Putin Endorses Brazen Remedy to Extend His Rule, Possibly for Life

[BigmanPigman]

Source: New York Times

In a carefully scripted appearance, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia agreed he should be allowed to seek two more terms, if the Constitutional Court approves.

"...on Tuesday, Mr. Putin endorsed a proposal stunningly simpler and more brazen: resetting the Constitution’s term-limit clock to zero. The proposal, passed by the lower house of Parliament just hours after it had been introduced, would allow him to serve for an additional two six-year terms when his tenure expires."

"The legislation must still be approved by Russia’s Constitutional Court and a nationwide referendum in April. But in Russia’s tightly controlled political system, the choreographed flurry of events on Tuesday was the clearest sign yet that after 20 years as president or prime minister, Mr. Putin, the 67-year-old former KGB spy and icon of strongman rule, is intent on staying in the Kremlin possibly for the rest of his life, or at least until 2036."

"If he serves until then, Mr. Putin will have held the nation’s highest office for 32 years, longer than Stalin but still short of Peter the Great, who reigned for 43 years."

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/10/world/europe/putin-president-russia.html

[Squinch]

1. Filthy Donnie is taking notes.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

6. More like he's having a staff member do it.

The only writing Fat Donnie does is on Twitter. He has, however, mentioned how he admires dictators who hold their positions for life, and says he is entitled to a third term because of all the investigations. Don't do anything wrong, asshole, and there wouldn't be any need to investigate.

[Grokenstein]

2. Good way to make sure "the rest of his life" isn't very long.

[AZ8theist]

3. Corrupt dictator wants to dictate??

What are the odds?

[oldsoftie]

4. "if the Constitutional Court approves". So its not a DEFINITE thing then, right?

[mahina]

9. I have a feeling he wouldn't put that condition in the statement if he hadn't worked that out.

But here’s hoping, and hoping he meets his maker sooner than later.

[Miguelito Loveless]

5. Expect Trump to pull the same stunt

but in a more, typically Trump manner. Both Putin and Trump know that to lose power is to go to jail.

[oldsoftie]

11. Trump has no way like putin. The public wont allow it. In russia, try to stop him

[Miguelito Loveless]

12. The public has done little to stop him so far.

So, why would they start now? The man commits crimes with impunity.

[oldsoftie]

14. If Trump loses in Nov, he will leave in Jan '21. If they have to drag him out.

Once the new president is sworn in, Trump no longer has any power. And no one of any standing WITH power will stand with him to prevent it. He's not special. I remember people here saying W wouldnt leave office too

[Miguelito Loveless]

17. W. to his credit,

wasn't batshit insane.

Also, W. wasn't conspiring with the Russian government and acting as an agent for same.

Trump will disrupt the elections, and the GOP and SCOTUS will back him up. The Russians WILL interfere as well, and Mitch McConnell has shown he will do NOTHING to stop them.

[oldsoftie]

18. He wont be able to disrupt the elections. We wont allow it.

And Trump will have NO POWER after he is soundly defeated. And thats whats important; not just to beat him, but beat him BIGLY. Then there can be no crying about "stolen" elections. If you lose 56-42, there's no amount of voter fraud that will explain that. EVERYONE has to get on board to beat him

And I dont agree about the SCOTUS; whatever nonsense he may think of trying i do not believe he would get what he needs and no military or SS are going to back him up either.

[Miguelito Loveless]

19. I fail to understand why Trump,

who has committed literally dozens of criminal offenses and suffered no consequences (up to and including, acting as an agent for a foreign power) is going to worry one iota about what he is legally allowed to do about the election.

First off, given the current situation, Trump can use "emergency powers", that Chuck Shchumer's favors giving him, to interfere with the elections. He can declare that in the interest of "national security" the elections must be "postponed", but only temporarily, don't ya know.

He can also federalize the national guard and order them out to enforce quarantine zones right on election day. You can be damned sure Trump will veto ANY bill that tries to allow this election to use mail in ballots. And if that doesn't work, he has an army of Russian trolls ready to disrupt the election.

As to the SCOTUS, the Chief Justice presided over a sham trial and didn't move a finger to enforce the law.

Finally, the police and soldiers OBEY orders. History has shown us that time and again. Once in a blue moon they will balk, but 99% of the time, they comply with orders without question.

[oldsoftie]

20. Well, of course you're free to feel that way. And with some reason. But I dont.

And November is a long way off in regard to the virus. I believe we will closer to what passes for "normal" by then. As far as whether its getting worse or better, i think we'll be better.
Or we'll all be broke

[Miguelito Loveless]

21. Well, I will be honest

I would love to be, and hope to be, 100% wrong.

But I have watched this country (and others) turn back to the Dark Side­­™ and embrace fascism, superstition, and bigotry. It is 1933 again, and Hitler has risen to power. I have watched people I disagreed with (friends, family, co-workers) but respected, embrace racism, vitriol, and lies. I have listened to those lies and epithets come from their lips.

They spew hatred, and feel righteous doing so.

I have little hope left for humanity.

[MiniMe]

7. Wasn't he in a different position of leadership for a few years?

[BigmanPigman]

8. He was in a position

high up when the other guy took over for a few years but he was a puppet to make it look like a democracy (2008-2012).

"Putin was barred from a third consecutive term by the Constitution. First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev was elected his successor. In a power-switching operation on 8 May 2008, only a day after handing the presidency to Medvedev, Putin was appointed Prime Minister of Russia, maintaining his political dominance."
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Putin#2012%E2%80%932018:_Third_presidential_term

[MiniMe]

10. That's who I was thinking of!

Thanks. I remember Hillary trying to pronounce his name

[olddad65]

13. Check and checkmate.

[Aristus]

15. "Life" could be tomorrow.

Just sayin', Russia...

[Blue_Tires]

16. Greenwald and Snowden were unavailable for comment