Election Tampering Observed in Russia

[Conley]

MOSCOW — Western election monitors said on Monday that they had observed blatant fraud, including the brazen stuffing of ballot boxes, in the parliamentary elections that delivered surprisingly big losses to United Russia, the party led by Prime Minister Putin.

The election on Sunday left United Russia clinging to a slim majority, and while the monitors declined to draw firm conclusions, it was clear from their report that vote stealing and other alleged malfeasance could have shifted the outcome in United Russia’s favor.The scathing report by international observers, combined with dramatic, mostly amateur, footage of alleged election malfeasance posted on the Web, made clear that the authorities would face continuing questions about the fairness of the vote despite the main party’s steep losses.

On Monday evening, thousands of demonstrators gathered on a promenade by the Chistye Prudy metro station in central Moscow, and voiced their opposition to the government at an event organized by the Solidarity Party. Throngs chanted “Russia (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/russiaandtheformersovietunion/index.html?inline=nyt-geo) without Putin!” and “Putin is a Thief.” Police officials estimated the crowd at about 2,000 though some participants said it was larger. There was a heavy police presence and some protesters were detained.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/06/world/europe/russian-parliamentary-elections-criticized-by-west.html

It seems Putin is not as popular as I thought. They seem pretty brazen about the whole thing, which is less of a surprise.

[Mister D]

Still, I figured it would be the other way around That is to say, Putin's goons would be doing the stufffing.

[Conley]

Still, I figured it would be the other way around That is to say, Putin's goons would be doing the stufffing.

Right, it is confusing but I think that is exactly what happened. His party would have lost otherwise.

" it was clear from their report that vote stealing and other alleged malfeasance could have shifted the outcome in United Russia’s favor."

[Mister D]

Totally unexpected as far as I'm concerned.

[Conley]

I doubt we would know if Putin was popular or not. I'm sure his people in the media will always present him as a hero.

[Mister D]

No doubt he has plenty of support but yuo're probably right about getting an accurate number.

[Conley]

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2011/12/05/world/europe/05russia3/05russia3-articleLarge.jpg

That's a cool photo.

[Mister D]

I think that's Medenev (sp?) That must be a Putin crowd.

[MMC]

So are they saying Putin and his party wins? If Russia splits apart again. I do not think they will be in any position on the UN Security Counsel to throw their weight around anymore. Moreover the Chinese are to tentative and hesitant to speak out against us.

Why do we even focus on these so called Demo Elections in Countries we know they have no clue as to what Demo-Crazy is.

[Conley]

Yep, Putin wins no matter what. I don't see a civil war happening there anytime soon. Not after Chechnya.

[Mister D]

Yep, Putin wins no matter what. I don't see a civil war happening there anytime soon. Not after Chechnya.

Not between ethnic Russians. I agree. The Islamic areas in the east, however, may always try to break away.

[Conley]

Not between ethnic Russians. I agree. The Islamic areas in the east, however, may always try to break away.

Yes, I think that will always be a problem for them. I'm glad our country doesn't have divisions like that (yet).

[Mister D]

Yes, I think that will always be a problem for them. I'm glad our country doesn't have divisions like that (yet).

Those were more like imperial territories than organic sections of the Russian nation. The same is true of our west but we settled that land. I don't think there were ever that many Russians (or Ukrainians, Poles etc.) in that part of the empire.

[Conley]

Right. If we had not wiped out the Natives and there were more of them there then we might be facing the same problems.

[Mister D]

Right. If we had not wiped out the Natives and there were more of them there then we might be facing the same problems.

If there were large native populations I think that would be a likely scenario.

[Conley]

OK, this isn't going to be PC but why haven't Natives bred like rabbits like so many other groups in poverty?

[MMC]

Yes, I think that will always be a problem for them. I'm glad our country doesn't have divisions like that (yet).

You don't think we have divisions like them? Ours are worse.....IMO! Look at all our divisions.

[Mister D]

OK, this isn't going to be PC but why haven't Natives bred like rabbits like so many other groups in poverty?

Not sure. The Native American population is pretty small. It always was, actually. North America never had advanced states similar to those in Mesoamerica and the Andean region. I do think INdians are genetically predisposed to alcoholism.

[Mister D]

You don't think we have divisions like them? Ours are worse.....IMO! Look at all our divisions.

Serious regional conflicts certainly could develop as Hispanics continue to pour into the southwest.

[Conley]

Serious regional conflicts certainly could develop as Hispanics continue to pour into the southwest.

Well, I'm more comfortable with an immigrant Roman Catholic population (which we have more in common with and which can be addressed through border security) than I am with an entrenched Muslim population.

[Mister D]

No argument there. I'd certainly choose the RC over the Muslim.

[MMC]

No argument there. I'd certainly choose the RC over the Muslim.

RC? Rotten Cola? :laugh: