It has become quite common in some parts of the world to wonder whether American democracy continues to be head-and-shoulders above Russia’s. But according to Patrik Etschmayer of Switzerland’s Nachrichten newspaper, Russia’s recent presidential ‘election’ and America’s ongoing presidential race should put any such chattering to rest. Etschmayer writes in part, ‘American democracy undoubtedly suffers many shortcomings, like voting machines that can be manipulated, smear campaigns, and the fact that apart from the two parties, there is virtually no chance for a candidate to establish him or herself. But American democracy is not yet completely ruined. Last weekend however, Russia’s took another step toward self-imposed dismantling and its rebuilding into a Potemkin democracy – only a facade.’
By Patrik Etschmayer
Translated By Ulf Behncke
March 3, 2008
Switzerland – Nachrichten – Original Article (German)
The world media and election observers are all in agreement: Russia’s presidential elections were a farce. The Russians held an election without a choice, and the President was chosen by his predecessor Putin, who as prime minister will keep his new “boss” Dimitrij Medvedev under his thumb.
Some still hope that the Putin saga will play out again with Medvedev. Because even the strongman from Moscow was initially regarded as a predictable, weak president – merely a stooge in office. But today the arrangement is quite different. At the time, Putin took over from the sick, alcoholic Boris Yeltsin, who left a power vacuum behind that former KGB man Putin filled with his own men. And Medvedev is one of those men.
Putin has the reins very tightly in hand, and even if Medvedev wanted to, he would find it very difficult to break or to erode his predecessor’s power-base. For the foreseeable future – and probably beyond – Russia will remain Putin-land. And as such, it is country striving to regain its lost glory.
Tomorrow [March 4], interestingly enough, Russia’s former archenemy will also set its future course. The primaries in Texas and Ohio could determine which Democrat will run against Republican John McCain in November.
Again and again of late, sarcastic remarks have been made questioning whether the United States is more of a democracy than Russia.
Such remarks are unfair.
The argument tends to imply that America’s presidential chair can actually be purchased – in fact can only conquered with tremendous amounts of money. The duel in Texas appears to be proof: the two candidates in this state alone spent millions, in order to fill primetime with commercials on every channel.
READ ON AT WORLDMEETS.US, along with continuing translated foreign press coverage of the U.S. election.
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