Putin's party barely retains majority in Russia's parliamentary election in a humiliating setback: Still be scared!

Putin's party barely retains majority in Russia's parliamentary election in a humiliating setback: Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s party saw its majority in Russia’s parliament weaken sharply, according to preliminary results released Monday, a humiliating setback for the man who has steadily tightened his grip on the nation for nearly 12 years. Some opposition politicians and election monitors said even a result of around 50 percent for Putin’s United Russia party was inflated, alleging ballot-stuffing and other significant violations at the polls.



The nation’s only independent election watchdog has been subjected to a massive official intimidation campaign before the vote and saw its website blocked by what it described as a massive cyber attack it blamed on authorities. United Russia is still expected to retain its majority in the lower house and Putin is all but certain to win next March’s presidential election, but Sunday’s vote badly dented his carefully groomed image.


Chanting 'Russia without Putin,' flash mobs roil Moscow:Opposition demonstrators walk along a main thoroughfare during protests against alleged vote-rigging in Russia's parliamentary elections in Moscow on Tuesday. Police clashed with demonstrators protesting alleged election fraud in Moscow and at least two other major Russian cities on Tuesday as anger boiled against strongman Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and his ruling United Russia party. Gorbachev said the rigged election should be cancelled.

From Russia This was a sobering shock for Putin's party who has been intimidating and gaming the system for years in his effort to get his fascist hands on Russia again. This is proof positive of Russians' increasing suspicions of Putin's authoritarianism, ingrained corruption and falling living standards. Putin is not to be trusted and Russians have felt his grubby little hands around their necks for 12 years as he intimidates and tries to control Russia's future for his party.

Be scared be very scared! The USSR's Mikhail Gorbachev has warned that Russia risks six lost years when Vladimir Putin returns to the presidency, echoing rumblings of dissent over his Kremlin comeback. I always find myself agreeing with Gorbachev but that is putting it mildly. This is bad news for the US and the world!
This is very concerning. I remember back in 2008 when Putin was going to try and be President for life. He was not alone. Leaders aligned with Russia were all trying to get permanent leadership so they could be at the helm of their prospective countries to take on then President Bush when his war mongering hit the point where Russia, the 135 non aligned Nations, Iran, and others were prepared to join forces and take him and our allies on.

I remember when Bush first met Putin and he said he shook his hand and looked him in the eye and saw a man of compassion, a man who was true to his word, and a man he could work with. I shuttered at Bush's stupidity. I looked at Putin and saw a man deceitful to the core who was not to be trusted period.

We were too pompous then and were pushing the world towards WW3 with our take it or leave it, my way or the highway, interference around the world. Putin was determined to head us off, to directly confront us when we were on Russia's front door trying to instigate war by installing the so called missile shield in Czechoslovakia and Poland, and return Russia to the role of a world leader.

Personally we blew it when Russia broke up and the Berlin wall came down. We were the world leader and had the perfect opportunity to be humble, show we were the leader, and bring the world together to proceed successfully through the 21st century.We egged on the likes of Vladimir Putin who understandably chaffed under our we are the boss do what we say take it or leave it, it your face tactics of Bush and Cheney.

I had great hope when we elected President Obama who set the reset button with Russia and Russia who had elected Dmitri Medvedev who agreed to work with the US to proceed through the 21st century as partners instead of heading towards WW3 as adversaries. In Medvedev we see in his eyes and actions a man we can and do work with.

With the return of Putin to the Russian Presidency I am again very concerned and see an end to a partner country whose leaders words and actions we can trust and a return to a confrontational relationship with Russia. I do not like the man, I do not trust the man, and I am very concerned as to which direction Russia and the United States are headed now and at a time when China is surging militarily.

We must maintain a balance as we try to move progressively and successfully through the 21st century! Being in a superior position puts one in a unique position of power and that power must be handled gracefully, with humility, responsibly, and not abused. That is something I taught all my sons and America under Bush did a lousy job of handling.

We need Russia on our side. I am a little worried that China too is getting a little too heavy handed and abusive with her new position of power and beginning to take what she wants instead of being content with what she has which is what I constantly lecture has to be the case if we are to have a future. The time when man and the planet could handle war is over, period or else!




James Joiner
Gardner, Ma
http://anaverageamericanpatriot.blogspot.com