CNN - Putin Dissolves Current Government, in Preparation for What?

[MineralMan]

What could this all have to do with Trump's situation, I wonder? This is a huge move by Putin. Are other moves in the works?

Russian government resigns as Putin proposes reforms that could extend his grip on power

Moscow, Russia (CNN)The entire Russian government is resigning, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev announced Wednesday, after Vladimir Putin proposed sweeping reforms that could extend his decades-long grip on power beyond the end of his presidency.

Putin thanked members of the government for their work but added that "not everything worked out." Putin added that in the near future he would meet with each member of the cabinet. The mass resignation includes Medvedev.

The surprise announcement came after Putin proposed constitutional amendments that would strengthen the powers of the prime minister and parliament at the expense of the presidency.

Taking power from the presidency and handing it to parliament could signal a power shift that has been long speculated about in Russia.

[kimbutgar]

1. Make himself the czar of Russia.

Forget the Romanovs it’s the Putin’s dynasty now.

But will the Russian people be ok with this?

[MineralMan]

3. Yes. That's what he wants.

The Russian people don't matter to Putin, I'm quite sure.

But, what does this portend for the United States? I'm sure there's something Putin has in mind.

[mylightningtoo]

19. This Might Serve as Trump's Model if

he wins reelection. A win by Trump in 2020 will crown him dictator.

[MineralMan]

20. Trump isn't Putin. He doesn't have it in him.

[mylightningtoo]

24. But Barr and Pompeo might

[MineralMan]

25. Well, I suppose they could bully Pence just as easily.

He's not a man who appears to have a backbone.

[dewsgirl]

26. This..is exactly what I worry about.

[apnu]

5. Doesn't matter what the Russian people are "OK" with.

All through Russian history, the people have been impoverished and held down by their ruling class. They know this, its built into their national identity and culture. They endure the abuse and excesses of their rulers. Czars, Soviets, Putin -- they are all the same animal, just with different faces. Nothing's ever changed for the people of Russia. The people have never known happiness.

[kimbutgar]

7. Sadly what you said was true

Those who didn’t want to live under those circumstances left, leaving the sheep like people.

[apnu]

22. Or were killed or otherwise brutally repressed.

The Cossacks worked for the Czars, then the Soviets, and now Putin. They are the thugs of Russia, apparently happy to be wedded to whomever holds power in Moscow. Along with the kubuki theater of showing ignorance of what they do, check this out:

https://www.newsweek.com/pro-putin-cossacks-whip-protesters-then-get-flogged-punishment-930884

My point is Putin has resources, probably left over from the Soviet area since he is ex-KGB, to suppress dissent, quietly and openly at will.

I like to hope people of Russia are free to get out if they want, but I don't really know if they can, culturally. On paper yes they have more freedom to leave unlike the Soviet Union that actively prevented them, or the Czars who keep the people so poor they couldn't. But suffering is part of the Russian cultural identity. Its beautiful and tragic at the same time, and they know it far better than anybody in the West.

[SuprstitionAintthWay]

38. Reminds me of how Trump has warned that if he isn't reelectoralcolleged

...(he uses "re-elected" but I use a more appropriate word) in some manner he doesn't agree with, there probably will be violence from his base. And if/when that happens, he's confident that "on my side" will be the (1) military, (2) police, and for the off-the-books street violence, America's (3) MOTORCYCLE GANGS!

He's so impressed by Putin having his own non-govenmental forces -- loyal, violent toughs -- and has planned ahead and expects motorcycle gangs to be his Cossacks in America when his supporters rise up to keep him in power no matter what.

[moondust]

21. "Slavs"

Remind you of anything?

For some reason Dump likes Slavic women. Easy to control perhaps?

How did so many Americans become so "Slavic"?

[apnu]

23. I dunno. Maybe

I can't say what gets him going, if at all. Yeah he's got a history of marrying women of Slavic nationality, but he's also an epic philanderer who will grope and screw anything he can catch, including his own daughter. He's always traveled in a sex-fueled jet-set for as long as I can remember.

I honestly think its because he's needed dirty Russian money for decades to keep his shitty failing business ventures afloat and when the time was right he married whatever chick was hanging around him at the time. Let's not forget that each of his wives were his public mistresses for a period of time before marriage. I'm not sure Trump is that strategic, there's this fiction that he's smart, but his track record shows otherwise. This is the guy who paid to fuck a porn star while his 3rd wife, also a soft-core pron star, was pregnant with his youngest child.

[C_U_L8R]

2. Like many before, Putin's overreach will be his doom

It's only a matter of when and how.

[MineralMan]

4. I'm not so sure that's true, actually.

[C_U_L8R]

15. With some notable exceptions like Mao and Stalin

But many despots do tend to go too far and get the Brutus treatment.

[maryellen99]

6. I wonder if he's going to try and regain former Soviet satellite countries nt

[Mme. Defarge]

8. Bingo!

[ProudMNDemocrat]

9. THAT has been Putin's goal all along....

Putin wants ports, more money, more power.

He sees in Trump a weak puppet who wants what he has, turn a blind eye to Putin's retaking of Soviet sattelites. Destroy NATO in the process, alienate allies. All the while building a presence in the Middle East.

[dewsgirl]

27. Exactly and he is succeeding.

[bdamomma]

30. yes indeed

that is what Putin wants, he's got the Middle East. Friggin, short man syndrome man..

[uponit7771]

10. He will, I still have the image of Putin as an angry person. He still thinks communism works for ...

... pluralistic societies, it doesn't.

[MineralMan]

12. Could be. I don't know. I do know that he's going to be busy.

I'm not sure what that means for us, though.

[Xolodno]

16. Nope.

That's what helped bring down the Soviet Union and Russian Empire. It costs too much to subjugate territories that are adverse to you...it is far cheaper however to welcome breakaway provinces that are very productive. Hence, a portion of Georgia, Ukraine, etc.

The Belarus unification with Russia has been on the docket for a long time and Putin has shown little interest of getting that going.

[DBoon]

32. Make Russia Great Again!

This revival of belligerent nationalism has convinced me we are going to see another world war in coming decades.

More like a deadlier version of WWI than WWII

[TheBlackAdder]

11. The new Emperor Palpatine.

.

.

[Xolodno]

13. Too early to tell, but from the looks of things...

1. Putin is setting himself up to retain power. No surprise there.

2. Once he's gone, setting things up so that the Prime Minister has full control and the President is more of an advisory role. Thus shielding the leadership from the whims of voters...or voters influenced from a foreign nation. Think he learned something with our mess.

[MineralMan]

14. I'm sure he's consolidating his power, yes.

My interest in what Putin is doing is less than my interesting in what it might mean in the USA in the short term. What has Putin communicated to those here who owe him some allegiance? That's what I'm wondering about. Clearly, Putin is making a huge move, but what will that mean to us?

[Xolodno]

18. As much as everyone here likes to...

...turn a blind eye.

We're not going to be able install anymore Yeltsin's...which ironically got us Putin....a hostile Iran, etc. In the short term, he is still the dictator and I doubt much will change. Its the long term which really gets impacted.

[Pantagruel]

17. Strengthening the "prime minister"

may be a clue that's where Vlad will land next after installing his stooges as ministers? Just "spitballing ' here.

[bdamomma]

28. boy great minds

and all that.

I just posted the same thing. Putin's puppet may try to do the same thing.

You want to see civil unrest this may do it.

[MineralMan]

29. Cool. Never too many threads!

[bdamomma]

31. here's my thread

https://upload.democraticunderground.com/100212873306

[Bummfuzzle]

33. The world is in chaos.

[malaise]

34. He plans to change the Constitution so he can have another term

Sick fuck

[Xolodno]

35. Actually...

...looks like he's setting things up so he doesn't have to be elected. He's going to maintain power until he no longer wants it, that's a given.

What's interesting, he's empowering the Prime Minister position and returning power back to Parliament...and leaving the Presidency a bit hollow in power and more of an advisory role. Essentially shielding future leaders from possible foreign influence of voters...imagine that.

Wondering if he got diagnosed with something or is actually planning on exiting soon, this actually keeps things stabilized once he's out. But then, he may be just insuring he stays in power.

The aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union had to have left a sour experience for him. And lets face it, Russia has a track record of where once powerful leaders are gone...chaos ensues due to the ineptitude of the heir. So I see it as three fold, one, stay in power, two, once gone, make sure things are stable and three, inform Europe and China that Russia in its present form is going to be around for awhile. Much as I hate to say it, gotta give him some kudos.

[Xolodno]

36. One other note...

...the timing is very interesting. Any other day this would be major news...and it is. Plus this had to be planned for a long time with everyone who resigned already in the know and what job they were getting afterwards.

But announcing it today...when our media is focused on impeachment...pretty damn brilliant.

[nini]

37. I am aware of plenty of GOP folks who could fit right in with him regime

They'd fit right in and are already doing his bidding so why not?

I'll volunteer to help them pack.