For many many years the Soviet Union has held open and free elections with an extremely high turnout. That there has only been one name on the ballot and write-ins are not allowed is not a deterrent to those good people. They still get out and vote unlike many Americans whow would rather sit home and bitch about the cantidates that vote.
Why did Russia even hold an election?
- Thread starter Saab1911
- Start date
Russia has its problems, but whenever I see Americans pointing a finger at Russia and complaining about the 'russian election process'<as if problems here were all solved>I get the feeling I'm listening to a drunk driver who's telling me there are much worser drunk drivers and criminals...and that he should just be allowed a warning...and that I should go waaaay over to Russia and catch the real bad guy...
The U.S.A. has per capita a larger prison population than Russia. The word in Russian for 'prison' - is 'gulag.' Yeah, Kruschev used to get elected with 97% of the vote - almost as much as the 98% that senators from places like Alabama used to get when re-elected. Roughly 1/3 to 1/2 of congressmen and senaators in the U.S.A. had some afiliation with the KKK back in the 1920's. Segregation ruled America for many years. Oligarchical families like the Bush, Kennedy and Roosevelt families have had a strange sort of dominance.
Bush is jealous of the sort of smooth transition of power that Putin has had with Medvedev. Bush would love to be handing off a legacy of success to a top Republican nominee. The problem is that Bush is very unpopular and he is the kiss of death to any Republican nominee. Bush has done more to make Obama popular than perhaps any other man alive today. Putin? Putin has been a popular leader. He's not perfect, but he's respected. No matter what one says about him, the words 'stupid' and 'incompetent' - aren't there to describe him. Putin has been a moderating positive force in Russia. There are nationalists and reactionary forces in Russia that Putin has politically defeated. Some Americans might hate Putin because he is so successful,
but to attack Russia and weaken it so that it is more likely to elect a more extreme leader than Putin? Be careful about trying to destabilize your enemies - you might get more than you asked for...
The U.S.A. is having an identity crisis. The U.S.A. wants Russia to have 'crooked elections' and 'poverty' and 'military failures.' The U.S.A. appears terrified however of Russian democracy, wealth and military success. Russia has its problems - but under Putin, Russia has shown some healthy signs of life. There are more millionaires under the age of 30 in the city of Moscow than in any other city on earth.
I visited the Kuzbas region of Russia<in Siberia between Mongolia and Khazakstan> There was a history of corruption ie. one governor had been assasinated and there was corruption/cronyism<sp> - typical sort of nasty political problems that occured over many years. A lot of Americans would read something like that and say 'What a horrible place...' I've also lived in Alabama - where two of the last 4 govs. have been sent to prison on corruption charges and where there was George Wallace who was a victim of assasination - and who had a speechwriter who was a klansman. Now I know the people of Alabama are decent folks. I'm just saying the Russians are decent people too - and that one has to be careful about reading too much into the superficial descriptions of their 'systems' - especially when the critics are acting out in bad faith...and have an agenda of trying to tear down one country to deflect negative attention from their own quagmires of
funky cultural malaise and widespead economic discontent.
The U.S.A. has per capita a larger prison population than Russia. The word in Russian for 'prison' - is 'gulag.' Yeah, Kruschev used to get elected with 97% of the vote - almost as much as the 98% that senators from places like Alabama used to get when re-elected. Roughly 1/3 to 1/2 of congressmen and senaators in the U.S.A. had some afiliation with the KKK back in the 1920's. Segregation ruled America for many years. Oligarchical families like the Bush, Kennedy and Roosevelt families have had a strange sort of dominance.
Bush is jealous of the sort of smooth transition of power that Putin has had with Medvedev. Bush would love to be handing off a legacy of success to a top Republican nominee. The problem is that Bush is very unpopular and he is the kiss of death to any Republican nominee. Bush has done more to make Obama popular than perhaps any other man alive today. Putin? Putin has been a popular leader. He's not perfect, but he's respected. No matter what one says about him, the words 'stupid' and 'incompetent' - aren't there to describe him. Putin has been a moderating positive force in Russia. There are nationalists and reactionary forces in Russia that Putin has politically defeated. Some Americans might hate Putin because he is so successful,
but to attack Russia and weaken it so that it is more likely to elect a more extreme leader than Putin? Be careful about trying to destabilize your enemies - you might get more than you asked for...
The U.S.A. is having an identity crisis. The U.S.A. wants Russia to have 'crooked elections' and 'poverty' and 'military failures.' The U.S.A. appears terrified however of Russian democracy, wealth and military success. Russia has its problems - but under Putin, Russia has shown some healthy signs of life. There are more millionaires under the age of 30 in the city of Moscow than in any other city on earth.
I visited the Kuzbas region of Russia<in Siberia between Mongolia and Khazakstan> There was a history of corruption ie. one governor had been assasinated and there was corruption/cronyism<sp> - typical sort of nasty political problems that occured over many years. A lot of Americans would read something like that and say 'What a horrible place...' I've also lived in Alabama - where two of the last 4 govs. have been sent to prison on corruption charges and where there was George Wallace who was a victim of assasination - and who had a speechwriter who was a klansman. Now I know the people of Alabama are decent folks. I'm just saying the Russians are decent people too - and that one has to be careful about reading too much into the superficial descriptions of their 'systems' - especially when the critics are acting out in bad faith...and have an agenda of trying to tear down one country to deflect negative attention from their own quagmires of
funky cultural malaise and widespead economic discontent.
Why does Russia bother with elections?
The Russians have been holding elections since they murdered the Czar and his family.
During the Communist years, there were elections. After all, it was the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
There was only one party allowed, and only one candidate for each office, and only party members were allowed to vote, but they had elections.
And, they are still having elections today.
Meet the new boss! Same as the old boss!
The Russians have been holding elections since they murdered the Czar and his family.
During the Communist years, there were elections. After all, it was the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
There was only one party allowed, and only one candidate for each office, and only party members were allowed to vote, but they had elections.
And, they are still having elections today.
Meet the new boss! Same as the old boss!