9th February 2004, 7:20 PM
Well, what else do you want? The previous situation had the oligarchs owning those media outlets and promoting their own parties which a) promoted the oligarchs' interests and besides were b) corrupt and involved in all sorts of wacky schemes. Now, instead, they promote the party line. What's the better alternative? It's not like those media outlets were giving every party equal air time or dedication, or were promoting parties with any kind of integrity whatsoever. The "voices of dissent" have always been squashed in Russia; before it was by industrialists with ties to the mob, now it's by a guy that seems vaguely interested in the rule of the law.
You know, I'm all for wild and uninhibited capitalism, but Russian business is rotten to the core. The entire country's a grey zone of semi-legal practices. It needs a serious clean-up to stop wallowing in both legal and economic mediocrity, and Putin looks like he might be the man to do that... or at least start the job.
You know, I'm all for wild and uninhibited capitalism, but Russian business is rotten to the core. The entire country's a grey zone of semi-legal practices. It needs a serious clean-up to stop wallowing in both legal and economic mediocrity, and Putin looks like he might be the man to do that... or at least start the job.
You wanna ride, baby?
This is a special car.
Two accelerators... no brakes! Yeeeah!
-- Zodiac Mindwarp / Backseat Education
This is a special car.
Two accelerators... no brakes! Yeeeah!
-- Zodiac Mindwarp / Backseat Education