19 Comments
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Ray Zacek's avatar

The problem with "traditional" Russia is that autocracy and suppression are integral parts of their tradition. That and the weather is awful.

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Cosmo T Kat's avatar

Is it your perspective that our autocracy is better than Russia's? Are we not living in fear that something we say here, like in the UK, might get us a 1-3 year stint in the aging prison system of the USoA?

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Ray Zacek's avatar

I did not say "our" autocracy is better than "their" autocracy. As Lao Tzu said, Do not put words in peoples' mouths, for they may take teeth out of yours.

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Cosmo T Kat's avatar

I didn't say you did. I asked if you if it was your perspective. Meaning, the USoA has devolved into a autocracy right in front of our eyes making Russia, today, seem reasonable in comparison. So, whatever is in your mouth was not put there by me, Ray.

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Ray Zacek's avatar

I made a comment about Russia, not about comparative autocracies.

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Cosmo T Kat's avatar

So you did and I asked you a question. It was meant in the spirit of this site, a little reality and yes, their weather is worse.. Sorry, I will refrain from engaging with you, Ray.

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Mark Wauck's avatar

It's undoubtedly a very different society than America. How different its "autocratic" traditions really are from much of Europe is not so clear. The West appears to many to be moving in an autocratic direction but of a distinctly neognostic character that is hostile to the traditional Western culture.

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Steel's avatar

It's not a question of autocracy/democracy. It's a question of freedom/captivity. Russians are largely free. The West is a fledgling slave society. As Peter Hitchens says, freedom is more important than democracy.

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dissonant1's avatar

"BREAKING: A House GOP report claims that Joe Biden committed impeachable offenses while in office." Hahahahaha - the best laugh I've had all day!. Howabout finding out something that matters when it still matters?

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Cosmo T Kat's avatar

Oh those comedians in our congress, aren't they just on top of things. It must have taken a lot of courage to distribute this years after the fact when it no longer matters. How utterly brave!

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dissonant1's avatar

P.S. To "escape destructive neoliberal ideals" sounds very appealing. If I was younger and didn't have domestic responsibilities I would strongly consider it. Seriously, I give Putin and the Russian government credit for extending the invitation. They clearly see the moral deficiencies of the Western governments.

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Cosmo T Kat's avatar

I wonder where they would put the statue of Liberty somewhere near the Crimea?

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Jeff Cook-Coyle's avatar

OOOH, bad news on the eve of the Democratic convention! That'll throw them off of their game.

Speaking of which, I hope that it goes well for Chicagoland.

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ML's avatar

Did you see this JCC? The Dem convention will make the Olympics opening ceremony look like a King’s College choir rehearsal! And Mark is right - Zhou gives up the ghost, but does he really? Very scary.

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/

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Jeff Cook-Coyle's avatar

He is on stage now. Uh oh.

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Jeff Cook-Coyle's avatar

Hooray, just a long, mostly coherent speech. Let's Go Brandon for five more months.

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dissonant1's avatar

I can't bear to watch the Demoncrat's convention so I will have to take others' words for it. Thank you ML for bearing that burden. Per Sundance: "Voters are irrelevant in this process and have been replaced by 'influencers' and famous personalities who are tasked to give the optics the ballot teams need." Yep, makes perfect sense given the circumstances. Somehow I can't or don't want to shake in my boots when the invisible man is simply being replaced by the invisible woman.

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ML's avatar

Ha! I’m afraid I won’t be watching the Dem histrionics- but replacing Biden, as we know, should have happened at least a year or two ago in a “normal” country. Now the “switch” is cloaked in secret power plays, even blackmail (the big report of Zhou’s misdeeds…) and any number of threats and attacks against We the People. As you say in the excerpt, no more need for voters. It’s shocking.

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Manul's avatar

We can count on the GOP to issue a strongly worded 291 page report enumerating Biden’s impeachable offenses without actually impeaching him. Is it any wonder why voting makes almost no difference? We place into power those who will observe crimes but do nothing to stop them or to punish those who commit them.

I’ll vote for Trump but with a feckless party like the GOP I’ll not expect much progress to fix what’s wrong with this country.

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