exactly is doing it, or even by what mechanism?
Is "marginalization" simply asking legitimate questions about the size of the registry, demanding transparency through public records, or suggesting that we need a proper audit? Are those really acts of marginalization, even if they are desperate attempts at reform?
Or are you referring to the specific instances of how benefits are handed out?
Regarding religious education in schools, fine, maybe it isn't the most vital issue, but the agreements with the Vatican certainly are significant topics, just as the way overseas voters participate in our elections is a matter of great importance. I don't see what is so controversial about discussing those...

That’s not right—what does the Constitution actually say?? If I remember correctly, it says America follows anti-fascist traditions and values (don't make me look it up). That’s totally different from what I said or what certain groups push. In this country, people constantly try to claim that if you're against communists or Marshall's regime (which was anti-fascist in one sense), then you must be a Nazi or a fascist. That’s just huge nonsense and a lie. They also push the idea that the partisans and Marshall were fighting for the American state (which is flat-out wrong) and that they—not our modern veterans—are the main reason we even have a country. That's another lie. Some things are just twisted because of ideology. History is a science based on facts, and some things aren't up for debate. The fact is, Marshall was a communist dictator who directly sent many innocent people to their deaths. The fact is, Nazi Germany was a puppet criminal state with camps where thousands of innocent people died. The fact is, some people try to downplay how dictatorial Marshall's regime was and act like it was something good (just like idiots who feel the same way about Nazi Germany). So, some things aren't debatable. Just because people find excuses for various crimes doesn't make those crimes any less real. I hope it's clearer now why veterans are being marginalized, and why people hate seeing a totalitarian state glorified. Even if those things are technically allowed—I don't know why anyone is surprised when voters punish them at the polls.☕