"Gorbachev demands overhaul of Russian political system" by David M. Herszenhorn | New York Times, April 02, 2013
MOSCOW — Mikhail Gorbachev, the first and last president of the Soviet Union, now 82 and increasingly frail, may have needed a helping hand to climb on stage for a speech at the state-run RIA-Novosti news agency.
Oratorically, however, he seemed nimble enough, delivering a sharp poke in the gut to President Vladimir Putin.
‘‘Politics is more and more turning into an imitation,’’ Gorbachev said. ‘‘All power is in the hands of the executive. The Parliament only seals its decisions. Judicial power is not independent. The economy is monopolized, hooked to the oil and gas needle. Entrepreneurs’ initiative is curbed, small and medium businesses face huge barriers.’’
Gorbachev, invoking ‘‘perestroika’’ — the Russian word for ‘‘restructuring’’ and the brand name of his reforms that brought about the fall of communism and helped him get the Nobel Peace Prize — called for yet another renewal of the Russian political system.
That Nobel now means nothing.
His prepared speech, posted later on the Internet, was even tougher than the remarks he delivered. In it, he wrote that by curtailing freedoms and tightening restrictions on civil society groups and the press, Putin had adopted ‘‘a ruinous and hopeless path.’’
You left him an out-of-control criminal oligarchy!
Unlike in the West, where he is still revered for his role in ending the Cold War, Gorbachev has largely faded into insignificance in Russia. He is remembered far more for the chaos and deprivation of the 1990s that followed him than for delivering the citizens of the Soviet Union from tyranny.
I just said that.
Nonetheless, his speech, made Friday during a brief foray out of a Moscow hospital where he is undergoing a lengthy checkup, drew angry responses from the Kremlin.
Sergei Neverov, the deputy speaker of the lower house of Parliament and a leader of United Russia, the party that nominated Putin for president, said, ‘‘Mikhail Sergeyevich has already been the initiator of one perestroika, and as a result we lost the country.’’
He defended the policies of Putin and United Russia, which he said ‘‘helped us to preserve the state, to solve the problem of poverty and to stop the criminals trying to grab power.’’
Most of them Jewish-Mafia barons, but you won't see much about them in my Glob.
Alexei Pushkov, a member of United Russia and chief of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the lower house, rejected Gorbachev’s objections by criticizing Gorbachev. ‘‘The cost of a painful process, the cost of huge losses from a major transformation of our country has already occurred,’’ Pushkov said.
After the Soviet Union’s dissolution, he said, ‘‘It was the worst possible result: the collapse of the country and gangster capitalism.’’
We call it banker capitalism, but same thing.
Gorbachev, in a BBC interview in March, made harsh remarks on Putin’s government, saying it was replete with ‘‘thieves and corrupt officials. He offered a harsh assessment of laws clamping down on nongovernmental groups.
The nongovernmentals are CIA spy outfits. Sorry.
‘‘The common thread running through all of them is an attack on the rights of citizens,’’ he said. ‘‘For goodness sake, you shouldn’t be afraid of your own people.’’
The AmeriKan government is. That is why they are going the way of the Soviets, what with the gun-grabbing and the totalitarian surveillance state.
In the BBC interview, Gorbachev also defended himself. ‘‘I’m often accused of giving away Central and Eastern Europe. But who did I give it to? I gave Poland, for example, back to the Poles. Who else does it belong to?’’
Palestine?
In his speech at RIA-Novosti, Gorbachev allowed that Putin’s government had beaten back a rising political opposition movement. ‘‘They managed to put down the wave of protests for some time,’’ he said. ‘‘But the problems of the country have not gone away.’’
Related: Sunday Globe Specials: Russian Protests Are Fun
Then they are definitely sponsored by western intelligence agencies and their agenda-pushers.
Specifically, he pointed to widening income disparity and corruption. ‘‘The gap in incomes and living standards between the small mostly well-to-do stratum of the population and all the rest is unacceptably high,’’ Gorbachev said.
Not telling me anything I didn't already know.
‘‘Corruption has acquired a colossal scope.’’
--more--"
Makes on nostalgic for the good old days.... almost:
"Russia marks 60th anniversary of Stalin’s death" by Max Seddon | Associated Press, March 06, 2013
MOSCOW — Devotees of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin, whose brutal purges killed millions of innocent citizens and made his name a byword for totalitarian terror, flocked to the Kremlin to praise him for making his country a world power Tuesday, while experts and politicians puzzled and despaired over his enduring popularity.
Related: Secret Facts - Soviet & Jews
Not what you find in your history books, but all true. I know you don't know about Kaganovich and Yagoda, but do know about that other guy who seems most ubiquitous in my media.
Related: Secret Facts - Soviet & Jews
Not what you find in your history books, but all true. I know you don't know about Kaganovich and Yagoda, but do know about that other guy who seems most ubiquitous in my media.
Communist Party chief Gennady Zyuganov led some 1,000 zealots who laid carnations at Stalin’s grave by the Kremlin wall in Moscow, praising him as a symbol of the nation’s ‘‘great victories’’ and saying that Russia needs to rely on this ‘‘unique experience’’ to overcome its problems.
Stalin led the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death on March 5, 1953. Communists and other hard-liners credit him with leading the country to victory in World War II and turning it into a nuclear superpower, while critics condemn his repressions. Historians estimate that more than 800,000 people were executed during the purges that peaked during the Great Terror in the late 1930s, and millions more died of harsh labor and cruel treatment in the giant Gulag prison camp system, mass starvation in Ukraine and southern Russia, and deportations of ethnic minorities....
Seems to be a pattern with them.
Seems to be a pattern with them.
An opinion survey commissioned by the Carnegie Endowment found Stalin has remained widely admired in Russia and other former Soviet nations despite his repressions. Its authors noted that public attitudes to the dictator have improved during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s 13-year rule, as the Kremlin has found Stalin’s image useful in its efforts to tighten control.
But he hasn't killed nearly as many, and ran out the kind of crowd that did.
But he hasn't killed nearly as many, and ran out the kind of crowd that did.
Roman Fomin, who organized a group laying carnations at the grave, said a leader like Stalin ‘‘would definitely be for the good of the country and the country would be developing much better than it is now.’’
Putin, whose professed ideology draws heavily from Soviet statism, has made efforts to give Stalin a more positive historical evaluation. School history textbooks have been released stressing Stalin’s role as an ‘‘effective manager’’ of the 1930s Soviet industrialization campaign, though historians express far greater skepticism about his supposed economic achievements.
I don't even like looking at mine anymore. When you know they are lying, omitting, or obfuscating in one spot it makes you wonder about all the rest.
I don't even like looking at mine anymore. When you know they are lying, omitting, or obfuscating in one spot it makes you wonder about all the rest.
Liberal newspaper Vedomosti dismissed ‘‘the crazy dichotomy of achievements and losses’’ in an editorial Tuesday. ‘‘You can’t put economic achievements and human losses side by side, but even if you try, you won’t find any justification for the Stalin myth,’’ it said.
Way more than old Adolf, but you know.... it's a certain narrative controlled by a certain select group in my curriculum and press.
Way more than old Adolf, but you know.... it's a certain narrative controlled by a certain select group in my curriculum and press.
Pro-Kremlin lawmakers campaigned this year to rename the city of Volgograd to Stalingrad — its name from 1925 to 1961 — in commemoration of the battle against Nazi Germany there, widely considered both World War II’s bloodiest and its turning point.
I swear I see that term somewhere in the paper every day.
Most Russians, however, oppose the move and see Stalin’s death primarily as the end of an era of political repression, according to a poll by the independent Levada Center published Monday.
I swear I see that term somewhere in the paper every day.
Most Russians, however, oppose the move and see Stalin’s death primarily as the end of an era of political repression, according to a poll by the independent Levada Center published Monday.
Opposition politicians have criticized the government for failing to clearly condemn Stalin’s repressions. Grigory Yavlinsky, a liberal former presidential candidate, demanded Tuesday that the government ‘‘recognize what happened as a crime’’ and compensate Gulag prisoners who built some of Russia’s biggest industrial enterprises, including metals giant Norilsk Nickel.
We do.
We do.
Much of the resurgence in Stalin’s popularity owes itself to nostalgic perceptions of him as a strong leader in line with Russian traditions, rather than a longing to reinstate Communist dictatorship.
What government doesn't project that regarding it's chief executive? What country in the world comes out and says our guy is weak? No government in the world does that, so why would the proud Russians?
What government doesn't project that regarding it's chief executive? What country in the world comes out and says our guy is weak? No government in the world does that, so why would the proud Russians?
"Russian opposition lawmaker accused of treason" New York Times, March 16, 2013
MOSCOW — In a striking move to purge the Russian Parliament of even the faintest of contrarian voices, legislative leaders on Friday accused an opposition lawmaker of treason and demanded an ethics investigation, saying that the legislator had used a visit to Washington earlier this month to urge the United States to meddle in Russia’s internal affairs.
Well, we already are with the "Al-CIA-Duh" in Checnya and all, but let's put that aside for now.
The accused lawmaker, Dmitry Gudkov, is one of just two members of the State Duma who are leading supporters of the Russian political opposition and who have participated since December 2011 in the large street protests in Moscow calling for the ouster of President Vladimir Putin.
Well, we already are with the "Al-CIA-Duh" in Checnya and all, but let's put that aside for now.
The accused lawmaker, Dmitry Gudkov, is one of just two members of the State Duma who are leading supporters of the Russian political opposition and who have participated since December 2011 in the large street protests in Moscow calling for the ouster of President Vladimir Putin.
Earlier this week, Gudkov was expelled from his party, Just Russia, after its leaders said he had refused to give up his leadership role in the opposition. Just Russia is one of three minority parties in the Parliament, which is run by United Russia, the party that backed Putin for president.
The other opposition lawmaker, Ilya V. Ponomarev, quit Just Russia this week in solidarity with Gudkov. For now, they remain members of the Duma as independents.
But the accusations of treason against Gudkov, 33, are seen as a clear precursor to an effort to strip him of his seat. In September, his father, Gennadi V. Gudkov, a four-term lawmaker from the Just Russia faction, was similarly expelled from the Duma after being accused of violating rules that restrict members of Parliament from operating businesses.
Dmitry Gudkov visited the United States this month where he participated in a panel discussion by Freedom House, a nonprofit group that works to promote democracy.
That is a well-known western intelligence agency shop!
That is a well-known western intelligence agency shop!
While he made some remarks critical of Putin’s government and the Duma itself, the charges of treason were all the more stunning because Dmitry Gudkov went out of his way during his public statement to stress that the political opposition was working only in Russia’s interests.
--more--"
Put 'em all on trial!
"Russia begins trial of anti-Putin blogger" by Will Englund | Washington Post, April 25, 2013
MOSCOW — A judge warned the anticorruption blogger charged with embezzlement not to turn the proceedings into a political trial. The blogger — Alexei Navalny, a leader of Russia’s protest movement — responded by denouncing the ‘‘corrupt, usurping regime’’ of President Vladimir Putin.
Safe to assume he is a CIA asset.
Navalny’s trial began in earnest on Wednesday in Kirov, a beaten-down city that is an overnight train ride from Moscow, after a brief opening a week ago. The activist is accused of embezzling $500,000 worth of timber in 2009 when he was working as an adviser to the local governor.
Navalny denied the charge, as he often has before, and said the trial would prove his innocence — whatever the verdict.
In Russia, trials nearly always end with the defendant found guilty, but Navalny said he was confident that the world will understand he has clean hands.
AmeriKa?
‘‘This case is political revenge for our investigation into corruption,’’ he said. ‘‘This case is political revenge, in particular, for the campaign ‘Vote for any party other than the party of crooks and thieves.’ ’’ That was a reference to Navalny’s derisive, and now widely used, nickname for the ruling United Russia party.
Gonzalez-gate? Anyone remember that?
The judge, Sergei Blinov, who mumbled and appeared grim throughout the day, told Navalny to provide some evidence of the political nature of the case against him.
(The proceedings were broadcast by an upstart Internet television channel called Dozhd TV, and highlights were tweeted by the defendant’s supporters, and by Navalny himself, all day.)
Navalny could face 10 years in a prison camp, although he has said he believes he may be given a suspended sentence. That would put him on a short leash with the authorities, and with a criminal record he would be ineligible to run for public office.
Navalny’s lawyer, Olga Mikhailova, asked Blinov to recuse himself on the grounds that he had shown bias against her client by dismissing nearly every defense pre-trial motion and by his deference to prosecutors.
The judge considered the request briefly then announced he would stay on.
Blinov laid out a schedule for the trial that would take it to the end of May, and he said it could go longer.
And I'm already losing interest.
--more--"
"Russia crackdown on activists stirs Soviet comparisons" by Kathy Lally | Washington Post, May 05, 2013
MOSCOW — Two months ago, a civic-minded history professor in the picturesque city of Kostroma, Russia invited a US diplomat to take part in a roundtable about Russian-American relations. The event was open, the conversation spirited — and the professor’s organization was taken to court, accused of being a foreign agent.
The Kostroma Center for the Support of Public Initiatives ran afoul of a new law requiring organizations that receive funds from abroad and engage in political activity to register as foreign agents.
What's the big deal? AmeriKa has such a law, although Israel is exempt (wouldn't have been if RFK had his way).
The center’s chairman says his group is neither political nor in the pay of foreign governments.
The law, they say, is being used to silence advocacy groups and frighten supporters, and it reminds some of the Cold War era, especially since many of the targets have US connections.
Let's not go make, and let's not have a hot one.
‘‘You know, Kostroma is a small city,’’ said Nikolai Sorokin, the historian, ‘‘and everyone’s talking about this. It’s like in Soviet times when you could go to jail for that.’’
Howard Solomon, the US Embassy’s political officer, had gone to Kostroma mainly to tour a plant where a Houston company is investing about $100 million in an oil rig factory, creating an estimated 500 jobs, the kind of project courted by the Russian government.
That's when you know if it's all real or not. If the money is flowing, the war talk is bluster.
On Feb. 28 he participated in a roundtable with about 30 people, including activists, retirees, students, journalists — and a priest who gave him a hard time about American culture and Coca-Cola.
Priest likes Pepsi?
‘‘Prosecutors believe that since we organized this roundtable with Solomon,’’ Sorokin said, ‘‘this is automatically political activity.’’
The US Embassy saw the visit differently, saying it was the kind of public diplomacy practiced around the world.
Sadly, US embassies are nothing but CIA stations now.
Prosecutors began investigating nongovernment organizations after President Vladimir Putin made it clear he wanted action on the foreign agent law, publicly stating that 654 Russia organizations were receiving foreign money, said Pavel Chikov, chairman of Agora, an association that offers NGOs legal representation.
‘‘They needed to find something that can be considered political in terms of the law,’’ he said, ‘‘and in Kostroma they found the roundtable.’’
--more--"
Also see:
"Smoking and drinking kill about 900,000 people a year in Russia, the world’s second-largest cigarette market, according to official estimates. Tobacco companies have already won some compromises."
That does it! When he gets after the smokes it means war!
Put 'em all on trial!
"Russia begins trial of anti-Putin blogger" by Will Englund | Washington Post, April 25, 2013
MOSCOW — A judge warned the anticorruption blogger charged with embezzlement not to turn the proceedings into a political trial. The blogger — Alexei Navalny, a leader of Russia’s protest movement — responded by denouncing the ‘‘corrupt, usurping regime’’ of President Vladimir Putin.
Safe to assume he is a CIA asset.
Navalny’s trial began in earnest on Wednesday in Kirov, a beaten-down city that is an overnight train ride from Moscow, after a brief opening a week ago. The activist is accused of embezzling $500,000 worth of timber in 2009 when he was working as an adviser to the local governor.
Navalny denied the charge, as he often has before, and said the trial would prove his innocence — whatever the verdict.
In Russia, trials nearly always end with the defendant found guilty, but Navalny said he was confident that the world will understand he has clean hands.
AmeriKa?
‘‘This case is political revenge for our investigation into corruption,’’ he said. ‘‘This case is political revenge, in particular, for the campaign ‘Vote for any party other than the party of crooks and thieves.’ ’’ That was a reference to Navalny’s derisive, and now widely used, nickname for the ruling United Russia party.
Gonzalez-gate? Anyone remember that?
The judge, Sergei Blinov, who mumbled and appeared grim throughout the day, told Navalny to provide some evidence of the political nature of the case against him.
(The proceedings were broadcast by an upstart Internet television channel called Dozhd TV, and highlights were tweeted by the defendant’s supporters, and by Navalny himself, all day.)
Navalny could face 10 years in a prison camp, although he has said he believes he may be given a suspended sentence. That would put him on a short leash with the authorities, and with a criminal record he would be ineligible to run for public office.
Navalny’s lawyer, Olga Mikhailova, asked Blinov to recuse himself on the grounds that he had shown bias against her client by dismissing nearly every defense pre-trial motion and by his deference to prosecutors.
The judge considered the request briefly then announced he would stay on.
Blinov laid out a schedule for the trial that would take it to the end of May, and he said it could go longer.
And I'm already losing interest.
--more--"
"Russia crackdown on activists stirs Soviet comparisons" by Kathy Lally | Washington Post, May 05, 2013
MOSCOW — Two months ago, a civic-minded history professor in the picturesque city of Kostroma, Russia invited a US diplomat to take part in a roundtable about Russian-American relations. The event was open, the conversation spirited — and the professor’s organization was taken to court, accused of being a foreign agent.
The Kostroma Center for the Support of Public Initiatives ran afoul of a new law requiring organizations that receive funds from abroad and engage in political activity to register as foreign agents.
What's the big deal? AmeriKa has such a law, although Israel is exempt (wouldn't have been if RFK had his way).
The center’s chairman says his group is neither political nor in the pay of foreign governments.
The law, they say, is being used to silence advocacy groups and frighten supporters, and it reminds some of the Cold War era, especially since many of the targets have US connections.
Let's not go make, and let's not have a hot one.
‘‘You know, Kostroma is a small city,’’ said Nikolai Sorokin, the historian, ‘‘and everyone’s talking about this. It’s like in Soviet times when you could go to jail for that.’’
Howard Solomon, the US Embassy’s political officer, had gone to Kostroma mainly to tour a plant where a Houston company is investing about $100 million in an oil rig factory, creating an estimated 500 jobs, the kind of project courted by the Russian government.
That's when you know if it's all real or not. If the money is flowing, the war talk is bluster.
On Feb. 28 he participated in a roundtable with about 30 people, including activists, retirees, students, journalists — and a priest who gave him a hard time about American culture and Coca-Cola.
Priest likes Pepsi?
‘‘Prosecutors believe that since we organized this roundtable with Solomon,’’ Sorokin said, ‘‘this is automatically political activity.’’
The US Embassy saw the visit differently, saying it was the kind of public diplomacy practiced around the world.
Sadly, US embassies are nothing but CIA stations now.
Prosecutors began investigating nongovernment organizations after President Vladimir Putin made it clear he wanted action on the foreign agent law, publicly stating that 654 Russia organizations were receiving foreign money, said Pavel Chikov, chairman of Agora, an association that offers NGOs legal representation.
‘‘They needed to find something that can be considered political in terms of the law,’’ he said, ‘‘and in Kostroma they found the roundtable.’’
--more--"
Also see:
"Smoking and drinking kill about 900,000 people a year in Russia, the world’s second-largest cigarette market, according to official estimates. Tobacco companies have already won some compromises."
That does it! When he gets after the smokes it means war!
