Russia’s Ongoing Illusion of Democracy

Fri Feb 24, 2012 12:09 am » by **Will69ease**

Hundreds of supporters attended rallies in Moscow today, supporting the Communist party and the Liberal Democratic party. The rallies come just 10 days before Russians go to the polls to vote for their next president.

The months leading up to the March 4 election have been tense. In September, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and President Dmitry Medvedev announced outright that they will swap places. This would return the presidency to Putin, who served two terms from 2000 to 2008, and is still seen as the real power in Russia. The announcement soured the mood of many Russians, and led to a slide in the popularity of United Russia, a party created to support Putin. In December, several thousand Russians took to the streets to protest voter fraud and corruption.

Western media have emphasized the protests and the struggles of the United Russia party, and some have tried to portray Putin’s position as precarious. But in real terms, the party’s losses have been slight, and Putin’s four challengers in the upcoming election pose little threat to his authority. The only newcomer is billionaire businessman Mikhail Prokhorov, whose candidacy many view as a Kremlin-approved effort to add legitimacy to the election. If such a strategy works, it will channel the discontent of the protesters into a candidate who will still lose to Putin.

Despite criticism of United Russia during recent months, both supporters and opponents credit Vladimir Putin with restoring Russia’s standing in the world following the chaos of the 1990s. Polls show that, if presidential elections were held today, a clear majority would cast their ballots for Putin.

Despite the Western media’s attempt to play up dissatisfaction with Putin, the upcoming election will be no contest. President Putin will be back. And since presidential terms have now increased to six years, it looks like he will rule Russia until at least 2024.

Putin warns of foreign threat at campaign rally
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/02/23/2080 ... rylink=cpy

Fri Feb 24, 2012 12:17 am » by **Flecktarn**

Russia's political system will always be corrupt ,trying to sell the dream of freedom and democracy to its people but in reality there's is just re-branded communism and corruption

Fri Feb 24, 2012 12:21 am » by **Eldorado**

How the fuck can you just decide....oh well we want to trade places.......the rest of you guys dont mind do you??? You other candidates dont mind if we just lay low, dont do a fucking thing and just swap our positions every four years or so......?? DO you?

What a farce....I should call my old friends in the duma about this......

Fri Feb 24, 2012 12:28 am » by **Will69ease**

flecktarn wrote:Russia's political system will always be corrupt ,trying to sell the dream of freedom and democracy to its people but in reality there's is just re-branded communism and corruption

A chilling but accurate assessment of the Russian situation.

Fri Feb 24, 2012 1:11 am » by **44z44**

will69erease your so predictable :lol:

are you pissed-off at russia now because- http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=258963 or http://www.newsday.com/news/nation/russia-warns-against-hasty-conclusions-over-iran-1.3548016 or http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/8088bb66-5c18-11e1-bbc4-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1nFXScefw man you are a joke :lol:

a propaganda machine and a scam artist in dtv,dtv members dont let will69erease fool you.

Fri Feb 24, 2012 1:37 am » by **Will69ease**

44z44 wrote::lol: will69erease your so predictable are you pissed-off at russia now because- http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=258963 or http://www.newsday.com/news/nation/russia-warns-against-hasty-conclusions-over-iran-1.3548016 or http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/8088bb66-5c18-11e1-bbc4-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1nFXScefw man you are a joke a propaganda machine and a scam artist in dtv,dtv members dont let will69erease fool you.

What are you, some kind of stalker?
The good people at DTV can decide for themselves what is true. You're constant bashing of anything and everything I post proves you are a troll that has it in for me personally. Get a life.
The links you posted are relevant so I thank you for that anyways. But your anti Will posts are getting old and as always, uncalled for.

Fri Feb 24, 2012 1:55 am » by **Gbrown**

flecktarn wrote:Russia's political system will always be corrupt ,trying to sell the dream of freedom and democracy to its people but in reality there's is just re-branded communism and corruption

Really? Where are you? Are you in a "free world" country? Are your country free from corrupt government? Are your country an example to follow or just a DEMO?
Sorry for expression, but i don't know any one country, free from this cancer...

Fri Feb 24, 2012 2:03 am » by **Flecktarn**

gbrown wrote:
flecktarn wrote:Russia's political system will always be corrupt ,trying to sell the dream of freedom and democracy to its people but in reality there's is just re-branded communism and corruption

Really? Where are you? Are you in a "free world" country? Are your country free from corrupt government? Are your country an example to follow or just a DEMO?
Sorry for expression, but i don't know any one country, free from this cancer...

i live in a corrupt democratic land where our leaders rip us off and treat us like crap also ,,under the guise of freedom and democracy ,were all lied to by our so called elected leaders who line their pockets off our backs

Fri Feb 24, 2012 4:25 am » by **Will69ease**

flecktarn wrote:
gbrown wrote:
flecktarn wrote:Russia's political system will always be corrupt ,trying to sell the dream of freedom and democracy to its people but in reality there's is just re-branded communism and corruption

Really? Where are you? Are you in a "free world" country? Are your country free from corrupt government? Are your country an example to follow or just a DEMO?
Sorry for expression, but i don't know any one country, free from this cancer...

i live in a corrupt democratic land where our leaders rip us off and treat us like crap also ,,under the guise of freedom and democracy ,were all lied to by our so called elected leaders who line their pockets off our backs

There's a lot of that going around I'm afraid.