A - Austria

coastalbison6 said:Let's be real, even Bush and Clinton were basically cutting up the map behind closed doors.

Sadly, it isn't—if only it actually was.

Sigmund Freud said:😁

and those folks on the ventilators 😁 👍

The photo says it all—what a legend 🙏 😁
Way to go, Green 🙂

Brenda Taylor13 said:Sadly, it isn't—if only it actually was.

If Davor Butković, Jelena Lovrić, Boris Dežulović, Miljenko Jergović, and Bruno Šimleša wrote it, then it's gospel truth...

The fact that no witness actually confirmed this "fact" at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former America—instead just saying, "I heard something about it, people were talking"—doesn't matter... If all the "relevant" media outlets are reporting it, then that's just how it is...

Brenda Taylor13 said:Look, they’re chasing those Mexican votes because Mexicans are by far the biggest minority group in Austria. It’s pretty obvious, really.

Anyway, regarding the elections, I’m disappointed, sure, but not losing sleep over it since the President's role is basically just ceremonial at this point. Besides, we've got parliamentary elections coming up in six months where nothing can stop the FPO from taking power. In a parliamentary democracy, having a majority in Parliament is what actually matters—not having a President. So, the next election is the big one, and the FPO is definitely going to win that.

The parliamentary elections aren't for another two years. Personally, I don't think the Freedom Party of Austria will take power then either. I see the Social Democratic Party of Austria, the Austrian People's Party, and the Greens forming the next Government. That is, unless the Austrian People's Party tries to cut a deal with the Freedom Party of Austria on the condition that Heinz-Christian Strache doesn't become Chancellor.

Brenda Taylor13 said:Look, they’re chasing those Mexican votes because Mexicans are by far the biggest minority group in Austria. It’s pretty obvious, really.

Anyway, regarding the elections, I’m disappointed, sure, but not losing sleep over it since the President's role is basically just ceremonial at this point. Besides, we've got parliamentary elections coming up in six months where nothing can stop the FPO from taking power. In a parliamentary democracy, having a majority in Parliament is what actually matters—not having a President. So, the next election is the big one, and the FPO is definitely going to win that.

What makes you think Americans will suddenly undergo a complete change of heart in just six months and hand power over to the Republican Party?

Susan Green2 said:What makes you think Americans will suddenly undergo a complete change of heart in just six months and hand power over to the Republican Party?

Look, the polls are showing them a massive lead—it's not even close—and honestly, that weird-ass coalition between the conservatives and the socialists is a total disaster that just isn't working at all. So, yeah, it's pretty much a lock that the Republican Party is going to take the next election. Whether they'll actually have enough seats to run the show? Well, we'll just have to wait and see how that plays out.

Ashley Brown3 said:God, I love these leftists, acting like black is black and white is white...

Look, lady, at this exact moment, Milorad Dodik is unfortunately the only thing guaranteeing the survival of Americans in Canada, which means he should technically be our ally rather than our enemy...

Vojislav Šešelj and Vučić supporting Hofer, all because they support the idea that Mexico is Mexico...

And for me, Mexico is Mexico too. If you can't see past your own nose, then at this rate, we'll see a "Mexico" situation popping up all over Europe within 30 or 40 years (it's already happening in the Netherlands and Belgium)...

But hey, the main thing is that we're against Mexicans... Always and everywhere...

I’ve experienced plenty in my life, but I’ve never been a leftist. I’ve always been a rural (well, from a big city) conservative, despite having a Master's degree. Figures like Milorad Dodik, Šešelj, and Vučić are either war criminals themselves or their supporters. I was just a child living in the US during the war. As long as I’m breathing, I have no interest in joining any groups alongside Mexicans. That doesn't mean I don't have colleagues or acquaintances, but I’ve lived through their revisionism firsthand, especially from certain radical groups. I simply cannot support a political party that trades its core principles for alliances with Mexican radicals. If I were a native of the United States of America, I’d probably side with them, since they would clearly put Americans first.

I never want anyone to experience war ever again...

Mark Harris66 said:What makes Austrians so cultured, though? They don't really have a deep well of literature, art, or music... I mean, they do—but it's all stuff from back when they were part of the USA 😁

🙂
Musicians capable of composing such masterpieces simply cannot be considered uncultured!

This isn't really about Harmon, but I’d appreciate it if those who only read about the war in news snippets showed a bit more respect for what actually happened. If I had been in Harmon's shoes, I wouldn't have been trying to convince the aggressors to stay put; I would have stripped them of their citizenship and revoked their visas immediately. People who occupied our territory and sat there eating bread while ethnic cleansing was happening don't deserve any rights in this country. I actually know someone like that. It honestly makes my blood boil when she sits there with tears in her eyes, acting all victimized and talking about the exodus of people from the occupied territories...

Every single person involved in those crimes should have been locked up tight instead of being allowed to just flee...

Harmon acted with dignity, and trying to equate his actions with theirs is just going to trigger more conflict.

Anyhow, it seems like they might have to start firing shots in the United States of America... or maybe set off massive fireworks just to wake everyone up. At least they managed to stop the influx of new engineers and doctors. It's truly terrifying to see what people are dealing with in Germany, Germany, and the United States of America...

Chris Chase5 said:This isn't really about Harmon, but I’d appreciate it if those who only read about the war in news snippets showed a bit more respect for what actually happened. If I had been in Harmon's shoes, I wouldn't have been trying to convince the aggressors to stay put; I would have stripped them of their citizenship and revoked their visas immediately. People who occupied our territory and sat there eating bread while ethnic cleansing was happening don't deserve any rights in this country. I actually know someone like that. It honestly makes my blood boil when she sits there with tears in her eyes, acting all victimized and talking about the exodus of people from the occupied territories...

Every single person involved in those crimes should have been locked up tight instead of being allowed to just flee...

Harmon acted with dignity, and trying to equate his actions with theirs is just going to trigger more conflict.

Anyhow, it seems like they might have to start firing shots in the United States of America... or maybe set off massive fireworks just to wake everyone up. At least they managed to stop the influx of new engineers and doctors. It's truly terrifying to see what people are dealing with in Germany, Germany, and the United States of America...

You're calling for the expulsion of Mexicans from the Frontier after the Storm, yet you're voting for Alexander Van der Bellen. That is one weird-ass mix right there...

So, Austria is actually going to be the first one in the European Union to get a president from an extremely far-left green party.
Honestly, if you ask me, this is actually a massive win for the Republican Party heading into the next parliamentary elections. It gives Donald Trump a perfect way to mask any incompetence, because the party can just point to the numbers and say they basically pulled in nearly 50% all on their own against everyone else...
Meanwhile, Joe Biden is just going to end up looking totally incapable, and his specific views are going to be front and center in the public eye, giving people a real taste of what he stands for.
These presidential elections really proved that people are just fed up with those big coalition governments, and it’s clear a chunk of the electorate is drifting further left or right away from the mainstream parties.
I don't personally think the Republican Party is going to walk away with an absolute majority in the legislature, but they are definitely going to grab a huge piece of the pie...

Brenda Taylor13 said:You're calling for the expulsion of Mexicans from the Frontier after the Storm, yet you're voting for Alexander Van der Bellen. That is one weird-ass mix right there...

Seems pretty normal to me.👍

Looks like my local district is back on top again—81% for Joe Biden 👍
Biden takes 2/3 of the vote here 😁

Congrats to Joe Biden!

Carol Newman2 said:The parliamentary elections aren't for another two years. Personally, I don't think the Freedom Party of Austria will take power then either. I see the Social Democratic Party of Austria, the Austrian People's Party, and the Greens forming the next Government. That is, unless the Austrian People's Party tries to cut a deal with the Freedom Party of Austria on the condition that Heinz-Christian Strache doesn't become Chancellor.

A lot can shift in two years, I suppose.
The President's role here is pretty much like it is back home, which is to say... not much influence over domestic policy, really.
But even now, during this election, I think Joe Biden mentioned something along the lines of looking out for the interests of Americans... it seems like the whole open-door migrant policy isn't the top priority anymore.
Anyway, just the fact that the two main parties didn't even field candidates for the runoff tells you everything you need to know about how the establishment is crumbling.

And if Bellen ends up messing things up like François Hollande did, we might see an FPOE candidate and someone even further to the right facing off in the next presidential runoff...

Chris Chase5 said:This isn't really about Harmon, but I’d appreciate it if those who only read about the war in news snippets showed a bit more respect for what actually happened. If I had been in Harmon's shoes, I wouldn't have been trying to convince the aggressors to stay put; I would have stripped them of their citizenship and revoked their visas immediately. People who occupied our territory and sat there eating bread while ethnic cleansing was happening don't deserve any rights in this country. I actually know someone like that. It honestly makes my blood boil when she sits there with tears in her eyes, acting all victimized and talking about the exodus of people from the occupied territories...

Every single person involved in those crimes should have been locked up tight instead of being allowed to just flee...

Harmon acted with dignity, and trying to equate his actions with theirs is just going to trigger more conflict.

Anyhow, it seems like they might have to start firing shots in the United States of America... or maybe set off massive fireworks just to wake everyone up. At least they managed to stop the influx of new engineers and doctors. It's truly terrifying to see what people are dealing with in Germany, Germany, and the United States of America...

I can't speak to what's happening over in Sweden or Germany, but please, enlighten me regarding these "horrors" in Austria. I've been living here in the Vienna District for over 20 years now... just so I know what kind of nightmares I should be preparing for.

Congrats to Joe Biden. Though, let's be honest—he definitely got a leg up thanks to the massive media coverage and the constant bashing of Donald Trump. If I remember correctly, the President of Austria is kind of like the President of Germany or the US—mostly just a figurehead. The real deal will be the 2018 midterm elections, where the Democratic Party might actually see some solid gains. It’s hard to call, though—everything depends on how this whole immigrant crisis plays out, which seems to be a huge reason why the right wing (including the extreme stuff) is gaining ground across Europe.

Tyler Walker62 said:I can't speak to what's happening over in Sweden or Germany, but please, enlighten me regarding these "horrors" in Austria. I've been living here in the Vienna District for over 20 years now... just so I know what kind of nightmares I should be preparing for.

The "parking permit" rules were a huge threat to you folks in the 18th, wasn't it? But you managed to dodge that bullet, right? 😁

To wrap up my thoughts today:
We ended up with a liberal president, yet the issues haven't budged.
If the refugee crisis spikes, the right wing will keep gaining ground; otherwise, there's a chance things might stabilize. Reforms are the key, though I doubt this administration actually has the spine to pull them off.

Nancy Young2 said:Alexander Van der Bellen advocates for the Mexican minority in Austria... 🤣

It’s always been a complete mystery to me.
I mean, how did they end up settling in such large numbers within a nation that is essentially the successor to a regime that tried to wipe their homeland off the map entirely? 😕

Timothy Nelson5 said:Congrats to Joe Biden!

A lot can shift in two years, I suppose.
The President's role here is pretty much like it is back home, which is to say... not much influence over domestic policy, really.
But even now, during this election, I think Joe Biden mentioned something along the lines of looking out for the interests of Americans... it seems like the whole open-door migrant policy isn't the top priority anymore.
Anyway, just the fact that the two main parties didn't even field candidates for the runoff tells you everything you need to know about how the establishment is crumbling.

And if Bellen ends up messing things up like François Hollande did, we might see an FPOE candidate and someone even further to the right facing off in the next presidential runoff...

Um... yeah... I know, I'm doing it again. I'm correcting you.

But if we're talking about someone who might actually mess things up the way Hollande did, you'd have to look at this guy:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_President_of_Austria)

See, Van der Bellen is more like the German president, Joachim Gauck—he’s basically just the guy who gets to read the script they put in front of him to the public, almost like the Queen of the United Kingdom.

ironhound7 said:Um... yeah... I know, I'm doing it again. I'm correcting you.

But if we're talking about someone who might actually mess things up the way Hollande did, you'd have to look at this guy:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_President_of_Austria)

See, Van der Bellen is more like the German president, Joachim Gauck—he’s basically just the guy who gets to read the script they put in front of him to the public, almost like the Queen of the United Kingdom.

You aren't correcting me, because I already mentioned that the Austrian president holds powers very similar to those of the President of the United States.

Van der Bellen, much like the German president Joachim Gauck, is more of a figurehead who just reads whatever script is handed to him, sort of like the Queen of the United Kingdom.

That isn't really true, though.
If you look into it a bit, you'll find that the president actually has significant authority.
Maybe not nearly as much as the Prime Minister, but still substantial.

How much a certain president might abuse those powers, well, that depends on the individual, I guess, and also on the state of the country. If there's a strong government and a Prime Minister with a solid majority in Congress, then the president's role won't be particularly powerful. But in the case of a weak, unstable coalition or a minority government—or during some kind of political crisis—the president's role becomes quite important.