Comments on: Putin’s puppet show

By: NukerDoggie

NukerDoggie — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 00:52:38 +0000

True, true Mr. Bremmer. But investors don’t care, really, as long as they can be reasonably assured of a nice return. Russian assets look better and better as compared with ones in the developed economies – especially as EU states and the U.S. move into ‘downgraded credit ratings’ territory.

So Russia’s going to thrive, at the expense of true democracy. The story of our times (that is, especially since the 2007+ financial crisis) is that democratic principles and ideology have become only a thin veneer to cloak greed for wealth and power. Look at the greedy capitalism devoid of a conscience that is being practiced day in and day out in the U.S. now, for example. The real difference between us and Russia is that our veneer is quite a bit better, but wearing real thin nonetheless.

By: txgadfly

txgadfly — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 23:51:04 +0000

So, what makes Russia “authoritarian” and the USA not? That the people running Russia are not the people running the USA? Both Governments do as they please without regard to the will of the people.

Authoritarian states do not give people a vote on anything that matters. “Show” elections.

By: middleterm

middleterm — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 23:02:35 +0000

Why is it “Putin’s Puppet Show”? Has Putin any more power in Russia than the U.S.president has in the U.S.? Absolutely not. You might as well call the U.S. “Obama’s Puppet Show”. Yet it is not. Is it? People are not talking about the Russian elections. People in general are not as interested in “free elections” as the Hoover Institute which has a constitutional axe to grind. If free elections were the only test of national wellness, why not complain about free elections in China? Although of course that might not go over so well in Palo Alto. In any case, the Chinese are quite pleased with themselves without American-style billion-dollar so-called “free” elections. Thank you very much. The real news about Russia is not the presidential election. It is the IMF’s assessment that Russian per capita GDP will grow from $19,000 to $36,000 by 2016. That is of far more interest to the average Russian and to everyone else, except of course, Bremmer.

By: WappingerNY

WappingerNY — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 21:45:01 +0000

Unfortunately people writing articles about Russia have never been there and know very little about it. In my mind Texas was always a place with only cowboys shooting left and right. I was surprised to see modern cities with cars and some intelligent people there. My point is – go there first, live there for a year, then write an article. Another problem though, nobody would publish that – it doesn’t fit into official comic book version of the world: China – evil commies manipulating currency, Russian – evil KGB (as usual), Europe is collapsing with euro, Muslims are terrorist, Jews are fun, Americans are nice people with great technology and science It’s in all movies, games and news. And it’s not true (as any comic book).

By: kedem

kedem — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 20:50:39 +0000

There might not be a full rule of law in Russia, but Putin love his country and Russia. To some degree the world needs someone like Putin to help save the world from having only one super power.

By: SteveP

SteveP — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 20:14:08 +0000

Why worry? Russian people’s problem.Until they have Putin and
Medvedev,Russia is dead.No danger from there.Oil-a-gogo.
Krutschev is crying in his tomb.

By: SteveP

SteveP — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 20:13:58 +0000

Why worry? Russian people’s problem.Until they have Putin and
Medvedev,Russia is dead.No danger from there.Oil-a-gogo.
Krutschev is crying in his tomb.