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.
While you debating about your differences, more guys are dying and while you pick on each other, more of us are being hurt and killed. Do I need to bring reality of war to you, or rather you want me to go away and let my wife pick on, and though you know she can't.
Putin is being a putz.
Putin will do the right thing ~ it's in his best interest!
Thank you
Which means what to an American that learned the dead in America vote? Where Republican campaign manager Roger Ailes (if I remember the name) said he had walking around money to bribe Black church leaders with in regional elections (Jersey)?
Actually I think it would be a good thing for Russia. A strong executive leader with a VESTED interest in seeing his country prosper can be a good role model for the other failing states in that region.
"And on these ashes we stand up for what is worth of us. Putin went little bit to far in his own deposition towards US; and trust me; he is least one who should give US advice about US democracy and her ordeal, as further as Russian people go it would be well for some people to pick themselves up and visit them; Russian people are like us, kind in heart and soul. They went through enough sorrows and pain, as we did. However, there needs to be change of old guard in Moscow, otherwise as I said before, US would have to assume cold war mentality."
Thank you"blackie"Be strong good America friend
~~ and Putin needs to grow up!
Let's put this into perspective: First of all, what Putin has been saying is nothing new. He's made these statements about democracy and the US several times in the past.
Secondly, what this really all about is "hurt feelings." The Russians thought that by inviting everybody to Moscow to commemorate the end of WWII that they'd escape the correct criticism of the Soviet Union's role in the rise of the Nazi war machine, the dissection of Poland and the rape of Eastern Europe and the Baltics after the war (thanks to Roosevelt and the spies he had in his Admin).
Since the world is unwilling to look the other way on these issues, the Russians are feeling hurt and, as they sometimes do, are trying to lessen or re-write their past. It's a shame, because they could have painted themselves as a victim of communism and lamented Stalin's collaboration with Nazi Germany (well, Lenin also collaborated with Germany, so why not?).
Instead, they still try to glorify the Soviet political role in WWII and they're taking away from the sacrifices that their people made to preserve their HOMELAND and NOT the Soviet Union.
I hope you are not so undeducated as to not know the difference between appointed by the state and appointed by the federal govt. The closer to the people the authority, there more respresentative it is of the will of the people.
"majority"... "to each nation.." As power has shifted in the US from the states to the fed govt, the fed govt has become more removed from the American people. And, with this new "freedom", the fed govt has become more corrupt. The same rules apply to Russia, only not as noticed as much since they have never been responsive to the people.
Human nature is human nature. Why is it that over 200 years ago the founding fathers of America knew this and that it followed that central govt was not the protector of freedom.
If history has taught us anything, it is that the same rules apply to all of us, across nation and time. Bush and Putin are one and the same.
Please keep the difference between a Democracy (with potential for strong central govt), and Republic (safe guards against strong central govt) in mind. The USA was never intended to be a democracy.
What is wrong with you people - that is the point Putin is making and for some reason you don't see that because he is making the case using the USA as an example.
Appointed by the Local govt or appointed by the central govt are two different issues. This is very basic, what is so confunsing to you about the difference?
We have an electoral college system - we don't directly elect our president - to each nation their own forms.
You should not get hypocritical in saying America's forms are unique to us (as they should be) and then get upset when Putin says the exact same thing.
The entire point of this topic has been lost. Every point Putin made was false and nothing more than a distraction from the real subject, his move to dictatorship. It's about central control v. local control.
For the record,a Democracy and Republic are not the same thing at all. London's mayor is now on equal footing with Putin??? And our electoral college exists for a reason-- to discourage a centralization of power-- the complete opposite of what Putin is doing. So how does it justify his seizing more power????
Putin put out because democracy not exported by republic. Hmmmm. Didn't stop the Soviets from trying to export their form of government, iirc.
expert: compound word; ex is a has-been and a spurt is a drip under pressure.
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