generalspeaking

The Game Is On...!

As though there was any mystery as to how it would unfold. It's a predictable game of pre-planned political Musical Chairs. Quid pro quo in a country whose ruling governing elite always indulged in it. Russians are still, and will likely always want to be dependent on 'strongmen', those alpha male personalities who exude the confidence of psychopaths, with the facade of indomitability and physical strength and vigour.

Their valorous exploits are uncontestable. Face a tiger? He's your man. Bend an iron shovel? No problem. Ride a stallion bare-back and bare-chested? Right up there. Physical fitness, an accurate shot, capable of wrestling a man half his age to the ground? No problem, none at all, and the adoring Russian public is presented with all the photographs they hanker over.

Vladimir Putin's love of country and fierce defence of traditional hegemony yet another symbol that the past lives on. As much as Egypt was a quasi-democracy through its mock voting rituals where the president of the country captured over 80% of the popular vote, so too is Russia a democracy, where the ruling party sits as a majority holder of the Kremlin authority and power.

Should powerful, wealthy interests wish to unseat the power of the first ministers they have the example of an oligarch who tried and now languishes in prison with little hope of freedom; the only freedom accorded him was the state capture of his oil enterprise, Yukos. Mikhail Khodorkovsky has had ample time to re-think his failed strategy of a new political party to challenge Vladimir Putin.

News reporters who have had an unfortunate tendency to investigate stories that do not reflect well on the government, from its battles in Chechnya, to its imposition of state dictates not quite in accord with democratic rule have discovered just how life-threatening such public disclosures can be, with the mysterious and violent deaths of a succession of reporters. The deaths have been bruited about to have been ordered by the Kremlin, but proof there is none.

Vladimir Putin, who served two terms as president of Russia, feels that one term as prime minister is sufficient. His acolyte whom he blessed and elevated to temporarily take his place, seemed at one time to promise of an independent mind and indeed seemed to take exception from time to time to some of his mentor's statements. His independence appears to have evaporated, if indeed it was ever anything more than a useful facade to leave an impression that he was more than he seemed.

Dmitry Medvedev proved to be a good protege, fully cognizant of where the real power lies, and fully prepared to render unto Caesar what Caesar claims as his own. A change in the constitution to extend presidential terms from four to six years, to begin with in the transition from president to prime minister, enabling the real force to retake his presidential seat and lay to rest the pretext that Putin ever played second fiddle to Medvedev.

Labels: Political Realities, Russia

posted by Pieface @ Sunday, September 25, 2011