Posted on 01/22/2020 5:29:32 AM PST by Kaslin
On May 1, 2019, Russian police in Moscow and St. Petersburg arrested over a hundred demonstrators who had made it clear to all observers they were protesting one man: Russian President and former KGB Col. Vladimir Putin.
On Jan. 15, 2020, Putin announced that he would send the Russian parliament legislation that would amend the constitution and alter the current senior leadership structure. Putin called the legislation a necessary "reform" that offers "more power to the people."
Putin added that he intends to occupy another executive governing position after his presidential term ends in 2024 but is not certain what it will be.
Few observers believe Putin is giving ordinary Russians power. More likely his murky modifications of the Russian cabinet, the role of the prime minister and the office of the president are camouflage for solidifying his grip on state power.
Several observers argue that Putin is acting now when he has the power to force laws through parliament and secure pro-Putin results in any national vote, to include guaranteeing public approval of a constitutional referendum.
But in 2019, Vladimir had a tough year, one when public protests targeted him.
In June, small demonstrations denouncing corruption and government mismanagement occurred around the country. Russians confront a declining standard of living.
In July, the federal government's blatant efforts to rig Moscow's September city council election angered Muscovites and sparked major protests in the city. The rallies began attracting 50,000 people. By the end of July, the police were arresting demonstrators en masse.
In August, Moscow's rallies continued, and protests broke out in St. Petersburg.
By the end of September, every Russian province had had at least one major protest, the common grievances being corruption by senior officials and systemic mismanagement.
Who heads the federal government? Vlad does. In 2014, Putin recovered the Crimean Peninsula and annexed it to Russia. His popularity soared. But Crimea started a war with Ukraine that has become a quagmire. His Syrian adventure hasn't brought prosperity to Russian workers. Since 2014, prices in Russia have risen over 10% a year.
Putin has run Russia for over two decades, either as president or prime minister. When his 2008 presidential term ended, he slipped into the prime minister's job. Presidents at that time could not serve more than two consecutive four-year terms. So he ruled as prime minister (2008-2012) while his protege, Dmitry Medvedev, played puppet president. Legislation expanded presidential terms to six years. In 2012, Putin replaced Medvedev as president. In 2018, he was reelected. Six more years!
Count the years. Putin has bossed the Kremlin longer than any Russian leader since Josef Stalin. Stalin became the Soviet Union dictator in 1924 and ran the oppressive gulag communist police state until he died in 1953.
Which segues back to May Day's small but audacious anti-Putin protests. In the USSR's heyday, May Day -- with the nom de guerre International Workers Day -- was one of the communist state's biggest holidays.
Soviet-era May Day speeches extolled communism's inevitable global victory. In Moscow, infantry, tanks and tracked vehicles carrying intercontinental ballistic missiles would parade through Red Square, passing in review before gray-faced Politburo septuagenarians. The pageantry supposedly displayed solidarity with "the international revolutionary proletariat" -- Marxist jargon for angry workers rebelling against exploitation by oppressive elites.
The USSR collapsed in 1991 with the root causes of public disgust with corruption, poverty and secret-police oppression.
A minor dispute rages over the translation of Putin's subsequent lamentation. Did he say the USSR's demise was "a major geopolitical disaster of the century" or that it was the "greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century"?
Whatever -- the Soviet collapse still appalls the former KGB colonel.
According to persistent rumors, Putin has thin skin and riles when mocked. Staging anti-Putin protests on May Day must add an ironic edge.
Corruption and mismanagement Putin has overseen and personally benefited from via graft is spurring angry Russians to rebel against exploitation by his oppressive regime. So he is securing a permanent personal grip on power in order to suppress all challenges. Fair bet he intends to die in power, just like Josef Stalin.
There were some posts on here last year saying “God Please Bless Putin” :)
I am Glad that he hit ISIS until we got a real president to take care of it.
I’m glad that he knows that Russia needs Christianity in it to survive, though I don’t think at all that he believes.
And I think worse could be in charge over there.
Perhaps he is more of a nationalist than a communist now, but not the way we use the word.
I say respect him to an extant, work with him when you can, but Never trust him and Always Know what what he is.
A man whose enemies don’t stay alive too long too often
Basically he is president for life.
Do as you are told peasants!
The planned reform is nothing like it is described so far. Technically it makes the government more liberal and democratic but who knows what would be the practical application.
This Putin bashing is somehow tiresome. I agree that he is probably a couple terms too long in power but you won’t even find that bad press on Stalin.
Do people really believe he is worse than Stalin? If true I want facts and not spins.
“” “” A man whose enemies don’t stay alive too long too often””” “
And you think so because George Soros and a British government says so.
“This Putin bashing is somehow tiresome”
I hope it gets more tiresome for you. PLz feel free to leave.
Putin is a murdering thug
[Perhaps he is more of a nationalist than a communist now, but not the way we use the word.]
“PLz feel free to leave.”
Well, aren’t you an arrogant SOB?
Last time I checked, you’re not in charge here...
I like you too much to argue over ONE issue out of thousands.
putin doesn’t matter NEARLY enough to me to go down that road :)
have a good one FRiend
“Well, aren’t you an arrogant SOB?:
Same to you Bud. How is telling someone that they’re free to leave “being in charge”?
Putin should rot in H&ll
The current problem with Russia, for its neighbors and US interests, is the same as the problem it presented during era of the Tsars and the Communists - its relentless appetite for territorial expansion ever since Dmitry Donskoy threw off the Mongol yoke.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dmitry_Donskoy
It’s the same problem that China presents to the world. Every single time China has been strong, it has attempted to add to its possessions. This impulse for personal aggrandizement via territorial conquest is unique to neither country - the Assyrians, Egyptians, Romans, Greeks, Aztecs, Mayans, British, French, et al all had their moments. The difference with the Chinese and the Russians is that their empires are still standing, and they have a long track record of successfully acquiring and incorporating conquests into their realm. And more importantly - they are still around to throw their weight around.
Be careful what you wish for.
That’s your beef with him?
Agreed.
But there are many big putin fans here so I’m just gonna avoid the topic rather than argue.
Thank you very much for your devotion to constructive discussion.
Russia has a lot of features disproving the idea that it is an Empire. Her previous expansion was dictated by the security considerations which aren’t actual in the era of WMD. Last time Russia expanded in 1945 - a year nuclear weapons were developed which proves my point.
As for China it is more complicated but generally speaking it is pretty much contained to its area.
There has been some speculation that the actual Russians, the people, long for a Czar. Putin can and may presently fulfill that desire.
My personal belief is that Putin considers his job to be saving Mother Russia from death. As leader of a country with population and economy similar to Australia and Mexico, Putin runs a constant bluff. When Russia is closely examined, there is not as much there as Putin would like us to believe
I don’t think there is a popular desire for a Czar. More like the opposite is true.
Putin is not really that popular anymore and only holds the majority by populism at this point.
He and his team actually has a lot to be proud about.
Russian economy is certainly in much better shape than before his presidency but as for bluffs he seems like mostly straight forward to me.
His ideas are a dated though. He was good for his time but not now anymore. It doesn’t mean he is super bad or a thug and all such stuff.
If we were talking about the merits or lack thereof of H1B i would discuss it.
But putin just isn’t worth it.
I have a lousy temper and you’ll probably win the argument and i’ll resort to insulting words with my back against the wall and we’ll never talk again!
it’s not worth it :)
if you’d like to discuss it further I’d rather do it in mail where people can’t see me lose the argument :)
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