Posted on 09/19/2013 3:39:01 AM PDT by cunning_fish
When Pravda.ru editor, Dmitry Sudakov, offered to publish my commentary, he referred to me as "an active anti-Russian politician for many years." I'm sure that isn't the first time Russians have heard me characterized as their antagonist. Since my purpose here is to dispel falsehoods used by Russia's rulers to perpetuate their power and excuse their corruption, let me begin with that untruth. I am not anti-Russian. I am pro-Russian, more pro-Russian than the regime that misrules you today.
I make that claim because I respect your dignity and your right to self-determination. I believe you should live according to the dictates of your conscience, not your government. I believe you deserve the opportunity to improve your lives in an economy that is built to last and benefits the many, not just the powerful few. You should be governed by a rule of law that is clear, consistently and impartially enforced and just. I make that claim because I believe the Russian people, no less than Americans, are endowed by our Creator with inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
A Russian citizen could not publish a testament like the one I just offered. President Putin and his associates do not believe in these values. They don't respect your dignity or accept your authority over them. They punish dissent and imprison opponents. They rig your elections. They control your media. They harass, threaten, and banish organizations that defend your right to self-governance. To perpetuate their power they foster rampant corruption in your courts and your economy and terrorize and even assassinate journalists who try to expose their corruption.
They write laws to codify bigotry against people whose sexual orientation they condemn. They throw the members of a punk rock band in jail for the
(Excerpt) Read more at english.pravda.ru ...
McCain (representing al Qaeda in Az. and Syria and Egypt
and Libya) should resign and GO to Russia.
And the American people deserve better than obamA and you
Here is the original article in Russian:
http://www.pravda.ru/news/world/northamerica/usacanada/19-09-2013/1174849-McCain_for_pravda_ru-0/
“President Putin and his associates do not believe in these values. They don’t respect your dignity or accept your authority over them. They punish dissent and imprison opponents. They rig your elections. They control your media. They harass, threaten, and banish organizations that defend your right to self-governance. To perpetuate their power they foster rampant corruption in your courts and your economy and terrorize and even assassinate journalists who try to expose their corruption.”
I read this paragraph and thought McCain had described the current American government. It’s very sad when our own government is as bad, or worse than the Russian government and McCain doesn’t see the irony in his projection.
Say what you like, it’s an astonishing change that such an article could be published in a Russian newspaper.
I also think he isn’t recognizing that Putin is by all accounts quite popular in Russia. But then, so was Stalin.
And we should never have to listen to McCain.
McCain is desperate to distract from the America he has helped to create.
NSA spying on the people - exceptionalism
Federal agencies deliberately working to smother “dangerous” political thought - exceptionalism
An ever growing bureaucratic fungal mat smothering entrepreneurship and crushing all will to strive or achieve - exceptionalism
Cradle to grave indoctrination of the communist party line in schools and ever growing social agencies - exceptionalism
Elected officials getting fabulously wealthy by legislating financial advantages for themselves - exceptionalism
Companies and unions buying influence with elected officials who legislate financial advantages for all 3 - Exceptionalism
Pedophile congressmen getting away with sleeping with underage prostitutes - exceptionalism
30 million + illegal aliens overrunning the country unchecked for someone elses political and financial gain - exceptionalism
Billions in foreign aid to nations that hate us - exceptionalism
Billions spent on pipe dream green energy scams that produce no energy and drive up costs - exceptionalism
Elected officials openly contemptuous toward the people who elected them - exceptionalism
Hitch hiking to the space station in Soyuz capsules from the 1960s because we don’t have a ride of our own - exceptionalism
Elected “Representatives” who exempt themselves from the laws they pass for their “constituents” - exceptionalism.
I understand your point, but I think at this stage it’s a tad hyperbolic.
Perhaps you’d like to post examples of:
Punished dissent. (Idiotic IRS decisions don’t count).
Imprisoned opponents.
Controlled media. (Our media isn’t controlled, it supports Obama willingly.)
They harass, threaten, and banish organizations that defend your right to self-governance. (IRS bit applies here, but denial of tax-exempt status isn’t really banning.)
Rampant corruption in your courts and your economy (Fair enough, but the court bit, like the media “control” is self-imposed, not forced on them.)
Terrorize and even assassinate journalists who try to expose their corruption.
For the most part, in this country opponents of the regime aren’t oppressed, they’re ignored.
he didn’t mention that America is more seriously overdue to trade up
This was not meant for the Russians—it was for domestic consumption to make him appear more conservative at home. This is meant to counter the OPPOSITION HE FACES AT HOME. The Tea Party is crushing him and his popularity is plummeting, which makes it hard for him to vote for Obamacare, Amnestry bill, increasing the debt limit, sending arms to Al-Qaeda and all the other radical Obama program. Some people here are falling for this crap. McCain is a fraud.
>>>This was not meant for the Russians—it was for domestic consumption to make him appear more conservative at home. This is meant to counter the OPPOSITION HE FACES AT HOME. The Tea Party is crushing him and his popularity is plummeting, which makes it hard for him to vote for Obamacare, Amnestry bill, increasing the debt limit, sending arms to Al-Qaeda and all the other radical Obama program. Some people here are falling for this crap. McCain is a fraud.<<<
Well, it might be true, but in this case it makes no sense to publish in Pravda (with an original in Russian).
Punished dissent. (Idiotic IRS decisions don’t count).”
Why in the world doesn’t an example such as the IRS not count? Not only were organizations that had language opposing Obama denied 501c3 approval, there are many instances where individuals or businesses have been targeted for harrassment from the IRS—think Billy Graham (recently) and Gibson Guitars.
“Imprisoned opponents.”
The Hutaree group?
“’Controlled media. (Our media isn’t controlled, it supports Obama willingly.)’”
I believe that a majority in the media are supportive of Obama. But, I also believe that those in the media who would have most likely reported the “truth” about what is going on have been threatened. Also, let’s not forget that the Justice Department subpaeoned AP records and tapped journolist phone lines. In addition, it is well know that the media is “controlled” (although willingly) by disseminating the Administration talking points.
“They harass, threaten, and banish organizations that defend your right to self-governance. (IRS bit applies here, but denial of tax-exempt status isn’t really banning.)”
No...organizations aren’t banned, they are just harrassed to the point of non-existence, or not given the abiity to organize at all (IRS DOES apply here.)
“Rampant corruption in your courts and your economy (Fair enough, but the court bit, like the media “control” is self-imposed, not forced on them.)”
“Terrorize and even assassinate journalists who try to expose their corruption.”
BREITBART
I want to apologize in advance for the formatting of this post. I am on my Ipad, and I’m not familliar with formatting as I am on my computer. I’m really sorry, but I wanted to reply to your post to at least make sure that I could identify some of the reasons that I likened McCain’s accusations of the Russion government to our own.
You have got to be kidding,this is too easy,this ass McCain has the nerve to say something like this,Hey Mccain put a sock in it you A-Hole
Petty denial of permit for 2 Million Biker Rally.
Imprisoned opponents.
Yemini Jounalist/Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, the filmmaker behind the Innocence of Muslims YouTube trailer.
Controlled media. (Our media isn’t controlled, it supports Obama willingly.)
Seriously!
They harass, threaten, and banish organizations that defend your right to self-governance. (IRS bit applies here, but denial of tax-exempt status isn’t really banning.)
But it is harrassment and threats!
Rampant corruption in your courts and your economy (Fair enough, but the court bit, like the media “control” is self-imposed, not forced on them.)
Justice John Roberts
Terrorize and even assassinate journalists who try to expose their corruption.
Andrew Breitbart and Michael Hastings.
Fairly weak retort - let me finish my coffee...
McCain throws this in despite the fact that the vast majority of Russians support laws outlawing homosexual proselytizing of minors. And the Patriarch of Moscow pled for mercy for Pussy Riot. Putin again knew what he was doing. He gave Crazy John enough rope.
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