Putin Cancels Christmas Vacation for Russian Government Employees

[uhnope]

Source: Time

"The government... cannot afford such extensive holidays, at least not this year," Putin said

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that he has canceled holiday vacations for members of the government, as the Kremlin struggles to address Russia’s plummeting national currency and embattled economy.

Putin delivered the bad news during a Christmas Day speech, saying that government employees had to work through Christmas to help solve Russia’s growing economic crisis, caused by sinking oil prices and Westerns sanctions. (Christmas is celebrated in Russia on Jan. 7, the traditional date in the Eastern Orthodox Church.)

“The Government and its various structures cannot afford such extensive holidays, at least not this year,” Putin told government ministers in a speech broadcast on state television, CNN reports. “You know what I am talking about.”

Read more: http://time.com/3647477/vladimir-putin-russia-christmas/

[Major Nikon]

1. The far right wing's darling just declared war on Christmas!

[1step]

3. That distant "BANG!" you just heard?

O'Reilly's head exploding.

[RKP5637]

5. ...

[Plucketeer]

8. What a beautiful sound!

[Major Nikon]

11. The thing they love most about Putin is his "decisiveness" and taking swift action

Or in other words, cowboy diplomacy with little regard for the ramifications of making stupid choices. Kinda reminds me of the Bush administration.

[Jack Rabbit]

12. That BANG? Somebody was playing Russia's new national anthem in Putin's honor

A musical representation of Russia under Putin . . . first, we hear the people, completely fooled as people listening to official government propaganda often are, cheer the great leader, but then . . . the floor falls out from under him and the currency collapses and the same people run him out of town, tarred and feathered on a rail . . .
[center]

[/center]

[MADem]

36. Whadda Grinch! nt

[rtracey]

2. and

And who said the sanctions would not hurt Russia.......

[1step]

4. Bingo!

[former9thward]

15. A lot of people.

And so far they have been right. Russia's economy is heavily dependent on oil prices. There is no evidence sanctions have played any significant impact. You don't see Putin leaving Crimea do you?

[rtracey]

58. time

time is not on Putins side

[former9thward]

59. Yes, I know, at some time in the future

all predictions will be right. Well, time is not on anyone's side.

[Duckhunter935]

6. No Christmas for you, get back to work

He also made government employees vacation this summer in Crimea to help save the tourist industry.

[newthinking]

24. He didn't "make" anyone do that. He *asked* the population to spend their vacation their

and worked out a deal with Russian airlines to offer discounted flights.

I get very frustrated when Right wingers quote their innacurate sources. It makes it so much more difficult to try and have a reasonable discussion.

I can't believe that the same thing is now happening here. These OPs sound just like the spam emails that circulate.

[Duckhunter935]

39. yes, the little dictator "asked"

and also had foreign travel restricted for many people to enforce the "request". Kind of hard for the airlines to not bow to his "request" when opposition end up with bogus charges and are sent to jail. And prove that I am a right winger or apologize. Just because I do not agree with the actions of a dictator that invaded another country breaking signed agreements and international law does not make me one.

[LanternWaste]

53. Happens a lot when right wingers post from the inaccurate RT that sound just like the spam emails...

"I get very frustrated when Right wingers quote their innacurate (sic) sources..."

Happens a lot when right wingers post from the inaccurate RT that sound just like the spam emails...

[Cha]

30. Of course you get the requisite putin explainer on what he's really all about..

Bipartisan Report @Bipartisanism
Follow
President #Obama saved the American economy while sanctioning Russia into recession. Bravo. #ObamasFault #Seattle
12:50 PM - 26 Dec 2014 65 Retweets 42 favorites

http://theobamadiary.com/2014/12/26/2014-japas-most-memorable-moments/

[jakeXT]

7. Direct foreign exchange with China is coming Monday

The China Foreign Exchange Trade System will begin such contracts with Malaysia’s ringgit, Russia’s ruble, and the New Zealand dollar from Dec. 29, it said in a statement on its website today. That will extend the yuan’s swaps trading to 11 currencies on the interbank foreign-exchange market.

A plunge in Russia’s ruble this month to a record low sparked a selloff in developing nations’ assets, leading to a surge in currency volatility. The new contracts come amid efforts by China to increase the international use of the yuan, as the world’s second-largest economy promotes it as an alternative to the U.S. dollar for global trade and finance. Malaysia and Russia are China’s eighth and ninth biggest trading partners, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

“This will provide companies with better hedging tools, and at the same time, make currency trading more efficient,” said Ju Wang, a senior currency strategist at HSBC Holdings Plc in Hong Kong. “China won’t stop yuan globalization or capital-account opening because of the volatility in emerging market currencies.”

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-26/china-extends-forwards-swaps-trading-to-three-more-currencies.html

[eggplant]

9. Heh, so Obama can now be blamed for declaring War on Russia's Christmas.

in 3... 2...

[SoapBox]

10. But, but, but....

Ohhhhhh, PukeBaggers are so confused.

They loves Christmas...but hates gub'ment and the employees...

Do we hates Putie or loves Putie?

Soooo confused.

[tavernier]

13. Call off Christmas

Cancel the kitchen scraps for lepers and orphans, no more merciful beheadings, and call off Christmas.

[True Blue Door]

14. Hear the one about Putin and the Super Bowl ring?

According to New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, a funny thing happened in 2005 when he visited Vladimir Putin in Russia.

I took out the (Super Bowl) ring and showed it to (Putin), and he put it on and he goes, 'I can kill someone with this ring,'" Kraft said at an event this week, via the New York Post. "I put my hand out and he put it in his pocket, and three KGB guys got around him and walked out.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/22429359/patriots-owner-robert-kraft-vladimir-putin-stole-my-super-bowl-ring

Of course, since George W. Bush loved him some Putin, his regime basically told Kraft to pretend it was a gift to Putin rather than complain.

[freshwest]

20. Oooh wee ooh! What a bizarre thing to do! If true, that is...

[MADem]

37. It's true--Putin STOLE Bob Kraft's ring!

No class!!!

[freshwest]

38. Looks like there is some kind of personality disorder at work there.WTF did he want with it? Weird!

[MADem]

42. The gold and diamonds--they're expensive pieces of jewelry!! nt

[Cha]

31. That'll teach him to put anything he values in Putin's grubby little grabby hands.

[Duckhunter935]

40. Yep, true

When you are a dictator, you set the rules.

[AnnieBW]

16. Meanwhile, U.S. Federal Employees enjoyed our day off

Thanks, President Obama!

[freshwest]

21. Yay! Merry Christmas from Obama!

[newthinking]

23. **day** off. The irony of this OP. Everyone fell for a misrepresentation

One thing that folks can't criticize Russia (or most of Europe for that matter) for is the time off they give employees. Far more than the US.

Even this year: Putin asked that key staff not take the whole 2 weeks because there is a lot of work to do indeed with what is going on.

Before somebody jumps on the "putinboy" slam... It is not defending Putin to pay attention to the truth and a media that distorts facts.

[reorg]

27. Wow, really

an entire day? You mean, one, a single day for Christmas?

Thanks to President Obama?

How gracious!

My paid free days every year: 24. (holiday granted by most companies), 25./26. public holiday, 31. (holiday granted by most companies), 1. New Year, public holiday.

The Russians, I hear, get the first 12 days of every year, amazing. This year, Putin asked the government ministers not take all these 12 days off, but the 7. (Christmas in Russia) is, of course, still a legal holiday and free for everyone, including the ministers.

[MADem]

43. No--two days. The 26th was declared a federal holiday this year.

FWIW, military members get 30 days of vacation a year. Of course, those 30 days will include the weekends if you take holidays during them, because military personnel are on duty 24/7. That said, with a little clever arranging one can get a lot of time off out of those thirty days, especially if assigned to a shore activity.

Christmas is a holiday if you're not standing watch, as is any named federal holiday, Thanksgiving, New Year's Day, etc.

The Russians also get paid in the dark, so they need to be compensated in some fashion. Putin--if you take out all the corruption that enables him to have a fine watch collection worth hundred times more than his annual salary--doesn't get a very good paycheck either. However, he's apparently free to skim and take a bit of vig to his heart's content.

[Ramses]

17. meanwhile close to 50 millon Americans

will rely on food stamps to survive in this glorious paradise we call the United States.

[Cha]

32. So? At least we have them.. and appreciate them. Nobody is calling it a paradise but that doesn't

make Russia any paradise either.. especially for Gay People.

[Duckhunter935]

41. or the homeless and hungry

that sleep in the streets drinking Putin's cheep vodka.

[Cha]

44. Poor souls.. "25% of all Russian men die before they reach their mid-fifties.. "

"According to a study by leading international universities last year, a quarter of all Russian men die before they reach their mid-fifties, and their love of alcohol – particularly vodka – is partly to blame."

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/international-business/putin-orders-vodka-price-cap-as-russias-economic-crisis-escalates/article22201640/

[Duckhunter935]

46. yes and some here

think it is such a paradise, I guess the Putinistas conveniently forget about little things like this or the beating up and jailing of the LGBT community.

[Cha]

47. Their big bully hero.. censoring the internet and crushing dissenters.

[Duckhunter935]

48. I do fail to see how they can support that idiot

against all democratic views like you mentioned. Almost like some are getting paid.

[Ash_F]

55. What do you mean so?

Democraticunderground 2014

2015 is looking bright for this site.

[Third Doctor]

18. I bet he took his own vacation.

Only the "little people" need to suffer.

[freshwest]

19. Wow! I really didn't believe it possible for them to have so much trouble from oil prices, sanctions

and other measures. I've read that the sanctions Obama put on Russia are ineffective and that they have other trading partners.

What a strange thing, that in the USA the KochLIbetarianGOP sees a budget deficit and sends people home with no pay to hurt people and the government here whereas Putin is just saying they have to be at work.

Looks like he is saving the state itself, but still, some major hurt has been sent their way. You'd never notice it from some posts I've read here, but really I have not seen too many of those in recent days. Could be my IL...

[Cha]

33. The Putin explainers were laughing and saying when the sanctions started that this was nothing

Obama was weak and Putin was strong.. whatever.


Bipartisan Report @Bipartisanism
Follow
President #Obama saved the American economy while sanctioning Russia into recession. Bravo. #ObamasFault #Seattle
12:50 PM - 26 Dec 2014 65 Retweets 42 favorites

http://theobamadiary.com/2014/12/26/2014-japas-most-memorable-moments/

[freshwest]

35. They certainly were. So many have underestimated the Prez. Interesting to hear that Putin is feeling

so much pressure. Another thread said he was laying off some workers and also cutting back on their space program.

In the end, he is friend to the oligarchs, and not the socialist champion he's made out to be, if he ever was. Most world leaders understand that their citizens want a stable, civil society. I don't know if it can be achieved with climate change.

I don't go into getting personal about Putin, nor do I - nor you - get happy at the hurt this is putting on the Russian people. But we have given our word to Europe for all these years. The longer view holds that we must do what we say we will.

Obama is keenly aware of our obligations. I'm hoping the issues will be resolved without anymore authoritarian, armed moves by Putin. I know that Russia has been hurting for many years, and it's a shame. It is a land of great resources and many talented people. What a waste all of this is.

Thanks for the link!

[Cha]

45. Right.. I hate this for the Russian People.. it's Putin who has brought this on his own People..

but, always ready to blame anyone else instead of taking responsibility for his aggression.

[newthinking]

22. This story is a lie. Normally government employees get **10** business days off during the holidays

in Russia. They are still taking New Years and Orthodox Christmas off. He was asking key people to come in during the holiday period.


" Russian President Vladimir Putin asked government officials not to take the traditional long vacation for New Year and Christmas, due to the country's economic situation. Cabinet ministers are particularly expected to be back at work earlier than usual"

The OP has been on a run of misrepresentation as well. Pay attention. There are lots of things going wrong in the world and one of the things that is making it harder to make the change we need is our media.

[reorg]

25. No surprise here, this is what I expect from this poster

You beat me to it, but a simple web search reveals that - as opposed to, say, Americans -

1. Russians have the right to take first 12 days in the year off.

2. Putin did not ask all Russians or even all public employees, no, he only asked the "government ministers" not to take their usual Christmas holiday:

RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin has scrapped New Year’s holidays for government ministers because of the unfolding economic crisis.

Russian company employees throughout the country are entitled to holiday from January 1-12 when Russians celebrate the New Year, the main holiday in Russia, as well as Orthodox Christmas on January 7.

http://www.news.com.au/world/president-vladimir-putin-cancels-holidays-for-ministers-as-russias-economic-crisis-continues/story-fndir2ev-1227166873624

http://www.hngn.com/articles/54679/20141226/russias-putin-cancels-12-day-holiday-vacation-for-cabinet-ministers.htm

http://rt.com/news/217715-putin-russia-holiday-cut/

All American news sources, though - whether misinformed or just lazy - report the "shortened" version in the OP.

[newthinking]

26. Tabloid media - Emotional response is more important than facts. Dry facts unfortunately don't

emotionally attach people to stories.

[Brickbat]

49. +1

[Ryan Fitzomething]

28. Canceling Christmas Vacations?

Would that, per chance, include the Russian military?

[babylonsister]

29. It appears chess beat marbles. nt

[Cha]

34. Hey, I think so, babylonsistah..

Bipartisan Report @Bipartisanism
Follow
President #Obama saved the American economy while sanctioning Russia into recession. Bravo. #ObamasFault #Seattle
12:50 PM - 26 Dec 2014 65 Retweets 42 favorites

http://theobamadiary.com/2014/12/26/2014-japas-most-memorable-moments/

[Brigid]

50. Reminds me of this:

[Sunlei]

51. hes afraid people will leave and not come back. Crimea is allowed but MasterCard and Visa have suspe

MasterCard and Visa have suspended service there.

[uhnope]

52. hundreds of thousands are leaving every year

so you could be right

[LisaL]

54. Russians have way more vacation days than people in US.

So he asked them to cut down a little. They will still have more vacation days than here.

[Ash_F]

56. What a Scrooge! /nt

[treestar]

57. I had read that in Russia

Christmas is not such a big deal and that New Year's Day is the big deal.