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staleek
Frequent Guest
Joined: 09 Sep 2007
Posts: 26
Location: Rochester, NY USA
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 Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 3:34 am Post subject: Checkmate? |
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I am listening to a program on National Public Radio called "Fresh Air," and the guest is Garry Kasparov. As you can imagine, he is not being kind to Putin, and is being adamant that Putin has degraded whatever democratic freedoms that were underway since the fall of the Soviet Union. As I understand it, he will be running for President, but the question that I am curious about is: What kind of popular support does Kasparov have, and what are his chances of actually winning an election there? He has more than suggested that Putin will be very influential in choosing who actually wins the election. He was also adamant that Putin has effectively turned Russia into a police state.
Kasparov also made a point of of underlining the plight of the average Russian's economic state, using Moscow as an example. He stated that the average income in Moscow is about $1000 (US) per month, with average monthly income just outside the Moscow are is approximately $250. How much of this is accurate, or is it posturing on his part? |
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overseas_expat
VIP
Joined: 11 Jan 2005
Posts: 611
Location: Moscow
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| Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 9:44 am Post subject: |
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Love Teri Gross and Fresh Air. She's a brilliant interviewer.
Kasparov speaks the truth. The plight of the average Russian cannot be overstated. There is a thin veneer of wealth in Russia, particularly in Moscow, that obscures the depth and breadth of poverty in this country. Old people in particular have been left in utter deprivation in the current economy.
Kasparov is treading on dangerous ground. If he isn't more careful he may well find himself following in the footsteps of Anna Politkovskaya..... |
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nikir
Lounge Wizard
Joined: 12 Dec 2005
Posts: 1374
Location: Coffs Harbour Australia
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| Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 12:53 pm Post subject: |
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| overseas_expat wrote: |
Kasparov is treading on dangerous ground. If he isn't more careful he may well find himself following in the footsteps of Anna Politkovskaya..... |
That of course is the predominant concern. Lets hope that with the eyes of so many of the worlds leaders focused on the Russian election, he does not lay down his life simply for expressing his views in an election campaign. |
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staleek
Frequent Guest
Joined: 09 Sep 2007
Posts: 26
Location: Rochester, NY USA
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| Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 1:29 pm Post subject: |
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| nikir wrote: |
That of course is the predominant concern. Lets hope that with the eyes of so many of the worlds leaders focused on the Russian election, he does not lay down his life simply for expressing his views in an election campaign. |
What are the odds that, if something like that should happen, (And let's hope not.) it would turn him into a martyr for the average Russian? Could the government withstand that type of an event without serious backlash? |
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surfguy
Lounge Wizard
Joined: 13 Apr 2006
Posts: 6996
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| Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 6:58 pm Post subject: |
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| Well how much of a threat though is kasparov...Putin has this election wrapped up and Kasparov is just a tool for the Kremlin to use. A leader is only one so long as he has followers...kill off the followers and it is easy to make the leader irrelavent. |
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overseas_expat
VIP
Joined: 11 Jan 2005
Posts: 611
Location: Moscow
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| Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 7:51 pm Post subject: |
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| surfguy wrote: | | Well how much of a threat though is kasparov... |
This is Russia. Reality doesn't count. Whether or not Kasparov is a real or imagined threat, he's saying bad things about really important people and that's enough to get him a pair of cement overshoes.
He's got guts though, going out to tell the whole world on NPR the harsh realities of life in Russia for 99% of the people. I've told it too, but then some Cinderella always comes along and derails the topic with "well that isn't nice and it shouldn't be that way" or is in some kind of patriotic state of denial.
It is impossible for an aware person to spend just one winter in Russia without having your heart broken by the grinding poverty, harshness of everyday existance, and overwhelming deptrivation to be seen here. I can't take it anymore. |
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surfguy
Lounge Wizard
Joined: 13 Apr 2006
Posts: 6996
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| Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 8:07 pm Post subject: |
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| Yes and winter is upon us again! I know it breaks the heart...it's un fathomable...Honestly I used to want to go to russia and help the orphans etc etc...I would travel all over the world and on the streets or in clubs there were all the beautiful Russian Girls who were prostitutes...servicing Asian and Middle Eastern Men...treated like dirt...and why...especially now! Russia has so much money...or so it seems...so many billionairs there now...and yet people are still so poor and conditions are still so bad. It's disgusting! Here in the USA there is no excuse for being poor...so many opportunities and education and hard work will guarantee success. And yet in Russia...it seems like well it doesn't guarantee anything. I hope it gets better...but Russia needs to change the mentality and then...only then will it get better |
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RusskiCanadian23
Lounge Wizard
Joined: 27 Mar 2007
Posts: 1107
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada/Ванкувер, Британская Колумбия, Канада
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| Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 7:39 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | What kind of popular support does Kasparov have, and what are his chances of actually winning an election there? |
Kasparov has, in my opinion, the support of many intellectuals in Russia, the so-called "Inteligentsya". The Inteligentsya was powerful in Russia back in Tsar's Russia, and could have SOME influence, in some way, but only on simple, non-important matters in USSR. In Russia of today, the Inteligentsya has no say in anything. No one listens to them anymore. The people just don't care these days. The biggest fear of the Russian government right now, is that no will even come out to vote in the next elections!
As far as fearing for his life... Well, I don't think Kasparov has a reason to fear getting shot, or thrown out of a 10th floor window. I would think he is going to be crossing an unlucky street one day, and get run over... shit happens, you know... it is russia, after all... lots of drunk drivers out there... It'll look like a common accident. And no one will ever think he's a martyr or any such nonsense. |
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