Free Republic

Are you really claiming that someone who once came here illegally, notwithstanding that they have since legalized and become useful and productive members of our country, somehow deserve death because of that original, illegal act? I ask because your words, “Live by the law - or not, and die by the law - or not” seem to say just that.

Rather kneejerk response. Are you saying we need more Canadys and fewer people like the victim?

At one time French was the business language of Jersey, but but beginning in the 20th Century and through today, English is the predominant language. Given that Jersey is part of Great Britain, it seems unlikely, to say the least, that the British would allow French to be the official language of the place.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jersey#Culture

One must consider the source of this article in evaluating whether it represents an accurate description of what she said, if she said it at all. Russia Today is a site that supports pro-Russian propaganda targeted against other nations of the former Soviet Union that have had the temerity to assert independance from Russia today. Yulya Timoshenko is very much pro-Ukrainian loathed by those who wish for a return to Russian hegemony.

Bill Clinton's first thought, "Did someone say hummer?"

Whatever you use, make sure you spray under the leaves and at the stem joints. That's where you'll find the eggs.

I was wondering why the Russian wives club has been so quiet lately.

The jokes that this posting has spawned seem to miss the point that what the Chicoms are accused of doing is so immoral (if such word has any meaning even here) as to be beyond belief. If the account here is to be believed, they are persecuting people for their religious beliefs, putting them in camps, murdering them, and then harvesting their organs so as to earn hard currency.

The article linked by Drudge says announcement at 2:00 p.m.

But I thought the levee didn't break until a day or so after the storm passed, in which case the headline is inaccurate.

What do cats do once they catch the mouse?

That's sometimes the downside. If your cat really loves you, it will leave the mouse in a special place for you as a gift. Beside the pillow or in a shoe, for example.

Just wait for the usual suspects to blaim Soros.

The pro-Russia cheerleaders on these threads like to waive the bloody shirt of Soros whenever they find themselves on the losing end of a discussion.

To respond to your last comment first, I don't see how my posting could be deemed to be "peddl[ing] hate." You would be correct in stating that I am not an admirer of Putin. However, to describe my post in terms of being "hate" is dishonest. Obviously we disagree as to how to characterize the present situation between Ukraine in Russia. To attack me at such a personal level, however, is not merited. I urge you to keep this discourse {relatively) civil.

Regarding your other responses to my post.

If pricing information is available regarding European contracts expressed in cubic meters is readily available, I would be curious to see it. You also did not provide the relevant multiplier for MMBtu to cubic meters.

Regarding country level european contracts, perhaps you misunderstood my point. To the extent that natural gas contract prices are negotiated at the level of national governments, price discovery in Europe is not possible. In the U.S. there is a relatively efficient market in natural gas that allows for some meaningful comparison. As I do not know how to translate MMBtu to cubic meters myself, and you claim to have worked out the conversion, wouldn't it advance the debate on this thread to share this information?

I'm not aware that Ukraine has any objection to going to the Swedish Court of Arbitration. However the Swedish Court, like all courts, has a characteristic that makes it of limited use in this situation. Russia is seeking to punish Ukraine today by withholding natural gas andabrogating its contractual obligations. By the time this matter would have been arbitrated, the damage will have been done.

Regarding the increase in prices in other countries. First, the prices shown in the chart earlier in the thread show that of all those countries, Ukraine would be paying by far the highest price. Second, that ignores the issue of existing contractual obligations. Third, your reference to Belarus does not state whether there were any existing contractual obligations vis a vis price. That Russia was able to have Belarus "sell" its pipeline to Gazprom is certainly interesting. But then, it is unlikely Belarus had much choice or that Lukashenko would in any event object to bowing to the will to his only ally.

I think 1rudeboys point is well taken. The conversion formula between the U.S. and the European pricing standard would allow a more rational level of debate. As it is, we don't really know what the price is in the U.S. versus Europe. The conversion formula should be a simple ration and I would appreciate it if you could share your knowledge with us.

Also, I find it interesting that in the U.S. and Canada it is easy to find market price information while in Europe it is not. This suggests a few things:

First, that the European natural gas market is based on contracts at a country government level;

Second, that Ukraine had a set contract price for natural gas that was supposedly valid for several more years that Russia has now unilaterally abrogated.

Third, that Germany has gotten itself a really bad deal in its natural gas contract with Russia, and that Schroeder did this deliberately while still leader of Germany so that he could get a lucrative payoff with Gazprom now that he is no longer in power in Germany.

Fourth, that this whole controversy has nothing to do with "capitalism" but only with Russia giving Ukraine a strong dose of "realpolitik" out of spite of having their chosen candidate for the Ukrainian presidency humiliated. This in turn humiliated Putin who is now returning the favor.

Richard A. Posner was appointed by Reagan and is considered a conservative. He also does not suffer fools, and that is his main criticism of the immigration judges' opinions he finds himself reviewing now. He is wasting his time because the DOJ's Board of Immigration Appeals can't be bothered to do its job.

Japan started offering multi-generational mortgages shortly before the bottom fell out of their real estate market. My first thought in reading this article is that the same thing is about to happen here.

I think the problem with asylum is that they've already expressed a desire to go back temporarily for family reasons. Thus the desire for asylum, while legitimate, is in opposition to their stated willingness to return to the country of oppression, even if temporarily.

One thing I'm curious about is what abuses the Home Office was concerned about and whether it involved fraud by blacks claiming to have a British grandparent. The article dances around the question, but it seemed to me that there was an elephant in the tent no one wanted to talk about.

I don't see it. Did you find it in the penumbra?

I think you are right, except that an employer could argue that since an illegal would not be eligible for workers comp, he certainly shouldn't be able to milk the system with a tort claim. Regardless, I don't think workers comp can be seen as some sort of benefit paid for by the state. Employers have to have workers comp insurance as part of the cost of doing business. If illegals aren't covered by the insurance, then it's even cheaper for an employer to hire them. At that point, any costs get born by medical providers which in turn the government(either state or federal) will pay for or we will in the form of higher medical costs. Either way, this bill is silly and will only encourage the hiring of more illegals.

It's the NYPost. It stinks that they now require registration, but as a source they are pretty reliable in getting it right. :]

Someone should ask the court clerk what the penalty is for failing to show up for jury duty. As it is, I think that judge abused his discretion and should be reprimanded (and forced to reimburse the thousand bucks personally).

It is my understanding based on similar cases in other parts of the country that Home Depot as a matter of policy does go after alleged shoplifters notwithstanding evidence that no theft occurred, that a simple mistake was made, or that the fault lies squarely with Home Depot staff. Part of the zero tolerance/sense attitude haunting many institutions (like public schools).

In addition, Home Depot has been sued many times for false arrest, and has regularly lost such suits. The best approach is to defend any criminal charges aggressively and then sue (being sure not to miss any applicable civil statutes of limitation). Home Depot will settle rather than face a jury trial.

I thought only people could be libeled.

A 56 year old bomber pilot. Is that likely?

It looks like this bill provides free access to weather information for commercial resellers of such information but prohibits dissemination to the public that would compete with such resellers. It does not appear that commercial resellers would be required to pay for such information. Currently, such information is disseminated to the public by the government. Remember, our taxes pay for this information. Sounds like someone bought this legislation.

Doesn't say anywhere she was granted citizenship, only asylum.

Interesting that right after losing in a civil case, where the burden was on her to prove she was persecuted (i.e., the government's job was easy), the ICE people decide to go after her criminally. It is not at all clear from the article how she is a liar, whether these false docuements have anything to do with her asylum claim, and what evidence they have that she is not a buddhist nun.

Sounds like sour grapes by the government.

Leave it to the BBC to use scare quotes around "solves" and "killers". Nice show of solidarity there with Gongadze, a real journalist.

No doubt September 11 explains why Russia has so staunchly supported us in Iraq. Their behaviour at the UN for that reminds me of the Soviet bad old days when the UN was also known as the Moscow Circus.

That explains why Yushchenko has named Tymoshenko to be prime minister and why Yanukovich has fled to Russia. Destro, your command of geo-politics continues to amaze and astound me.

I expect that the support Yanukovich is hoping for is a comfortable exile in Russia at a dacha with lots of babes and booze.

Actually, it was Yushchenko who vacationed with Saakashvili. Interestingly, Saakashvili speaks Ukrainian better than Yanukovich, who only speaks a sort of Russian jailhouse patois.

See http://www.voanews.com/english/2005-01-03-voa27.cfm

"Ukrainians began their traditional holiday week without officially knowing who will be their next president. Even the apparent winner of the election - opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko - is taking some time off, during this week between New Years Eve and Orthodox Christmas on January 7.
. . . . . .
The Georgian presidential couple, Mikhail Saakashvili and his wife Sandra, are with the Yushchenkos at the Ukrainian village retreat. They flew into Kiev for New Years Eve festivities on the Maidan, or central square, that attracted tens-of-thousands of peaceful revelers."

Yushchenko has mentioned it, and Kuchma had said previously that he would have signed the legislation had Yanukovich not gone on a "leave of absence". Kuchma has now conveniently forgotten this. My point, to the extent there is one this late in the evening, is that Chivers is very selective in the facts he chooses to report.

Of course, whether it is wise for Yushchenko to expend political capital at this point on such an apparently trivial matter is another question.

Oops, the end should read:

"Just as the NYT columnist, and Walter Duranty wannabe, Chivers has apparently forgotten. And of course, Destro."

I left out mention of the NYT writer, Chivers. Maybe he'll get a Pulitzer for his Moscow backed reporting.

Yanukovich was dismissed by Parliament. His little vacation was not for purposes of campaigning, but to avoid forcing Kuchma to sign the legislation passed by parliament to dismiss Yanukovich. Now, Yanukovich is back, and Kuchma has conveniently "forgotten" to carry out parliament's will Just as the NYT columnist, and Walter Duranty wannabe, has apparently forgotten. And of course, Destro.

It is possible that this time Yanuk will organize some blue revolution in the eastern part

There's not enough vodka in Ukraine for Yanukovich to organize any kind of meaningful protest.

Don't forget the Great Feats of Strength

Unbelievable, you are linking to an article you yourself posted that was authored by renowned America hater, John Laughland. Here are some other articles this esteemed journalist, and Guardian writer, has written:

The Prague racket
Nato is now a device to exert control and extract cash. Those who resist, like Belarus, are punished
John Laughland
Friday November 22, 2002
The Guardian

The revolution televised
The western media's view of Ukraine's election is hopelessly biased
John Laughland
Saturday November 27, 2004
The Guardian

John Laughland: Who observes the observers?
The west's condemnation of Zimbabwe's election process is a breathtaking case of double standards. The chasm that opened up between the various teams of observers at the Zimbabwean elections shows the urgency of reformulating one of the oldest questions of political philosophy: who observes the observers?
By Guardian Newspapers, 3/18/2002


Oil will be the driving factor for military intervention in Sudan
By John Laughland
August 3, 2004
The Guardian, August 2, 2004

Forgive me, you did mention spiriting the WMDs from Iraq on the eve of our invasion. But it bears repeating.

There is so much that Putin has been doing to frustrate U.S. interests that you no doubt overlooked his role in spiriting away WMDs from Iraq on the eve our invasion.

Another good article, this time regarding the fraud perpetrated in the Ukrainian elections. Such fraud was committed almost exclusively at the hands of Yanukovich's masters, Kuchma and Putin. The observers included Bob Schaffer, respected former Colorado Republican Congressman.

Four angry men (Former Congressmen Observe Ukraine Election)
http://www.kyivpost.com ^ | 11/25/2004 | Vlad Lavrov, Kyiv Post Staff Writer


Posted on 11/28/2004 11:24:44 PM EST by FreeReign


A delegation of four election observers – former congressmen Larry Pressler (R-S.D.), Bob Schaffer (R-CO), John Rhodes (R-AR) and Dennis Hertel (D-MI), whose observation mission was organized by the Association of Former U.S. Congress Members and the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation, and financed by USAID – was in Ukraine from Nov. 20 to Nov. 24 to observe the second round of the country’s presidential elections. On Election Day they visited several polling stations in Irpin, Brovary and Berezan in Kyiv oblast.

The Post met with them at the Dnipro Hotel in Kyiv on Nov. 22.


KP: What is your general opinion about the second round of the presidential elections in Ukraine?

LP: I am just speaking for myself: This morning I told the Foreign Minister [Kostyantyn Hryshchenko] that this election has been stolen. And I used exactly this word – stolen. Other people may have different views.

We saw a bus yesterday with a group of young people who came to the polling station and voted [with absentee ballots]. We tried to take a picture of them on the bus, but were objected to. When I got here, I learned that the legislators voted to abolish the use of absentee ballots, but the president had not signed it.

I also learned that the Supreme Court intervened in another area and stopped the government from having more overseas polling places.

Coming back to Kyiv from our polling station in Brovary last night, we were stopped by the police at about 12:30 AM. I am an old infantry guy, and I looked at their weapons and I know that those guys were serious, they are playing for keeps and this is very scary.

The foreign minister responded in his usual way, but at least I got it off my chest, as I used the word “stolen.”

DH: My problem has been that you cannot have a free and honest election if observers and representatives of political parties are not allowed to be present. It is true that the people were participating in democracy just like in our country, and that the poll workers were doing an excellent job overall. Of course I saw some discrepancies, but we see them in any election.

But the major problem that I saw is that you cannot collect the ballots and then close the doors to the public and to the media. Therefore, the results of such an election cannot be deemed as acceptable. And overall, I condemn what is being done by the Central Election Commission.

KP: Did the violations affected the outcome of the elections?

DH: If you are talking about a close election of just three percent, which is what they are suggesting now, even in that case the discrepancies would reach three percent. But I think many more votes would be changed in a closed system where you are taking all the results and you close the doors to everyone and then announcing to the world the results while no one has been able to see or challenge or observe their tabulation whatsoever.

So that cannot be called a free and fair election in any terms.

In our country we have learned that everything has to be open to the sunlight – the public, media, observers and political participants have to be involved – otherwise, it is not a fair and open process. Democracy has to be a free and open process.

The final result is totally closed and it cannot be trusted whatsoever.

JR: We saw some discrepancies during our visits yesterday. What we saw, probably, would not have swayed the elections. And we saw vote counting at the polling station which was very open and transparent.

But then the ballots left the polling station and we have no idea what happened to them later. And if the entire process is not completely open, then we have no guarantee that any part of the process is completely open.

We know that at the polling station that we attended the elections officials have been told to get Mr. Yanukovych’s returns from 10 percent at the preliminary [round of vote] up to 25 percent last night. He got exactly 25 percent.

KP: How do you know that?

JR: We were told by one of the municipal officials before that station opened that they had been given those instructions. It was polling station 17 in Brovary.

BS: Even though we have observed several open and friendly polling stations in Berezan, with the exception of one station in the prison, that is, our view of the election is that it ought to be considered in its totality, and not just in what happens on the Election Day.

All of us, I think, would agree that we have concerns about press freedoms, about the ability of candidates to communicate with the voters, about the activities that may have taken place to encourage certain kinds of votes and discourage others, either through incentives or threats.

And there is really very little security of ballots once they leave the polling station in the way of confidence that the Ukrainian people can assign to the way the voting process is taking place. There is too much trust and faith placed in the hands of people that many Ukrainians just do not trust. In a democracy that is 13 years old there is no excuse for an election that does not result in a high level of confidence of the people, yet this is what has occurred in the minds of very many people in Ukraine.

LP: Another thing that made me say to the foreign minister that the election has been stolen is that the election officials that we talked with were very friendly with us on a very personal basis. And the chairman of this particular precinct pointed us to what he referred to as a “merry-go-round.” He said to me that those guys are voting up to a hundred times each. He was kind of sarcastic about it.

I hope all the leaders of the world will bring all the pressure that they can. I am glad that President Bush has started to do that. But this cannot be allowed to stand. It is an atrocity. It is a stolen election.

KP: What is going to happen?

JR: My forecast is that Mr. Yanukovych will be the president of Ukraine.

KP: Will he be a legitimate President?

JR: I did not say that.

LP: I am very afraid this is going to turn to violence. I saw the people’s commitment to this vote yesterday. And these poor people do not have any weapons, and I don’t know what is going to happen.

Unless [the authorities] let this election be the way it is supposed to be, I am just very much afraid there is going to be violence and bloodshed here, and I’d hate to see that. I don’t think the people are going to stand for it.

Yanukovych will be an illegitimate president, and he should be treated this way by the people. Already, our White House has stopped giving visas to his thuggish buddies who are trying to come over there.

This is just me talking now: I have gotten a very bad feel for this administration here.

KP: Do you see more sanctions coming on the way?

LP: Yes, all the presidents of the western world should not give any of these guys visas. They should really be tough with them until they change, because [Yanukovych] is an illegitimate president, he stole the elections.

KP: Are you afraid that Ukrainian authorities might act in response if the West introduces sanctions?

LP: I am afraid for everything about this country. I will speak for myself – I see a very grim two or three years here if this election is not reversed.

KP: Is that possible to reverse it? Will the mass protests taking place now help?

LP: I hope so. That is about all I can think of for the other countries to do.

KP: How would you score Ukraine on this election on a one to ten scale, with a ten being perfect?

DH: I will give the people of Ukraine not a ten, but a very high rating – democracy is never perfect. As to the government and the CEC I will give them the lowest rating – because it has not been a fair process.

KP: Could Ukraine turn into a Belarus?

BS: That is possible, even though at this point it is premature to come to any conclusions like that. At this point, the fact of the matter is that this administration had very much to gain by insisting and putting the resources and the manpower into guaranteeing a fair and transparent election process.

And for any governing administration this is a very easy thing to accomplish. But they did not do that, and it is very tragic.

Another good article:

EURASIA DAILY MONITOR
Volume 1 Issue 96 (September 30, 2004)

UKRAINIAN OFFICIALS INCREASINGLY DENOUNCE OPPOSITION AS "EXTREMISTS" AND "TERRORISTS"
By Taras Kuzio

On the third anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych remains convinced that his country should take an active role in combating terrorism (UNIAN, September 11). However, Yanukovych's call to combat "terrorism" has a different domestic meaning, as Ukrainian leaders equate "extremism" with "terrorism" to disparage the opposition.

The Ukrainian authorities began to routinely refer to opposition activities, especially mass civic action, as "terrorist" in March 2001. As in the Soviet era, "extremists" and "terrorists" are understood as western Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars, both of whom strongly support Viktor Yushchenko, Yanukovych's main presidential rival.

Stereotypes against "bourgeois nationalists" were widely inculcated in the Soviet era and continue to play a role in both Russia and Ukraine. For example, on September 10 the online newspaper Nezavisimoye voennoye obozreniye listed nine lessons from the Chechen terrorist attack on Beslan. Lesson six was for the Russian security forces to "recall the experience of fighting bandits in western Ukraine and the Baltic republics after the Second World War, which was undertaken with major sacrifices, and get down to creating a network of subversive anti-terrorist agents."

The nationalist stereotype was further developed during Yanukovych's September 24 visit to the west Ukrainian city of Ivano-Frankivsk, where he was pelted with an egg. The incident was immediately used to condemn Yushchenko and his western Ukrainian supporters as "extremists" practicing "political terrorism." A government statement (kmu.gov.ua) charged that Yushchenko encouraged the incident. "I now understand that nationalism is an evil," the statement continued, clearly referring to Yushchenko and the Our Ukraine bloc that he leads. However, the 17-year old student who threw the egg is not a member of any political party (Ukrinform, September 25).

A statement by Yanukovych's Party of Regions was even more critical. The egg-tosser, it claimed, was allegedly from "a group of extremist-inclined young nationalists who were shouting "Yes Yushchenko!" Yanukovych's press secretary blamed the egging on "radically oriented representatives of Our Ukraine who were acting so aggressively that the premier's security detail were forced to defend him" (temnik.com.ua, September 24). Regions of Ukraine parliamentary deputy Mykola Kruhlov went further, describing the incident as Ukraine's first "terrorist attack" (temnik.com.ua, September 25).

Viktor Medvedchuk's Social Democratic United Party (SDPUo) was even blunter in its dire warnings to Yushchenko: "Provocative, extremist, and destabilizing actions on the part of the supporters of "nashism" [a play on Nasha Ukrayina (Our Ukraine) that resembles "Nazis"] will, if the need arises, be rebuffed forcibly and severely" (sdpuo.org.ua).

The egg incident has prompted more snickers than fears. Yanukovych is a rather formidable-looking individual and his collapse to the ground after the egg made contact looked highly stage-managed (ukrpravda.com/archive/2004/september/24/video.shtml). Although pro-presidential media claimed Yanukovych had been hospitalized because of the attack, he was in fact back at work later that same day. Both the Ukrainian and European press found the incident amusing. The French-language version of Euro News said on September 25 that the Ukrainian election campaign, "has assumed the character of a real comedy del'arte, with Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych playing the main role." Euro News's English-language version pondered whether Ukraine's chicken's eggs were "especially heavy" or else what is taking place are "dirty machinations."

The egg toss was exaggerated to deflect attention from the recent attempted assassination of Yushchenko by poisoning, (see, EDM September 20). The melodramatic event in Ivano-Frankivsk provided an opportunity to portray both Yanukovych and Yushchenko as victims of attacks. Yet, it is difficult to see how an assassination attempt, possibly using ricin, can be equated with a single tossed egg.

Finally, the egg incident adds to the ongoing efforts to portray Yushchenko as an "extremist" and "nationalist." Ukrainian voters are being in effect warned not to vote for Yushchenko as this could lead to civil war and inter-ethnic conflict. During an address to an Interior Ministry (MVS) spetsnaz unit in the Crimea, President Leonid Kuchma threatened the opposition with unspecified measures for plotting to come to power in a "revolution" during the ongoing election campaign. Kuchma complained that the opposition was involved in an "artificial, deliberately created atmosphere within society" using "Trotskyist phraseology" such as "revolution, uprisings, coups, and so forth." He warned the opposition that it would not be allowed to undertake "any kind of uprising or revolution in Ukraine" and reminded his audience of their duty to prevent chaos and "not allow an uncontrolled evolution of events" (Ukrayinska pravda, September 7). Three days later the government issued its own statement denouncing "radical political organizations" bent on destabilizing Ukraine (kmu.gov.ua).

By portraying Yushchenko and the opposition in such terms, Kuchma, Yanukovych, and the government deny them legitimacy within Ukraine's political system. Ukraine's ruling elites are essentially saying that only centrists (i.e. themselves) should be allowed to rule Ukraine because otherwise there will be chaos.

Another good article:

"THREE MOVES TOWARDS CHECKMATE" (game Ukraine)
The Action Ukraine Report, Washington, D.C | 12/2/2004 | L. A. Wolanskyj


Posted on 12/02/2004 9:49:44 PM EST by Leo Carpathian


OP-ED by L.A. Wolanskyj, founder of Eastern Economist Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, December 2, 2004

The Action Ukraine Report, Washington, D.C. Thursday, December 2, 2004

On December 1, three interesting moves took place in Ukraine: The Central Electoral Committee and Mr. Yanukovych separately declared that the results of the run-off election were, after all, incorrect, and that the vote should be declared invalid. The Verkhovna Rada fired the Yanukovych Government. Pora, a civil liberties group, arrested two snow trucks and a woman with a briefcase leaving the Presidential Administration on vul. Bankova.

The situation in Ukraine is like a cutthroat chess game where some key pieces are invisible and White can withdraw any move after the fact, without Black having a corresponding right to withdraw its countermoves. The Russian imperial court was nothing if not utterly byzantine in its machinations, and this is the system Lenin and Stalin re-tooled and handed down to Ukraine's and Russia's current power-brokers. This is what keeps western political analysts, and those on the ground here, hopping half-blind, trying to guess what the next maneouver will be and why.

Why the about-face on the part of the premier, who had so far declared absolute confidence in the officially-announced election results? Why the about-face on the part of the CEC, which also stood by its decision until now? One possible answer can be found in Ukraine's Supreme Court. The process going on in their tiny chambers may not be at the aloof level of professionalism of mature rule-of-law countries, but the truth is clearly being sought and found. Draped in maroon, the civil judges, who are all lifetime appointees, appear to be taking this momentous decision seriously. They have already accused the Yanukovych lawyers of delay tactics. For them, the possibility of working as qualified men and women in the highest court of the land without constant political interference is undoubtedly very motivating.

More specifically, the weight of evidence is such that there was systematic, massive interference in the election process. There is also reason to suspect that an honest re-run may be hard to secure without enormous costs, legal changes and efforts that might not be mobilized within the timeframe needed to keep the country's economy from going into a tailspin. If the preponderance of evidence shows that falsification affected the election even half as much as the Committee of Voters of Ukraine claims-2.8 million faked ballots or 10%-, then Mr. Yushchenko can be automatically declared the rightful winner with a comfortable 2% lead over his rival. Hence, the sudden flurry of castling.

How legitimate is the Verkhovna Rada's decision, squeaked in at 228, only two votes to spare, to fire the Yanukovych Cabinet and will Mr. Kuchma, as president, sign off? According to the Constitution, the Rada did absolutely right. It first withdrew its support from the Government's program, the basis for the premier's current year-long immunity from non-confidence votes. It then passed a vote of non-confidence in the Government. Mr. Kuchma should sign off, but his signature is not mandatory, according to the Constitution. Hence his furious, dismissive response to the vote. Mr. Yanukovych and his ministers are history. But not only have they been sent packing.

This move has politically killed a key group of pawns who would-be king-makers: the Communist Party of Ukraine. With a single prominent exception-respected poet Borys Oliynyk-the CPU was noticeable by its absence in the legislature Dec. 1, along with most of the pro-Administration factions. As deputy Borys Bezpaliy put it, "Yesterday, the Communist Party completed its journey from Lenin to Yanukovych." The two groups are left ranting and raving about the dreadful pressure the opposition was putting on deputies when the crucial vote came up.

The only pressure going on, in fact, was Mr. Yanukovych's right-hand man, Andriy Kluyev, and other members of the premier's party, who were terrorizing deputies in the VR hallways. Why? Because the Verkhovna Rada had agreed to vote on this critical decision by secret ballot. No lawmakers' names would be registered, and no factions. With the possibility of retribution removed, the Rada tossed the Government out. The pawns have become queens.

In Ukraine, the political board is very much tilted in favor of White. It starts out with the equivalent two queens: the President has enormous powers himself, and he also appoints the governors of all 24 oblasts of Ukraine. Black has mostly pawns, a single queen (the Verkhovna Rada) and a few knights (locally elected mayors and elected radas or councils at all levels). This is the reason for the decentralized moves seen in Ukraine in response to calls for separatism: not being Kyiv appointees, local radas and mayors are a better barometer of local sentiment. So when the governors began to scream for autonomy, the City of Kharkiv immediately distanced itself from the seditious move. Over the last few days, more and more eastern and southern cities and oblast radas have done likewise and their prosecutors have stepped into the breach as well.

Lack of devolution of power is a key problem with Ukraine's political system today and, incidentally, what Mr. Putin wants to revert to in Russia. With oblast governors and county clerks currently all appointed by Ukraine's president, the general consensus has been that the separatist ploy was all part of a Kuchma scenario (with Mr. Putin's support). This is where constitutional reform is so critical in Ukraine. One party like SDPU (o) or Regiony could never place its people in all regions and at all levels, including head physicians of local hospitals and middle management of Ukrtelecom, if not for the current system. Moreover, it is this totally corrupt and incompetent system that Ukrainians are now fighting to bring down.

So, the city councils and other elected groups are not so much supporting the opposition or Mr. Yushchenko personally, as they are responding to death threats (separatism, authoritarianism) on the part of those (oblast governors, oligarchs) who not only do not represent the local electorate, but who are deeply despised for being brutal racketeers. Local elected officials are effectively supporting greater democracy. And this is having its snowball effect, like the Great Pomarancia (Orange). As more Ukrainians realize it's not so dangerous to come out and stand up against the old regime, more of them are get up the courage to do so.

What relevance is the activity of a group of students painted by the current regime as crypto-terrorists? When the young men from Pora stopped snow trucks coming out of the Presidential Administration, they smelled a rat. Sure enough, buried in the snow were originals of election documents. A couple of lawmakers swiftly gathered all the soggy documents up, to take to the Supreme Court hearing. Buried in the briefcase of the woman scurrying out of the building were, apparently, hundreds of thousands in cash, both hryvnia and dollars.

As Mr. Yushchenko's Socialist ally Yuriy Lutsenko put it at the beginning of the Orange Revolution, "Rats and cockroaches hate the light. It's our task to shine the brightest possible light on what is happening." The rats appear to be leaving their sinking ship.

L.A. Wolanskyj can be contaced at: lidia@ln.ua.

see http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1293231/posts

I should have added, here is a link to the event where Yanukovich is expecting a staged assasination attempt and instead some jokester hits him with an egg. This caused much amusement in Ukraine and confirmed, again, what a bafoon the guy is.

You're thinking of Yanukovich, the Moscow backed, Putin lackey. Here is a link to a video of the event:

http://5tv.com.ua/video/143/95/2/

I realize you are joking, of course. Native slavic language speakers frequently mistranslate what we understand to be "impound" or "sieze" with the word "arrest".

Great find. It merits its own posting.

FYI