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PUTIN TO USA: MIND YOUR OWN DEMOCRACY
Drudge Report ^ | 5/6/05 | Matt Drudge

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.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Russia
KEYWORDS: 60minutes; cbsnews; democracy; destroagain; destroisatitagain; putin; putinists; russia
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To: usa1776
Every point Putin made was TRUE.

We are a democratic republic - we have a mixed system of direct elections by the people (demos) and representative govt. (republic). In some states we have democrativ vote by the people for propositions to be made into law - classic law making by direct democracy. So you are wrong there as well.

The electoral college exists to prevent a president elected by the great unwashed. The Founding Fathers did not trust the people.

Get your history right and go read the Federalist Papers.

141 posted on 05/09/2005 6:39:52 AM PDT by Destro (Know your enemy! Help fight Islamic terrorism by visiting johnathangaltfilms.com and jihadwatch.org)
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To: Destro
You are either a socialist or have been educated by socialist and don't even know it. You have your American history completely wrong.

The electoral college was created to guarantee a voice in govt to the small states. Without the electoral college presidential campaigns would focus only on the populated areas. Thus, your "unwashed masses" statement is false.

The statement the founding fathers "didn't trust the people" is false because it is incomplete. The whole truth is the founding fathers didn't trust people in positions of power. Thus, they limited the power of the federal govt. Again, the complete opposite of your "unwashed masses" theory.

In govt you have the federal level and the state level. Each state may further divide the power within its on territory as it sees fit. It is a false statement to call a republic a democracy because of how the states structure the system within the state. The statement Republic defines how the power is shared between the Federal govt and the state govts, and has nothing to do with how the states share power with their counties, municipalities, or however they decide to divide power.

Is says a lot about socialism that it has to rely on lies, half truths, vague definitions of terms and mischaractizations to gain appeal.
142 posted on 05/09/2005 10:43:00 AM PDT by usa1776
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To: usa1776
The Fathers did not trust the tyranny of the majority and neither does Putin. Again you turn yourself into a hypocrite - Putin is saying the same thing. Your beef with Russia's version of a republic is what again? Keep flailing I am having fun.
143 posted on 05/09/2005 11:15:24 AM PDT by Destro (Know your enemy! Help fight Islamic terrorism by visiting johnathangaltfilms.com and jihadwatch.org)
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To: Destro

For clarification purposes, the founding fathers are Geo. Washington, Thom. Jefferson, Patrick Henry, Ben Franklin-- not Karl Marx, Adam Weisaupt, Lennin, and Mao.

Your repeated conclusions without any support have clarified everything-- Putin needs to be a dicatator to save the Russians from themselves and the USA is the model for communism.


144 posted on 05/09/2005 2:57:32 PM PDT by usa1776
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To: usa1776

Still waiting or you to tell me what you found wrong with what Putin said..............


145 posted on 05/09/2005 4:14:02 PM PDT by Destro (Know your enemy! Help fight Islamic terrorism by visiting johnathangaltfilms.com and jihadwatch.org)
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To: Destro

You need to reread the posts already up. We are the only ones still posting on this topic. Time to move on.

Power to the people.


146 posted on 05/09/2005 8:08:07 PM PDT by usa1776
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To: usa1776

Spoken like the crypto-communist you are? Power to the people's representatives - as our Founding Fathers would say.


147 posted on 05/09/2005 8:27:47 PM PDT by Destro (Know your enemy! Help fight Islamic terrorism by visiting johnathangaltfilms.com and jihadwatch.org)
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