Posted on 12/17/2014 9:25:50 PM PST by Bettyprob
MOSCOW — From a Western perspective, Vladimir Putin's days as president of Russia should be numbered: The ruble has lost more than half its value, the economy is in crisis and his aggression in Ukraine has turned the country into an international pariah.
And yet most Russians see Putin not as the cause, but as the solution.
The situation as seen from a Russian point of view is starkly different from that painted in the West, and it is driven largely by state television's carefully constructed version of reality and the Kremlin's methodical dismantling of every credible political alternative.
As Putin prepares to face his public in a much-anticipated televised news conference, an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll released Thursday found that about 80 percent of Russians still support him.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Wow! NYT easily recognized press altering reality to support one political view.
Ask (privately) them again in six months. You may get a very different answer.
Blame Obama. His idiotic sanctions is the best cover for all the economic faults made by Russian government in a decade.
It is now all considered an act of war by the West.
“The situation as seen from a American point of view is starkly different from that painted in the East, and it is driven largely by state television’s carefully constructed version of reality and the Obama administration’s methodical dismantling of every credible political alternative.”
Made a few minor changes but it still sounds right.
Very good point in your post #2.
They also have a very one-sided state-run media in Russia and people who oppose Putin seem to get hurt or prison time
We have a pretty one-sided media much of the time, too. Until Fox News came along, it was ALL of the time.
We don't? I've seen pretty much nothing but "Russia bad; Ukraine good" since day one of this whole affair.
And you would be getting an honestly taken poll from over there, much like the ones we get here.
I can’t escape the fact that Russians are a rare people who actually like one man rule. Whether he’s a Tsar, a Communist, or a President for Life. This way they don’t have to think too much or concern themselves with government. Keep ultra-nationalism and Russian chauvinism circulating to explain everything and they’re content no matter how poorly their ruler does. They seem to have the totalitarian personality built into their culture. Our Putinistas are like that.
~I can’t escape the fact that Russians are a rare people who actually like one man rule. Whether he’s a Tsar, a Communist, or a President for Life.~
To believe Russia were and is ruled by one man is an utter stupidity.
Ask Khruschev or Gorby for starters.
Any leader may stay in power only as far as his policies are supported by quite numerous elites and elites are watching the public opinion very closely to be in line.
The level of control by the elites are somehow higher than in the west but to believe it is infinite is another stupidity.
The violence is actually a very rarely used method contrary to John McCain and other idiot’s propaganda. Russian elites just like their Western counterpart are mostly working to influence public opinion to get their way, sometimes they are very effectives, ofter not and in this case they are rarely pushing any further.
Russia is in no way a real dictatorship and has never been such since Stalin’s death. Much less after 1991.
Ruble has been, according to Bloomberg, “Volatile, but steady” for more than 24 hours, along with oil prices, which went up a bit yesterday.
A stronger USD is a factor, too.
Canada and Norway are getting hit, as well.
http://www.xe.com/currencycharts/?from=EUR&to=RUB&view=12h
In my city you can now both buy and sell USD for 63, Euro at 77 rubles.
Not only it is much lower than yesterday’s extremes, the lack of gap between buy and sell price is an obvious indicator that bankers aren’t expecting ruble to fall further.
This week. Wait till the shelves are bare.
USD under 59 rubles now from 63 a hour ago.
“And yet most Russians see Putin not as the cause, but as the solution.”
Until he isn’t.
...
And too many Americans wear giant blinders...
For sure they’re got one thing we don’t - a leader who loves his country...
BTW, you DO know they just put in CCW law?
http://www.gunnews.com/russia-now-allows-citizens-concealed-crry/
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