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The Crimea referendum has no option for retaining the status quo (Original Post) cthulu2016 Mar 2014 OP
And Russian soldiers all over the place BeyondGeography Mar 2014 #1
Or maybe majoriy of them really want to return to being a part of Russia. LisaL Mar 2014 #3
therefore lot's of troops! nt arely staircase Mar 2014 #7
Troops can't tell them how to vote. LisaL Mar 2014 #8
omfg arely staircase Mar 2014 #10
So glad I could help. LisaL Mar 2014 #13
Next time you vote ... Igel Mar 2014 #21
They could either become a part of Russia or stay with Ukraine. LisaL Mar 2014 #2
I am not going to play word games with you. cthulu2016 Mar 2014 #5
Back in the Cold War we called this a "party pleboscite" HereSince1628 Mar 2014 #4
They have in manner of speaking dipsydoodle Mar 2014 #6
I thought elected parlaiments changing the government was supposed to be a coup? arely staircase Mar 2014 #9
No, it's obviously the other way around. LisaL Mar 2014 #12
I think invading other countries is the problem nt arely staircase Mar 2014 #15
Crimea didn't invade anyone. LisaL Mar 2014 #16
you are making so much sense arely staircase Mar 2014 #17
Will do. LisaL Mar 2014 #19
In Kiev that was one and the same parliament dipsydoodle Mar 2014 #14
Kiev issued arrest warrants for their parliament, status quo would be suicide. /nt jakeXT Mar 2014 #11
If that is so dipsydoodle Mar 2014 #18
That was like 10 days ago, from then on it was clear the Russian troops had to stay, no way back jakeXT Mar 2014 #20

LisaL

(44,962 posts)
3. Or maybe majoriy of them really want to return to being a part of Russia.
Sun Mar 16, 2014, 12:39 PM
Mar 2014

That seems rather obvious to me.

Igel

(35,197 posts)
21. Next time you vote ...
Sun Mar 16, 2014, 01:44 PM
Mar 2014

Look forward to having a large campaign mounted by the government, with the government handing out your ballot to you, with government troops there.

Add in government supporters who are proud to beat up dissidents and you have all the trappings of a modern, progressive state!


It's the kind of election where you go to be seen casting the right vote, or you go to cast a protest vote. The results could have been announced last night.

Now, from our vantage point most of the Crimeans fervently want independence.

But dissent organizers get arrested. Those who aren't arrested are usually surrounded by anti-Ukrainian troops or protesters. The election's predecided. The newspapers are either shut down, their staff replaced, or they're already pro-Russian. Outside observers are blocked. Pravda and Izvestiya only had happy Soviet citizens, all proud of being Soviets. "I'm not Russian, I'm Soviet." People that needed to or wanted to believed the clap-trap.

So just how impartial do you think the news is coming out of Crimea? What's left is wanting the news coming out of Crimea to be completely impartial because if it is all that painful cognitive dissonance (that some people feel from time to time, at least) vanishes. Pro-Russia, anti-EU, anti-fascist, anti-war, anti-sanctions, isolationist sentiments, pro-self-determination, etc., etc., whichever of the above you have (plus other traits) all like up like little rubber duckies and stay still in their row. It's a small price to pay for indifference.

If you think that the news isn't independent, the elections not fair, then there's a bit of a moral or ideological crisis. The desire to be correct and virtuous and the desire to do *something* clash badly. Side with powerless progressive views that require sitting by and doing nothing, or suffer in some way for your beliefs that may help people but might also help to some extent those whom you virulently hate, or side with Putin and his "One Russia" party that's shut down media sources, poured in barely anonymous troops, and threatened invasion on numerous times in order to preserve the hinterland of the Russian empire.

HereSince1628

(36,063 posts)
4. Back in the Cold War we called this a "party pleboscite"
Sun Mar 16, 2014, 12:41 PM
Mar 2014

only the positions approved by the party leaders were on the ballot.

The authentic voters gave their ascent. Ballots without marks were not counted.

Growing up LDS I witnessed the exact same thing when congregations voted for leadership.

Authoritarianism wins a surprisingly large majority wherever it is practiced.

dipsydoodle

(42,239 posts)
6. They have in manner of speaking
Sun Mar 16, 2014, 12:44 PM
Mar 2014

because their elected parliament declared separation from Kiev earlier this week.

Looks like similar will occur in Italy by coincidence http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024672494

arely staircase

(12,482 posts)
9. I thought elected parlaiments changing the government was supposed to be a coup?
Sun Mar 16, 2014, 12:45 PM
Mar 2014

or is that only when it happens in Kiev?

dipsydoodle

(42,239 posts)
14. In Kiev that was one and the same parliament
Sun Mar 16, 2014, 12:47 PM
Mar 2014

Crimea has a separate one so I don't understand the comparison.

dipsydoodle

(42,239 posts)
18. If that is so
Sun Mar 16, 2014, 12:50 PM
Mar 2014

then that have contributed to today's apparent high turnout - almost 3 times higher than their last elections.

jakeXT

(10,575 posts)
20. That was like 10 days ago, from then on it was clear the Russian troops had to stay, no way back
Sun Mar 16, 2014, 12:55 PM
Mar 2014

Ukraine issues arrest warrants for Crimea's PM, parliament speaker

KIEV, March 6 (Xinhua) -- A court in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev has issued arrest warrants for the prime minister and parliament speaker of the country's autonomous republic of Crimea, the Prosecutor General's office said Wednesday.

Criminal charges had been brought against them and some other politicians in Crimea, said Ukraine's acting Prosecutor General Oleh Makhnytsky.

Last Thursday, the regional parliament of Crimea appointed Aksyonov, leader of the Russian Unity party, as prime minister in a closed session and announced that a referendum would be held over the future status of the territory on March 30

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2014-03/06/c_133165127.htm

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