Russian Politics Thread: Добро пожаловать!

[PLESSUR]

This is where we pretend that Russia has free and open elections with real parties that are totally not puppets of Mr Putin. It reminds me of the hilarious RT coverage of the Russian election a few years back when everyone pretends that Russia is having a election a la America, Britain, and other actual democracies, and then acting all surprised that United Russia won.

Not Having a western style demoracy =/= undemocratic.

I hope the Communist Party win again since they have a lot of credit due to their successful rule of the Soviet Union.

Are you being serious?

[Nioya]

Can someone with a russian perspective look at my factbook and comment on it from a Russian perspective? Maybe tell me some political issues to address that are talked about in russia but not in america.

[United Marxist Nations]

Not Having a western style demoracy =/= undemocratic.

I hope the Communist Party win again since they have a lot of credit due to their successful rule of the Soviet Union.

Are you being serious?

Regardless of what you believe about it, Russians alive at the time generally agree that the Soviet Union was better than modern Russia in most respects, with a large portion of the population even being skeptical of democracy.

[Baltenstein]

Foreign policy wise, I looks like a Sino-Russian entente is being born. That could be potentially dangerous - China has generally been quiet in foreign policy, especially when issues are related to internal issues for other countries. It figures if it tells everyone to leave others alone, its regime would be left alone.

You mean, it looks like Russia thinks a Sino-Russian entente is being born. Despite Russia's boasting, the Chinese have avoided being drawn into Russia's various "projects" (Ukraine, Syria etc.) so far.

[United Marxist Nations]

Foreign policy wise, I looks like a Sino-Russian entente is being born. That could be potentially dangerous - China has generally been quiet in foreign policy, especially when issues are related to internal issues for other countries. It figures if it tells everyone to leave others alone, its regime would be left alone.

You mean, it looks like Russia thinks a Sino-Russian entente is being born. Despite Russia's boasting, the Chinese have avoided being drawn into Russia's various "projects" (Ukraine, Syria etc.) so far.

Yeah, China doesn't really want to commit to one side, which makes sense; why would it do that when it can play both sides like a fiddle?

[Mahdistan]

The O.P. now includes basic descriptions of all of the candidates. Comment for anything that should be added.

A Russian politics thread? Cool -- thought that went out with Medvedev stepping down.

Speaking of which, how right are Russia's political parties? And whatever happened to Garry Kasparov?

Right, as in, right-wing? If so, fairly. The Communist Party is the largest left-wing party, and the ruling party, United Russia, is center-right, then there's the Liberal Democratic Party, which is far-right and with fairly large political power. Medvedev is still around too, he's still prime minister. There's a possibility of him running if Putin steps down, but on a significantly more liberal economic policy than back when he was elected before.

[Geilinor]

Homophobia was prevalent in the USSR as well, it wasn't as if they were the ones at risk of losing their good reputation. But really the media over there does put lots of effort into associating liberals with gays. I read an interview of this Donbass revolutionary guy, where he described the civil war as "a fight between thousand year old traditions and a Western world that no longer believes in families with a mother and a father."

Homophobia was prevalent everywhere when the USSR existed.

The difference is that some countries have changed since then and others haven't.

[Saiwania]

The only way for Russia to have good relations with the US in my view, is for Donald Trump to win in November of 2016. All of the other GOP candidates and Hillary Clinton have an anti-Russia foreign policy. With Trump, the US could be willing to not interfere in Syria whatsoever.

[Geilinor]

The only way for Russia to have good relations with the US in my view, is for Donald Trump to win in November of 2016. All of the other GOP candidates and Hillary Clinton have an anti-Russia foreign policy. With Trump, the US could be willing to not interfere in Syria whatsoever.

Good relations with Russia aren't worth electing Trump.

[Susria]

I'd like the Slavic Union party if it wasn't full of ex-criminals and wannabe-criminals. It's actually quite annoying, especially considering some of their economic policies, which boil down to "INVADE CENTRAL ASIA; REGAIN FORMER CLAY."

Putin is good enough, though. He brings in real change and really positive influences, but he's too corrupt and a little too absent regarding some domestic issues. Internationally, he could be doing better, as well. He burns too many bridges instead of building them.

[Saiwania]

Good relations with Russia aren't worth electing Trump.

It is to me among other reasons. Russia should perhaps set aside $1 billion and have it laundered into the Trump campaign. For every ad that Hillary puts out, I'd like 2 or 3 Trump ads to drown out the Democrats' message. Hopefully money could be enough to swing the election to Trump.

[Geilinor]

Good relations with Russia aren't worth electing Trump.

It is to me among other reasons. Russia should perhaps set aside $1 billion and have it laundered into the Trump campaign. For every ad that Hillary puts out, I'd like 2 or 3 Trump ads to drown out the Democrats' message. Hopefully money could be enough to swing the election to Trump.

Right, so you want to swing an election with money from Russia.

[Baltenstein]

Good relations with Russia aren't worth electing Trump.

It is to me among other reasons. Russia should perhaps set aside $1 billion and have it laundered into the Trump campaign. For every ad that Hillary puts out, I'd like 2 or 3 Trump ads to drown out the Democrats' message. Hopefully money could be enough to swing the election to Trump.

Nothing says "American patriotism" more than willingly turning oneself into a Russian puppet, eh?

[The United Colonies of Earth]

It is to me among other reasons. Russia should perhaps set aside $1 billion and have it laundered into the Trump campaign. For every ad that Hillary puts out, I'd like 2 or 3 Trump ads to drown out the Democrats' message. Hopefully money could be enough to swing the election to Trump.

Nothing says "American patriotism" more than willingly turning oneself into a Russian puppet, eh?

The holy icon of America as a philistine country must be preserved at all costs!

[Mahdistan]

People claim RT never goes against the government because it's a government-run news agency, but here's an article from just today which is overtly critical of Russia's blasphemy laws:

https://www.rt.com/news/334551-insultin ... my-russia/

[Trumpostan]

It is to me among other reasons. Russia should perhaps set aside $1 billion and have it laundered into the Trump campaign. For every ad that Hillary puts out, I'd like 2 or 3 Trump ads to drown out the Democrats' message. Hopefully money could be enough to swing the election to Trump.

Right, so you want to swing an election with money from Russia.

So now we can act sedition and disloyalty to the traits of Trump supporters?

[Mahdistan]

https://www.rt.com/news/334559-putin-dog-girl-present/

President Vladimir Putin often gives presents to children who write him.

[Shofercia]

The Russian presidential elections are quite a ways off, but information has begun to trickle in, so I felt it worthwhile to bring back this thread again. Along with numerous other recent issues, I see many reasons to bring back the thread relating specifically to Russia's politics, rather than simply their outward actions.

So, as with the poll, all of these candidates are potentials for presidency in 2018. Who do you support?

Why no women in the poll? I can think of at least four that can become president in 2018, at least theoretically speaking.

Valentina Matvienko - she's an experienced legislative leader who can push legislation through better than anyone. She's also served as the Governor of St. Petersburg, Russia's best run city whose population was/is over a million. She's Ukrainian. But she's 66 and not getting any younger.

Svetlana Zhurova - Relentless fighter for the rights of mothers, (actual mothers,) strong legislative experience, Olympic Champion, massive sports program promoted, etc. But she lacks executive experience when compared to the other candidates.

Elvira Nabiullina - Russia's chief banker and can work the executive cycle. Also she's 52, so age isn't an issue. Ethnic Tatar. But she has little legislative experience, which is vital for a party's leader.

Natalia Poklonskaya - originally assigned to the job because others refused/were too scared, this beauty has brains and brawn. Always someone to exceed expectations, she whipped Crimea's prosecutorial department into shape, and has quite a bit of legislative experience. Very nice work resume. The con is that she never worked in a major role on a national level, but neither did Putin when he was appointed president.

You're also missing Kudrin and Khakamada, but have Kasyanov, (is there a segment of the Russian population he didn't alienate,) Mavrodii (is he actually running or going for PR,) and Okhlobystin instead. The latter has, erm, unique viewpoints, but he needs to understand the art of compromise.

This is where we pretend that Russia has free and open elections with real parties that are totally not puppets of Mr Putin. It reminds me of the hilarious RT coverage of the Russian election a few years back when everyone pretends that Russia is having a election a la America, Britain, and other actual democracies, and then acting all surprised that United Russia won.

Candidate with 60% approval rating wins 60% - expected.
Candidate does so in the US - totally fair!
Candidate does so in Russia - rigged election! Hold the presses! Run the presses! Press the presses!

Doesn't that hypocrisy ever get old?

"If Western-style liberals don't have even the slightest semblance of popularity, then the entire government and party system must be a conspiracy!"

Is the above sentence a good summary of what you actually believe?

Not at all, but to call Russia a democracy is like calling China a democracy, sure there are puppet parties, but we all know who is going to win and who is in control.

Right, because CPRF are just UR puppets...

But there is a real choice, it's just that the overwhelming majority vote for one party, and the others vote for the Communists or one of the others. You just disagree with the choice, so you pretend there was never one to begin with.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4-tZqYzh84

Can I tell you a little secret? When the most popular candidate wins the election because most of the people voted for said candidate, that's known as democracy. I understand that it's a tough concept, but I'm sure you'll get it!

[Mahdistan]

The Russian presidential elections are quite a ways off, but information has begun to trickle in, so I felt it worthwhile to bring back this thread again. Along with numerous other recent issues, I see many reasons to bring back the thread relating specifically to Russia's politics, rather than simply their outward actions.

So, as with the poll, all of these candidates are potentials for presidency in 2018. Who do you support?

Why no women in the poll? I can think of at least four that can become president in 2018, at least theoretically speaking.

Valentina Matvienko - she's an experienced legislative leader who can push legislation through better than anyone. She's also served as the Governor of St. Petersburg, Russia's best run city whose population was/is over a million. She's Ukrainian. But she's 66 and not getting any younger.

Svetlana Zhurova - Relentless fighter for the rights of mothers, (actual mothers,) strong legislative experience, Olympic Champion, massive sports program promoted, etc. But she lacks executive experience when compared to the other candidates.

Elvira Nabiullina - Russia's chief banker and can work the executive cycle. Also she's 52, so age isn't an issue. Ethnic Tatar. But she has little legislative experience, which is vital for a party's leader.

Natalia Poklonskaya - originally assigned to the job because others refused/were too scared, this beauty has brains and brawn. Always someone to exceed expectations, she whipped Crimea's prosecutorial department into shape, and has quite a bit of legislative experience. Very nice work resume. The con is that she never worked in a major role on a national level, but neither did Putin when he was appointed president.

You're also missing Kudrin and Khakamada, but have Kasyanov, (is there a segment of the Russian population he didn't alienate,) Mavrodii (is he actually running or going for PR,) and Okhlobystin instead. The latter has, erm, unique viewpoints, but he needs to understand the art of compromise.

So far, I've only listed people who have outwardly announced their intention to run (which Kasyanov, Mavrodi, and Okhlobystin have), or are anticipated to run. I can only list so many people, and the poll will change with time.

[Mahdistan]

Realized I missed a candidate in the description list. Prokhorov, one of the pro-corporate ones.

[Allanea]

Can I tell you a little secret? When the most popular candidate wins the election because most of the people voted for said candidate, that's known as democracy. I understand that it's a tough concept, but I'm sure you'll get it!

ONly when the candidates are allowed to register freely, compete freely without harrassment, have free access to media, etc. Fairly counting the votes after you've made the race itself unfair is meaningless.

[Mahdistan]

Can I tell you a little secret? When the most popular candidate wins the election because most of the people voted for said candidate, that's known as democracy. I understand that it's a tough concept, but I'm sure you'll get it!

ONly when the candidates are allowed to register freely, compete freely without harrassment, have free access to media, etc. Fairly counting the votes after you've made the race itself unfair is meaningless.

By those definitions, there's never been a democracy in human history. Regardless of what country it is, in any democracy, candidates have to anticipate media bias and likely harassment of some sort by their detractors. Part of what differentiates between the people who claim to want to be president and front-runner candidates for president or prime minister or whatever is either (or more likely, both) their ability to withstand these factors, or their ability to do the same to their opponents.

[Allanea]

ONly when the candidates are allowed to register freely, compete freely without harrassment, have free access to media, etc. Fairly counting the votes after you've made the race itself unfair is meaningless.

By those definitions, there's never been a democracy in human history. Regardless of what country it is, in any democracy, candidates have to anticipate media bias and likely harassment of some sort by their detractors. Part of what differentiates between the people who claim to want to be president and front-runner candidates for president or prime minister or whatever is either (or more likely, both) their ability to withstand these factors, or their ability to do the same to their opponents.

Are you suggesting that there are no artificial obstacles in Russia to candidate registration and media exposure? That candidates are not physically threatened and even assaulted?

[Mahdistan]

By those definitions, there's never been a democracy in human history. Regardless of what country it is, in any democracy, candidates have to anticipate media bias and likely harassment of some sort by their detractors. Part of what differentiates between the people who claim to want to be president and front-runner candidates for president or prime minister or whatever is either (or more likely, both) their ability to withstand these factors, or their ability to do the same to their opponents.

Are you suggesting that there are no artificial obstacles in Russia to candidate registration and media exposure? That candidates are not physically threatened and even assaulted?

No, I suggested the opposite; that there's never been a country without these obstacles, so it's rather pointless to single out Russia. As well, attacks on opposition candidates are nearly always performed by supporters of the government, not the government itself, and they've been duly prosecuted. Media exposure is equally as bad as it is here in the U.S., considering that there've been over a hundred candidates for presidency in this election alone, but the media has only given attention to perhaps the top ten, and only the main two parties.

[Geilinor]

[
Can I tell you a little secret? When the most popular candidate wins the election because most of the people voted for said candidate, that's known as democracy. I understand that it's a tough concept, but I'm sure you'll get it!

The actual number of votes and seats still matters, even if the most popular candidate wins. That's why we don't just decide based off of polls and have an official election with ballot counting.