General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Crimea referendum has no option for retaining the status quo
Some folks will tell you it does.
They are doing something that used to be called lying.
BeyondGeography
(39,284 posts)in case voters don't get the hint.
LisaL
(44,962 posts)That seems rather obvious to me.
arely staircase
(12,482 posts)LisaL
(44,962 posts)arely staircase
(12,482 posts)that is priceless
LisaL
(44,962 posts)And for free, too.
Igel
(35,197 posts)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.
LisaL
(44,962 posts)They have two choices.
cthulu2016
(10,960 posts)HereSince1628
(36,063 posts)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)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)or is that only when it happens in Kiev?
LisaL
(44,962 posts)Changing the government is o'key in Kiev. Not in Crimea.
arely staircase
(12,482 posts)LisaL
(44,962 posts)arely staircase
(12,482 posts)keep up the good work
LisaL
(44,962 posts)dipsydoodle
(42,239 posts)Crimea has a separate one so I don't understand the comparison.
jakeXT
(10,575 posts)dipsydoodle
(42,239 posts)then that have contributed to today's apparent high turnout - almost 3 times higher than their last elections.
jakeXT
(10,575 posts)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