Responses to the Dissenter’s March continues. The Nation’s Katrina Vanden Huevel calls for a fight to press freedom in Russia. This comes amid news that Russian authorities shut down the Samara branch of Novaya gazeta two weeks ago. The police charged Novaya editors with using pirated software. You gotta love it when copyright infringement becomes a weapon of political repression.
Jonas Bernstein gives a tacit “yes” to the question of whether Sunday’s “crackdown” represents a wider wave of repression. Closing down newspapers, arresting and harassing political opposition–specifically SPS, Other Russia and Yabloko–are all part of something larger. But those in a real pinch according to Bernstein might just be Russia’s regional governors. The regions have taken Putin’s mixed message that United Russia needs to show leadership at the same time “all kinds of crooks” have wormed their way into its ranks, have taken this as a hint to ratchet “up pressure on the opposition” and “to secure a strong turnout for United Russia in order to ensure their own futures.” This engenders the question of whether “repression” is more fueled by centripetal paranoia over their own local power base. Kinda of reminds me of when Stalin told his regional secretaries that there would be free and open elections in 1936, and in response they bombarded the vodzh’ with reports about kulaks and priests making a possible electoral coup.
This doesn’t mean that there aren’t signals emanating from the center. Bernstein likens Putin’s linking of the “opposition” with the West as a possible sign of more repression to come.
Bernstein’s words come on the cusp of Putin launching more salvos against the West, specifically the United States. Today he announced that he has “information” that OSCE’s pullout was at the behest of the US State Department as a means to “delegitimize” the elections. “We will take this into account in our relations with that country,” Putin told the Russian press. The State Department has denied any such thing but I’m sure the Kremlin counted on that. The Russian state media got its sound bite, which was probably the point anyway.
Still, rhetoric against the Western bogeyman has been ratcheted up of late. But I suspect it’s all show for domestic consumption. If the airbrushed images that don websites like Za Putina are any indication, this election like so many others around the world is more about image rather than substance. If Putin looks strong, Russia is strong. The Tsar-President, if the effort from “below” to make him a “national leader” has any real substance, is one with the narod. One should remember that the possible real target of the Kremlin’s “pressure” is not so much the “opposition” but United Russia’s middle management. Populist appeals as a means to squeeze regional chieftains are an tried and true form of Russian rule. Basically, Putin is telling them, “I am everything, you are nothing. You need me more than I need you.” Whether this is true or not remains to be seen.
What is amazing about all this is that it seems that the Kremlin clans have circled the wagons. The talk about clan warfare that hit the press weeks ago has fallen silent. It seems that the siloviki and the business elite have made a tacit peace around their mutual interests of plunder, power, and prestige. The Russian centers of power are standing firm, while the regions scramble to secure their piece of the post-electoral pie. Smacking down “opposition” in the provinces make for good demonstrations of loyalty.
Where does all this leave Russia real opposition, the Communist Party? A few days ago the Guardian’s Luke Harding bravely stated that the KPRF might be Russia’s last “democratic option.” Gensek Zyuganov has been traveling the country speaking to Russia’s downtrodden about the real social-economic issues. “When Putin came to power there were seven oligarchs. Now there are 61,” he reminded a crowd in Moscow suburb Korolyov. He even displayed some political anekdoty to charm the crowd.
Zyuganov tells a Roman Abramovich joke. Roman arrives in heaven only to find his way blocked by St Paul. St Paul asks Abramovich: “Do you own Chelsea, five yachts and a 5km stretch of beach in the south of France?” Abramovich replies: “Yes.” St Paul replies: “I’m not sure you’re going to like it in here.”
The KPRF’s message: they are the only ones keeping Russia from slipping into a completely corrupt morass. One only hopes that they aren’t too late. Still despite what some may think, the KPRF can bank on this statement by the Levanda Center’s Leonid Sedov: “The others have been excluded from the parliamentary sphere. The Communists will be the only oppositional force. This means voters who want to retain opposition in any form have to vote for the Communists.” Oh, the historical irony.
You wouldn’t known the Communist were in contention if you rely on English media for your electoral news. Kasparov must roll off the English tongue better than Zyuganov. The Communist Party seems more often mentioned to paint United Russia as a CPSU redux, rather than a party running for election in their own right. The KPRF is currently polling way behind United Russia. VTsIOM gives them 6 percent to United Russia’s 55, and Levada honors them with 14 percent to UR’s 67. Whatever the hard numbers, United Russia holds a 49 to 53 point margin. However distance the KPRF may be numerically, maybe its time to face reality and see them as the only real potential political bulwark to United Russia’s dominance.
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I think that if by “oligarch” you mean “politically well-connected super-rich person,” then there are clearly more oligarchs than there were. However that is, contra Zyuganov, not really what people mean by the term. The term means something more like “super-rich person who has subverted the state.”
Tsk, let’s not get our plutocrats confused with our oligarchs.
I think oligarch in Russia means Berezovsky, Khordokovsky and anyone like them, who can be seen as the wealthy not beholden to the state and vaguely liberal and appearing cooperative with the West.
What you have more of now are wealthy plutocrats, who work with or for the government in some fashion and are essentially in power. Government by the wealthy, for the wealthy.
In some sense, not so very different from the US, where our leaders in the federal government (and most State governments) all come from that upper fraction of a percent of income earners.
The Tsar-President
What are we going to call him after March? Tsar-Prime Minister?
Good God, Vanden Huevel pisses the living shit out of me. She managed to get through her pro-Gorbachev anti-Putin piece without mentioning that Gorbachev is very pro-Putin.
Re: http://www.russiaprofile.org/page.php?pageid=CDI+Russia+Profile+List&articleid=a1196091881
What kind of monitoring if any does the “Committee to Protect Journalists” do in relation to American mass media?
As for the mentioned (in the article) examples of claimed censorship, are there not numerous other examples of a “free” Russian media. This includes some recent and less than complimentary about Russia/Russian government articles to be found in RIA Novosti.
The above linked article uncritically gives the view of Novaya Gazeta. Beware:
http://www.exile.ru/articles/detail.php?ARTICLE_ID=7701&IBLOCK_ID=35
Excerpt:
“It’s a common scheme. Say, you start a magazine or a newspaper. Get a big loan for it. A nice office. Then you write bad stuff about Putin. Suddenly, the loan runs out and the magazine closes. Then you can say that they closed you down because you wrote bad stuff about Putin.”
****
In English language mass media, how easy is it for an American journalist to express a generally positive view of Russia when contrasted to Russian journalists like Georgi Bovt, who seem to get sufficient enough play as critics of Russia and the Russian government?
We’re told by American mass media elites and others that Russian mass media is restricted because its key outlets (the top three television stations) have limited views unlike other lesser influential media venues in Russia. How the bleep is this so radically different from the situation in the US? Kudos to Antiwar.com, Chronicles Magazine, Z-Magazine and some other valued news/commentary venues, comprising the left-right political spectrum. May they grow and prosper. For the moment, they’re unfortunately nowhere near as influential as ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, The New York Times, NPR/PBS and a host of other leading American news sources.
The Moscow based, non-Russian owned Independent Media’s flagship venue The Moscow Times isn’t setting a great example for objectivity when it runs unchallenged pieces negative of Russia’s emblem (“too Christian”) and another which appeared to liken Litvinenko’s murder to that of Stalin era Leningrad CP leader Kirov. Both instances saw no opposing view to a definite slant.
On the one hand, the impression is given that Russian media isn’t as free as the American variant. If so, then why hold it to higher standards? The overall media critique remains politically tilted. Russian mass media/PR can be accused of not being as effective as it could be in communicating the existing double standards. Specifically, having an authoritatively detailed accounting of faulty English language mass media coverage about the former Soviet Union.
Yawn.
Yes, you’re one pathetically boring individual.
That’s not what Alexandra said last night after the Barry White CD started and the sweet, sweet not-so-Russia-friendly lovin’ began.
We can put this to a vote. Alexandra and I both agree that I am more interesting than Mike. I think even Mike would have to agree. So that puts me, Alexandra and Mike, three votes, against zero, this allowing us to draw the conclusion that Chris > Mike.
A self inflated ego on that last evaluation.
BTW, keep up the underhanded work with that secret society and email list. It helps bring legitimacy to IS by taking attention away from what he said.
Then again, it takes a talented person to be out in the open unlike those doing the turtle as they root on the likes of you. Yes, I’ve heard some recent stories of your past in relation to your present.
It serves to remind me that things can be much worse. You serve a purpose.
A Putin comment = The dogs are barking the caravan moves on…….
How do you “root on” someone “doing the turtle”? Is this some kind of pervy thing you tried to force on Alexandra?
And he let out a yawn not having to do with himself. Enough of this same old, same old. Have bigger and better things to do.
Mike,
do you EVER give this total mass-media bullshit a rest? There are no secret societies. There is no censorship of your views. Why do you think any of the readers of this blog actually care about whatever politics and scandals are going on with any of these individuals e.g. PL, IS, etc? The blog is about Russia issues, not bullshit issues. Could you give it a rest? Or write something even moderately topical or interesting?
Watch out Ger — he might decide to root on you while you’re doing the turtle or something equally terrifying.
”Watch out Ger — he might decide to root on you while you’re doing the turtle or something equally terrifying”
Bozhe Moi! Mind you, he’s too busy fighting the applicably applied court appointed Russia friendlies for any of that stuff)
Answer me smth Chris, is in Mike even on PL’s radar?
What do you think?
I think Mike’s superhero identity is the Rooter. Late at night, he slinks through the city streets, slying peeking through the windows of non-so-Russia-friendlies in the hopes that he will spot one doing the turtle.
I doubt it to be honest. But the man is convinced he’s a victim of censorship. Its sad to see such madness!
Many people have doubted the existence of the Rooter — until he sprang from the shadows, cape unfurling like a great bat’s wing, and he dashed forward to try to hump their leg. It’s your funeral, Ger.
Or, you’re talking about PL. You are correct.
“Mike,
do you EVER give this total mass-media bullshit a rest? There are no secret societies. There is no censorship of your views. Why do you think any of the readers of this blog actually care about whatever politics and scandals are going on with any of these individuals e.g. PL, IS, etc? The blog is about Russia issues, not bullshit issues. Could you give it a rest? Or write something even moderately topical or interesting?”
***
You obviously do care as shown by the kind of above quoted masturbating you frequently do.
Moreover, I comment on pertinent FSU affairs, in an open manner unlike some with their behind the scene instigating, as was recently brought up by someone on a FSU related list.
———————————————-
“I doubt it to be honest. But the man is convinced he’s a victim of censorship. Its sad to see such madness!”
****
For accuracy sake, the “madness” is coming from the stupid likes of yourself.
I warned you Ger. You’re being rooted on.
He gets a rise out of sucking up to your dumb ass flunky self.
AAGH! Now it’s after me! Get it off my leg! Get it off! Somebody help me! AARGH!!!
Nothing can help the above dip of a loser.
Mike,
you never shut up about your media enemies. More often than not, its not the topic. Give it a rest.
BTW, her name is Katrina vanden Heuvel and not the currently spelled (above post) Katrina Vanden Huevel.
The grammar Nazi “editor” missed that one.
“Mike,
you never shut up about your media enemies. More often than not, its not the topic. Give it a rest.”
****
Practice what you hypocritically preach troll.
http://scrapsofmoscow.blogspot.com/2007/11/georgia-should-we-be-surprised-at-woes.html#comment-c4319995947935210061
Excerpt:
“Chrisius Maximus said…
Ger, let us not pollute Scraps of Moscow with this pickering. Lyndon deserves better.
This is not the place to make fun of Mike. That’s what Sean’s blog is for.”
****
You get that Sean? He reveals his true nature as opposed to his above quoted claim.
The “grammar Nazi” (ooh, how clever! He got that from Seinfeld! How highbrow. What’s next, Jackass? Oops) copied and pasted from Sean’s post.
When has Ger ever talked about his media enemies?
PS Ger I had coffee with Newman (not the Seinfeld character, but our illustrious Sir Sakhalin in his secret identity) the other day. When are you going to be in Moscow?
Yup. Sean never reads Lyndon’s blog. I am sure his world has been shattered by the unexpected news.
“The ‘grammar Nazi’ (ooh, how clever! He got that from Seinfeld! How highbrow. What’s next, Jackass? Oops) copied and pasted from Sean’s post.”
***
Beats your “wit” any day.
“Yup. Sean never reads Lyndon’s blog. I am sure his world has been shattered by the unexpected news.”
****
These venues are the closest you come to fame. Quite pathetic.
The thing is Mike, you completely lack wit. You make the same lame approximations of witticisms over and over again. This is the antithesis of wit. Moreover, said approximations of witticisms are grade-school comebacks — “I know you are, but what am I,” being the apparent favorite. I am surprised that “I’m like rubber, you’re like glue” hasn’t made its way into the Averko rhetorical arsenal yet.
I highly recommend you read a copy of Aristotle’s Rhetoric. There is a whole book in there on proper use of the “I’m like rubber, you’re like glue” argument, especially as used in the speeches of Pericles. Admittedly, Aristotle’s argumentation has been greatly modified in the intervening time, especially by the Renaissance Florentine School of Cheap Taunts, which breathed new life into the “I’m taking my ball and going home” rhetorical technique, but Aristotle’s work is still considered by most scholars to be the classic. Indeed, Wilde uses many of the old Aristotelian stylings in The Importance of Being Earnest to great effect.
Chris –
I still dunno what’s happening. I’ll be there soon, but my lecturing job is up here next week(I was replacing a lovely woman who’s on meternity leave) so I may come back to Moscow and stay for a while. How’s Newman? Did ye have a good time? I miss Moscow, but I’ve an interview next week in Galway, which is just about the coolest city in Ireland, so I dunno what I’m at yet. If you want any mags or books from this end of the world let me know.
Mike,
Give it a rest. The only troll here is you, bringing off topic shite to the table. MT this, MN that, Lavelle this, Sergei Roy that. You spend more time on the bullshit periphery than on actual FSU matter. In spite of having a full time job and writing my PhD, I’ve produced more and better received articles in the last 4 weeks than you have. So there!
Ger — I want Irish James Joyce memorabilia! I’m a giant fan!
Tim and I just had coffee for a few hours. He was only here for a couple of days. Cool guy.
This has become the Chris Doss pick up boy friend chat room with Ger as his sidekick troll.
Ger, you’ve done jack shit in comparison to myself. It shows. Your delusional manner displays a serious problem. Perhaps you can get help.
As for the Aristotle reference, I prefer dealing with more direct FSU issues.
I’ll bid a fond farewell to this sewer of trolldom.
“As for the Aristotle reference, I prefer dealing with more direct FSU issues.”
”This has become the Chris Doss pick up boy friend chat room with Ger as his sidekick troll.”
Mike, the only trolling is done by you. Recently I’ve been looking over the old postings here whilst at home, the ones from April-July. On a lot of occasions you deliberately brought up the TTT or Serbianna in consversations that nothing to do with either the PMR or Kosovo. Of course Lyndon, Tim, Chris and myself took issue with these propoganda venues and trouble ensued. In short, you have caused the majority of trouble. Also, the umber of times you have linked the TTT has convinced me you are being paid to promote that site – it happened too many times for it no to be the case. Worse your pathetic and heartless defence of both the Serb and Russian armies’ brutality of course upset me and Tim and Fredrick. In short, you’re full of bullshit, and not only bullshit, its evil bullshit. You defend horrendous acts in a way in which I’d never defend Ireland, where I was born and bred by the way, unlike you the Plastic Russki. Nobody would dislike you or criticise you so much were you not so full of crap. Most of the people cant be wrong all of the time, and I daresay this is the case with us and you at SRB. Stop acting like a clown and reduce your asshole factor by several orders of magnitude and peace will break out.
”Ger — I want Irish James Joyce memorabilia! I’m a giant fan!
Tim and I just had coffee for a few hours. He was only here for a couple of days. Cool guy.”
Chris, I’ll try and sort smth out, had you anything in mind? I’ll be in Dublin soon and can get stuff there. Dublin is Joyce-mad. Glad you met Tim, be nice to meet him. I’d actually like to meet Mike too, but, well, visiting the place he adores seems not to interest him……
I always wanted to spend Bloomsday in Dublin.
You get that Sean? He reveals his true nature as opposed to his above quoted claim.
What am I supposed to do? Send Chris to the naughty corner? Do I want this blog to be bash Averko central? No. But that’s life.
Plus in all honesty Mike, Ger has a point. I mean pointing out that the English language media is biased is pretty obvious. You imagine yourself as some kind of embattled contrarian and victim of some conspiracy to silence you. Don’t you think that you’ve over played that tune?
Chris,,
Bloomsday is a huge event in Dublin and all week around Bloomsday there are Joyce-related programmes on tv – you’d love it. Whilst I would think Joyce is our best writer, he’s probably not the most popular in Ireland. He’s basically on a level way ahead of most of us, myself included! If you like satire, try ”At Swim Two Birds” and ”The Third Policeman” by Flann O’Brien. Hilarious, whiskey and porter-sodden madness!
Sean,
I hate to be going on about MA, but what you said is correct. He drags everything back to mass media bias or anti-PL crusades. Its really a pity – if he stuck to writing about stuff and not media nonsense he’d do a lot better. Those who create, create, those who cant, criticise. Media critique is a boring, lazy occupation.
Exactly. Did James Joyce do media critique? I think not.
I think I will go to Dublin next Bloomsday. I have a friend there.
Thanks for the reading advice!
Gaagh.
Tim and I just had coffee for a few hours. He was only here for a couple of days. Cool guy.
Cheers mate! It was good to meet you too. Next time I’ll jack up a business trip when Ger is in town, and we’ll get on the piss properly.
Oh, I almost forgot — kudos to Sean for naming a post after a song by the Clash!
Wow, Chris you got it! I was wondering if anyone was going to notice.
Check out this old Clash footage on leftwing politics. I think you’ll like it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLZf7_O-644
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