Posted on 05/06/2005 7:48:08 AM PDT by wagglebee
MIND YOUR OWN DEMOCRACY, SAYS PRESIDENT PUTIN, DEFENDING RUSSIA'S AND CRITICIZING AMERICA'S ELECTORAL COLLEGE SYSTEM, IN AN EXCLUSIVE "60 MINUTES" INTERVIEW SUNDAY ON CBS
A combative Vladimir Putin tells Mike Wallace he should question his own country's democratic ways before looking for problems with Russia's. The Russian president also says the U.S. shouldn't try to export its democracy, as it is trying to do in Iraq, in an exclusive interview to be broadcast on 60 MINUTES Sunday May 8 (7:00-8:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.
Wallace gets quite a reaction from Putin by asking him about a recent change the Russian leader made. Says Wallace, "There was a time when the regional governors were elected, correct? And all of the sudden, Putin says, 'No, no, no. I shall appoint the governors.' That's democracy? That's not democracy the way I understand it," says Wallace. "The principle of appointing regional leaders is not a sign of a lack of democracy," Putin retorts. "You're absolutely wrong. For instance, India is called the largest world democracy. But their governors have always been appointed by the central government and nobody disputes that India is not a democracy," says Putin.
The Russian leader then points to what he believes are drawbacks to America's own brand of democracy, including the Electoral College system. "In the United States, you first elect the electors and then they vote for the presidential candidates. In Russia, the president is elected through the direct vote of the whole population. That might be even more democratic," Putin says. "And you have other problems in your elections," he tells Wallace. "Four years ago your presidential election was decided by the court. The judicial system was brought into it. But we're not going to poke our noses into your democratic system because that's up to the American people."
Putin also believes the U.S. democratic system does not travel well and that is precisely why he was against the war in Iraq from the beginning. "Democracy cannot be exported to some other place. [Democracy] must be a product of internal domestic development in a society," says the Russian president.
But pulling out of Iraq is not an option, says Putin. "But if the U.S. were to leave and abandon Iraq without establishing the grounds for a united and sovereign country, that would definitely be a second mistake," he tells Wallace.
Putin is a smart man. Yes he's a shady thug but he knows how to turn the critical arguement 180 degrees. All Putin's points are relevant.
"Putin needs to calm down and have some guts to let it go sometimes. This is not a way he should be going through, and addresses US in this form; it's disrespectful and apologetic for US. Last thing you need is to attack your own ally. Russia as US is in crossroads of their own destiny, either they pick themselves up and face what is before them, or they will face destiny of their own destruction, for which I don't want to see it."
"Putin needs to calm down and have some guts to let it go sometimes. This is not a way he should be going through, and addresses US in this form; it's disrespectful and apologetic for US. Last thing you need is to attack your own ally. Russia as US is in crossroads of their own destiny, either they pick themselves up and face what is before them, or they will face destiny of their own destruction, for which I don't want to see it."
“No Tico, problem lies in Putin statements, as you know; sometimes we may say things, and later we realize we have said something wrong. In my opinion Putin went little bit too far on this one."
Thank you good America friend"Tico"
How? By the flat 13% income tax? By breaking at least a few of the monopolies? By the 24% corporate tax? By removing the sales tax? By slashing the payroll and VAT taxes? By initiating CHRISTIAN education courses in schools and the military? (that one is pure communism after all). By establishing trial by jury (another communist favorite) or by putting 20% of the land for sale and setting property rights laws (Marx 101 right there). Oh I know how he's doing it: by banning abortions after 12 weeks and working to ban them out right, along with banning euthanasia. Or maybe its the fact that the public there now has limited gun ownership rights, more so then in almost all of Europe. And the cutting down of government, that is by all accounts pure marxism, right? So how is he remaking communism
Putin is doing nothing of the sort to bring back communism and I can applaud him for that. What he IS doing is bringing back the Russian Empire and setting himself up to become Tsar Vladimir I.
Coming from a man who's usual contribution to a post is a couple of pictures. Yeah, ok.
Welcome to American politics, this is the point where you become the pot calling the ....
We ignore the advice of leaders like Putin at our peril.
One can say that a constitutional monarchy in Russia is not a bad thing.
Thank you
"US have to stand up for it self and tell the world to deal with their own problems. As far as Putin goes, he shouldn't disrespect US like this, and he should apologize for his statement toward US internal problems. And who make him knowledgeable of US affair and her democracy."
Thank you
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