Posted on 03/02/2008 10:43:46 AM PST by NoLibZone
Most analysts foresee a Kremlin double act after a loaded election, but some optimists scent a wind of change in Medvedev
The campaign has been drearily insipid; the result a foregone conclusion. Unlike in the US, where the presidential election remains tantalisingly open, Russia's presidential election has been a lacklustre affair - because the man who counts has already voted.
Vladimir Putin announced last December that he was backing Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister, to be the next President. Medvedev swiftly offered Putin the job of Prime Minister. Ever since, the Kremlin has been using its vast administrative resources to make this happy scenario come true. Millions of public sector workers have been told to vote for Medvedev or lose their jobs. Additionally, zealous election functionaries are preparing to stuff ballot boxes tonight to ensure that he wins a landslide victory.
The same tactic was used in Russia's rigged parliamentary elections in December, which saw some areas of the country, most notably Chechnya and other parts of the north Caucasus, deliver a 99 per cent vote for Putin's United Russia party. Turnout was an equally improbable 99.6 per cent. Fraudulent elections have now become an established part of Russian political life - in the words of the Soviet dissident Sergei Kovalev a 'tasteless farce being played out by untalented directors on the entire, boundless Russian stage'.
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
See, the Ruskies have their Tammany Hall too :-)
The Russians are just sore because they don’t have a candidate born in a manger, like we do...
That is a such a stupid comparison..kind of like comparing Clinton to Reagan.
The United Russia Party is as close to a conservative pro Christian Party as it gets.
Take with a grain of salt what the secular socialists write for the media in the West like the Guardian!
I take it you are pro Putin.
Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov, a Kremlin-backed former rebel chief, made -- and kept -- a similar promise of total support for the ruling party before nationwide parliamentary elections in December. "I believe there will be a 100 percent turnout today. My family and all the people of the Chechen republic will vote for him," Kadyrov told Reuters after casting his vote for Medvedev. Official results from December's parliamentary election showed that Chechnya, which fought two wars with Russia, returned a 99.5 percent turnout and 99.3 percent support for Putin's party -- the highest vote for Putin anywhere in Russia.
Putin stands head and shoulders above the rest of them...certainly far better than anything we have running for president this year.
Back at ya—who are you for? Zyuganov?
I don’t really count, I’m not Russian. I think they should give the chess player a shot.
“Fraudulent elections have now become an established part of Russian political life - in the words of the Soviet dissident Sergei Kovalev a ‘tasteless farce being played out by untalented directors on the entire, boundless Russian stage’.”
Frankly, I see little difference between Russia’s corrupted political nightmare...... and ours.
100% LMAO!
So in discussing politics in a group of Russians they will agree with each other 100% of the time on all issues.
What great little robotic society they have created.
The chess player? The guy who allied himself with the Marxists/leninsits...and got nowhere for his effort.
Look - we are about to elect a Marxist Islamic sympathizer and some people here are arguing over a conservative centrist like Putin who actually puts his country’s needs and interests above others...give me a royal break.
I understand your view. I also think that breaking the oligarchy is healthy. I don’t count anyway so WTF...
I heard the turnout was actually 127%
We are beggars of oil.
Russia is an energy exporting nation..
As for the mafia oligarchs: most of them are on the run from Putin as well they should be.
Putin is doing just fine thank you. We need to take lessons from Russia and Putin.
So you’d like Bush to appoint his successor.
I believe you.
We are beggars of oil. What does that tell you?
So you’d like Bush to appoint his successor.
No - instead Bush has left the GOP hanging in the wind. Reagan had a VP ready to go into the fray. This Bush did nothing to help insure the future of the conservative movement except the SC.
And it seems we have gotten ourselves a tired retread in McCain...who just loves working with the left.
It tells me that we use a lot of oil. What does it tell you?
I know McCain is old, but that old?
I think there is still a bit more than a little difference. But people will refuse to see where we are headed until we are there.
And if you get flamed for your statement, I say it is unjust. Because you are closer to the truth than those who refuse to truly see what have been put before us as candidates.
They don’t have to agree, just shut up and support. It’s no different than what the McCain campaign demands.
Why would Bush want to do anything to insure the continuation of the conservative movement?
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