All Hail Putin, the new Great Dictator!

Post by **Vympel** » 2004-09-14 11:31am

MKSheppard wrote:Article 131 says:

"The structure of bodies of local self-government shall be determined by the population independently."

"The population independently" can easily be construed to mean the State Duma- remember that Putin is initating a bill in the Duma, he's not making it law by fiat. Of course, his party controls the Duma ... right?

Guardsman Bass · Post by **Guardsman Bass** » 2004-09-14 01:55pm

Vympel wrote:
MKSheppard wrote:Article 131 says:

"The structure of bodies of local self-government shall be determined by the population independently."
"The population independently" can easily be construed to mean the State Duma- remember that Putin is initating a bill in the Duma, he's not making it law by fiat. Of course, his party controls the Duma ... right?

Doesn't he also have the power of decree, and so could effectively ignore the Duma if he wanted?

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2004-09-15 12:33am

Powell seems real happy with the Russian change of course, too.

irishmick79 · Post by **irishmick79** » 2004-09-15 12:58am

I'm really wondering what Russia will be like in 5 years, if this trends continue. Will the Duma put up a fight against Putin's proposals, or is it a foregone conclusion that they will give him a stamp of approval?

RedX · Post by **RedX** » 2004-09-15 02:01am

One big question that keeps bugging me, despite my libertarian leanings and democratic convictions...

Could this turn out to be a good thing for Russia?

Post by **Edi** » 2004-09-15 03:43am

RedX wrote:One big question that keeps bugging me, despite my libertarian leanings and democratic convictions...

Could this turn out to be a good thing for Russia?

In a word, no.

Edi

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2004-09-15 04:07am

Edi wrote:
RedX wrote:One big question that keeps bugging me, despite my libertarian leanings and democratic convictions...

Could this turn out to be a good thing for Russia?
In a word, no.

Edi

Even in the short term run?

In the long term it would suck, badly, however, short term, he might be able to improve Russia.

Post by **Edi** » 2004-09-15 04:13am

Ace Pace wrote:
Edi wrote:
RedX wrote:One big question that keeps bugging me, despite my libertarian leanings and democratic convictions...

Could this turn out to be a good thing for Russia?
In a word, no.

Edi
Even in the short term run?

In the long term it would suck, badly, however, short term, he might be able to improve Russia.

How? Even in the short term it's going to screw great parts of Russia over and it's not going to change how the low level bureaucracies (like the gendarmes) that take care of the day-to-day running of the country work, at all, and this new reform would just concentrate all power in the hands of the president. Won't change anything short term and will fuck up everything in the long term.

Edi

HemlockGrey · Post by **HemlockGrey** » 2004-09-15 09:03am

I guess the Russians just really aren't gonna get this "democracy" thing anytime soon. First we had the Czar, then the Premier...what will Putin's nice new title be?

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2004-09-15 10:14am

HemlockGrey wrote:I guess the Russians just really aren't gonna get this "democracy" thing anytime soon. First we had the Czar, then the Premier...what will Putin's nice new title be?

Lord, God, Emperor?

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2004-09-15 10:25am

HemlockGrey wrote:I guess the Russians just really aren't gonna get this "democracy" thing anytime soon. First we had the Czar, then the Premier...what will Putin's nice new title be?

President for Life?

Post by **Vympel** » 2004-09-15 11:01am

I like Czar. Hail to the new "Little Father" (anyone who gets that reference, speak up).

Post by **Gandalf** » 2004-09-15 11:05am

Vympel wrote:I like Czar. Hail to the new "Little Father" (anyone who gets that reference, speak up).

Wasn't it Leonid Brezhnev?

HemlockGrey · Post by **HemlockGrey** » 2004-09-15 11:07am

Wasn't that one of the colloquial titles by which the Czar was affectionately known?

Post by **Ghost Rider** » 2004-09-15 11:07am

Vympel wrote:I like Czar. Hail to the new "Little Father" (anyone who gets that reference, speak up).

Isn't it the tale about a bear...I think it's written by the same guy that wrote Redwall? Or it's a reference to Leonid Brezhnev.

One or the other

Post by **Vympel** » 2004-09-16 02:34am

HemlockGrey wrote:Wasn't that one of the colloquial titles by which the Czar was affectionately known?

Correct.