I found this funny

[UDawg]

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1032354,00.html

How do you answer Putin with out slamming him and making him look like the ill-informed idiot he is.

[bknblk]

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1032354,00.html

How do you answer Putin with out slamming him and making him look like the ill-informed idiot he is.

I saw the reporter ask that question and was instantly transported to the days of Pravda and serious misinformation campaigns (propaganda) of the Cold War.

UDawg, things look a little tenuous between the two right now. Hold me, I am scared of the bear. :)

[UDawg]

I saw the reporter ask that question and was instantly transported to the days of Pravda and serious misinformation campaigns (propaganda) of the Cold War.

UDawg, things look a little tenuous between the two right now. Hold me, I am scared of the bear. :)
You know what? I was thinking the exact same thing. Here we go again. Screw Russia. They have been a messed up region their whole existance

[Darth Rancid]

The russians suck at democracy, probably because they haven't had any practice... ever.

[UDawg]

The russians suck at democracy, probably because they haven't had any practice... ever.
The Czar tried right before the revolution but that is all that i know of.

[Rakeesh]

Curious...are there any figures of what percentage of russians would rather go back to communism vs those who would more strongly prefer a full democracy and capitalist economy?

[sytaylor]

Curious...are there any figures of what percentage of russians would rather go back to communism vs those who would more strongly prefer a full democracy and capitalist economy?

IIRC there is a strong feeling of nostalgia for the days when Russians were constantly told how great they were doing, and fed a pack of lies about what a great and revolutionary country they were. Yet the actual communist party doesn't have the greatest amount of popular support (gets about 10% in elections). The "russia" party (Putin's), is by far and away the leader, getting all the air time, and making an absolute song and dance of how great russia is...

My feeling is that the average russian doesn't care how they are governed, so long as their economic situation improves beyond the dismal situation the average russian faces right now...

[General Lee]

The Russian government passed the Point of Safe Return when they let the people taste a little bit of the things the free world has taken for granted, for the most part anyhow. They got to see what it could be like to choose for themselves, even if it were an illusion, and they liked it. So now, Russia really has only one direction to go...anything else would infuriate the people. Imagine if the US government started imposing more and more control on our free lives, quite forcifully, regarding anything. It would surely piss of Americans, and the same should result in Russia.

I don't believe what some Communists spout, that democracy eliminates one's culture. Sure it will change it a lot, but as long as a people remember their culture and take it with them for the ride, things should turn out ok. Perhaps Putin's aides and advisors have been watching a little too much MTV? It would seem that America does indeed have a stereotype, and causes narrowminded people to regard us as superficial, air-headed, etc. Yes, we should reach out to more thatn Putin and his advisors, and reach to others besides the government. Before we do that however, I'd like to see the US cleaned up a little. Some of our problems are a little embarissing.

[nVidi0t]

Putin is an A-grade moron.

[Ninjaman09]

Yeah I can't say I can have any respect for a man that would ask a question like that. It really does amaze me how people like this can get to be world leaders.

[netviper13]

Curious...are there any figures of what percentage of russians would rather go back to communism vs those who would more strongly prefer a full democracy and capitalist economy?

I think a good indicator is that the Communist party won about 14% in the most recent Russian presidential election. That number is huge when you figure in the fact that Putin controls all state television, so all political advertising time goes to him. Putin won 71% of the vote in that election.