What Ukraine's "Orange Revolution" teaches us about promising change

[Go2Peace]

Is anyone else paying attention to what is going on in Ukraine? It is a PERFECT example of what happens when politicians build up expectations.

The two parties who claimed change, Yushenko and Tymonshenko, united, and (with the help of the US Propaganda machine and funds), they rode in with the help of their base and captured the attention of their country and promised that they were the agents of real change and would change the way things were done in Kyiv and in the country.

There are some parallels that we should be able to learn from in this situation.

So what happened after all the excitement and rhetoric died down? This new administration ended up running the country in many of the same ways as the previous administration and did not deliver any fundamental change.

Now they are in the fight for their life, and guess what? The former challenger will win (if they don't rig the polls, which despite the Propaganda last time, the Orange Revolution also had massive vote fraud).

Ukrainians have become cynical. The "Orange Revolution", BECAUSE it had rode in with the promise of "change", did more damage and disinfranchised the population far more than the even the previous "status quo" administrations. The President, Yushenko, is being trounced and is terribly unpopular.

THAT, is what happens when you promise change but do not deliver. This is the lesson we should listen to, and we have EVIDENCE. And I hope the administration is paying attention.

Now, before anyone tries to claim I am "anti" Democratic for bringing this up, if I was in MA I would definitely vote for the Democrat, and I will continue to vote for Democrats, because I still hope we will eventually get a LEADER who will understand the power of Progressive ideas, and the Democratic party is still the best hope for that.

But we already have an example of what happens when you are elected on a platform of change, and I think we are seeing and will continue to see the results of that, and we may well LOSE in the long-run if we don't make far more serious efforts to make good on the "promises", "marketing", or whatever you want to call it.

Don't blame "the messenger", history provides the story.

[Go2Peace]

1. No one else is up on what happened with the "Orange Revolution"?

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. The Guardian thinks Tymoshenko will win the 2nd round

Ukraine's prime minister, Yulia Tymoshenko, was tonight closing the gap on her rival, Viktor Yanukovich, with exit polls from today's election suggesting she is strongly placed to become the country's first female president.

An exit poll for Channel 5 TV showed Yanukovich taking 31.5% of the vote, with Tymoshenko on 27.2%. An exit poll for ICTV had a wider gap, with Yanukovich at 35% and Tymoshenko on 25.7%. But Yanukovich appeared not to have dealt the prime minister a knockout blow in the first presidential election since the 2004 Orange revolution.

Analysts said Tymoshenko was in a strong position to leapfrog Yanukovich when both candidates meet in a decisive runoff vote on February 7.

"The eventual size of Yanukovich's lead is key. His strategy was to deliver a knock-out blow in round one. The exit polls show his lead to be not a decisive or definitive one," said Andrew Wilson, senior fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jan/17/ukraine-votes-general-election

[Go2Peace]

5. she may well as she is in the place to rig the voting booths

I have relatives in Ukraine and have been watching closely. Yanikovich is ahead in the polls by 10% in a contest against Tymoshenko. But Tymoshenko has been pouring on the Propaganda and has had a very nasty campaign.

I have watched her for the last 5 years, she is a nasty sort in the "Bush" type image, she called for ethnic russians who voted against her to be confined behind barbed wire. She changes her positions with the Wind. She is also part of the corrupt Oligarchy.

But you sure would not know that from the western media.

On edit: I see that they are saying she may not win the vote but because they have a parliment she may get the PM again, that is certainly possible.

[Go2Peace]

6. Not that Yanukovich is great either, but Tymoshenko is a "Nationalist" in the worst way

And everything about her is stealthy and foxy, even her image is well groomed and a lie. Yanikovich is part of the "old guard" but his approach is more genuine. They need better candidates, but between Yanikovich and Tymoshenko Yanikovich will probably do more for the average person. I suspect Tymoshenko will just fill her pockets with more cash if she get's in and follow Russia or the US based on which will pad her pockets the best.

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. The Guardian is saying she may offer the PM job to 3rd place Tigipko in return for his support

(PM seems to be appointed by Parliament on the recommendation of the president)

[Go2Peace]

10. Unfortunately Tigipko is a corpratist - Look at his picture, ugh

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergei_Tigipko

[proudohioan]

4. I think that you probably have to be Ukrainian to be up on it.

I remember hearing about the Orange Revolution back in 2005(???) and most Ukrainians that I heard from were quite excited and upbeat about the upcoming (and well deserved)change.

In retrospect, a lot like most of US were after Obama was elected.

You have a pretty valid point here; excellent parallel!!! Personally, I feel a deep sense of disappointment and cynicism about "change to believe in".

t

:)

[Go2Peace]

2. Those that are unreccing, care to tell me why you belive this observation is incorrect?

Or are you just here to try and influence what get's on the greatest page?

[FarCenter]

7. The Ukrainians became too aware that the Orange Revolution means exploitation

by Ukrainian kleptocrats and western financiers and businessmen.

[Go2Peace]

8. Very true

[elehhhhna]

11. Perhaps Yushenko's dioxin poisoning changed his ideas about change.

[Call Me Wesley]

12. So far, it's a tie.

Janukowitsch won the presidency, but premier Timoschenko is close and will challenge him.

[MisterP]

13. dunno, what's the CIA and IRI doing this time of year? I think they ran out of colors for their

prefabricated velvet coups