Putin to combat terrorism by...how else?...taking away rights

[Spiffor]

I pasted an article hours ago in the other Russian thread, but got one comment in all

Well, this is unsurprising. But I don't expect Putin to get too many results with this. By further restricting local democracy, he risks alienating local populations, as happened to the USSR. His popularity as a strongman may prevent it for now, but should he continue in this path, he'll prepare a new wave of independences and territorial dispersion.

[Serb]

Pretends? Putin is a thousand times more democratic leader than Yeltsin or Gorbachev were.
Perhaps most of you guys do not get it- this new election law will fully affect only new president of Russia wchich will be elected in 2008. It's the year when new president will be elected, new parliament will be elected and majority of new governors will be appointed and aproved by local parliaments of the regions. And Putin WILL NOT be elected in 2008, since he already was elected the president of Russian Federation twice. He can't be elected third time, it's against our constitution. Alll current governors will stay in charge of their regions untill the end of their terms. The terms of absolute majority of governors will end after 2008, when Putin will not be a president anymore.
It's just a ****ing reform.
Go, Putin, go!

[chequita guevara]

Four years is a lot of time to change the Constitution, which will be made consierably easier when the whole government is in his pocket.

I don't mind the legislatitive changes, but the change of governors is wrong. Governors should be beholden to the people, not the president.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Critics charged the Russian leader was using the bloody outcome of the Beslan school siege to grab more power.

*gasp* A leader using a terrorist attack to grab more power? Heavens, no!

[chequita guevara]

He learns well from his American master.

[Serb]

Originally posted by Spiffor
I pasted an article hours ago in the other Russian thread, but got one comment in all

Well, this is unsurprising. But I don't expect Putin to get too many results with this. By further restricting local democracy, he risks alienating local populations, as happened to the USSR. His popularity as a strongman may prevent it for now, but should he continue in this path, he'll prepare a new wave of independences and territorial dispersion.

Blah...blah...blah...
This will boost his popularity to the new level. Local populations (and I am one of those locals) are pretty tired of those local tsars who call themselves governors. You have no idea about Russian election of governors, each such election is parade of idiocy, lies, dirty PR and brainwashing. If you are elected for you first term- you can be pretty sure, you'll stay there for the second term- because you take control over local media, start to praise yourself, brainwash your population, etc. After a couple of years, nobody in your region will dare to chalenge your power- you are free to do whatever you wish. And governors with salaries of few thousand $$$ per month, start to build castles that cost millions. And nobody cares about that, because local law-enforcement bodies under comand of local governors and governors have almost complete imuunity. In other words- previous system was created by corrupt f*ckers and for corrupt f*ckers. Governor in my region was elected three times during last election his only opposition was the candidate from commies and it's pretty common situation for Russia.
Nobody will cry if all those corrupt old farts will leave forever, they've stolen enough already.
Go, Putin, go. Get those bastards

[chequita guevara]

If corruption is a problem, the answer is not to end democracy. The answer is for the Feds to step in and toss out the corrupt leaders. Of course, the Republics only mirror the Federal level. Where is the independent media criticizing Putin?

[Serb]

You need links? I can give you plenty of links.

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
If corruption is a problem, the answer is not to end democracy.

Exactly. Democracy reduces corruption. Have we learned nothing from Civ?

[Spiffor]

I agree with Chegitz: the answer to corruption by local officials is to send the federal police to break down on them and apply the law, the same way you got rid of the oligarchs.
Removing local democracy is not a solution, as governors may see their power grow unchallenged just the same, as long as they remain nice little brownnosers in Moscow.

[Whaleboy]

Exactly. Democracy reduces corruption. Have we learned nothing from Civ?

I'll choose corruption over stupidity any day!

[Serb]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
Four years is a lot of time to change the Constitution, which will be made consierably easier when the whole government is in his pocket.

For Putin, to change constitution and appoint himself for the third term is to spit on his own policy. He wants to see Russia democracy.
Wanna bet? He will not the next president, despite this time he could get my vote (I never vote for him actually) and perhaps the votes of absolute majority of population.

I don't mind the legislatitive changes, but the change of governors is wrong. Governors should be beholden to the people, not the president.

But the problem is - now governors beholds to nobody.
One more thing, this new mechanism means deal between the region and federation- the head of state offers pool of candidates and local parliament of the region choose one of the candidates. Is it so undemocratic?

[Serb]

Originally posted by DinoDoc
Exactly. Democracy reduces corruption. Have we learned nothing from Civ?

Communism is the best way do defeat corruption, besides it's the best system for a wartime and since we are at war now, go Putin, go.

[Whaleboy]

Sorry, but that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by Serb
For Putin, to change constitution and appoint himself for the third term is to spit on his own policy. He wants to see Russia democracy.
Wanna bet? He will not the next president, despite this time he could get my vote (I never vote for him actually) and perhaps the votes of absolute majority of population.

I didn't know the constitution barred Putin from candidating a third time, but I agree with you that he won't spit on the constitution this way.
I don't think Putin wants a democracy in the meaning we understand it in the west. I think Putin wants an elective authoritarian system, i.e. one where the head of State has an immense power, but where it is possible to oust him through the vote.