There is a way to keep control in an autocracy.
Terror.
On December 9 Russian oligarch Dmitriy Zelenov, 50, was out to dinner with friends. He felt unwell, and tumbled down several fights of stairs. He hit his head and died.
Two days prior, Grigory Kochenov fell to his death from his balcony while police were conducting a search of his apartment. On November 29 Vyacheslav Taran, co-founder of Libertex, a forex exchange company, died in a helicopter crash. On November 23 Tiantian Kullander, co-founder of Amber Group, died unexpectedly in his sleep from unknown causes. A cryptocurrency entrepreneur drowned in Puerto Rico on October 28 after tweeting that he thought people were attempting to kill him.
There were five suspicious deaths of Russian oligarchs in the month of September. The Director of a Russian Railway subsidiary shot himself while standing on the balcony of his apartment. The former head of Moscow Aviation Institute fell down a flight of stairs. The editor of Komsomolskaya Pravda suffered a stroke and suffocated while on his way to lunch. The Aviation Director of a development company drowned after falling from his boat. The Chairman of Lukoil, fell out of a window to his death.
One can imagine a montage of these deaths in a black comedy/drama scene, with gang enemies falling victim to the movie protagonist. There was such a scene in Breaking Bad, where a meth operation reached into prison to kill ten men in one minute to keep them quiet. The scene is scored in counterpoint with a lighthearted musical background while the murders take place.
A similar scene took place in The Godfather, when the Corleone family gang wiped out rival crime families while Michael Corleone was pledging Christian faith at a baptism. This scene had a similar audio counterpoint, set against a church organ, a priest's ritual, and Michael Corleone renouncing sin.
In Russia this is not a movie. There is no ironic music and it isn't a comedy. It is a brutal form of political body language. No Russian should entertain any illusion that their money, job, or connections will protect them from Putin's long arm if they appear disloyal to him.
The pretense is that these are accidents and natural deaths. Russians can pretend that laws are being obeyed, but everyone knows better. A deep corruption settles into Russian culture. People know they are consenting to live with the pretense. Otherwise they might fall out of a window.
Pretense is at the heart of Trump's behavior surrounding the election, and it has created a corruption of people who protect their own political interests by closing their eyes. Trump threatens political death. Jeff Flake showed what happens to U.S. Senators. Liz Cheney shows what happens to political dynasties. Jeff Sessions shows what happens to cabinet members.
Trump pretends there was widespread election fraud. His allies pretended there was reason for legislatures to reverse the vote. Trump urged his Justice Department to pretend they found fraud so Republican-majority legislatures could pretend they had justification to accept pretext electors. Trump pretended that Vice President Pence could throw out electoral votes. The pretense preserves the form of democracy but not its reality.
Democracy will be preserved when leaders in Trump's party have the courage to say aloud that they won't pretend anymore.
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31 comments:
Been waiting a long time for rank and file republicans to renounce Trump. That is what is so maddening about the republicans and Trump, they act like he is just a regular politician. No he is not, he represents something much more pathological. I personally can not be a real friend with a Republican because of that. Don’t even some of those hard core MAGA support Putin? Like Putin is someone good? He is killing his enemies across the globe. Sounds like evil to me.
I don't know if this Putin, er, policy represents progress towards or regression from a healthy democracy in comparison with e.g. Stalin simply dispatching vans to fill with political undesirables on the way to the Lubyanka. Of course Putin may well be confiscating fortunes to pay for his war, like Henry VIII with the English church.
In our own neck of the woods, though, while I understand the imperative to keep this blog's entries at roughly 75% Trump-centered content, I cannot resist noting here what jumped to my mind reading that frightening oligarch death catalogue. The so-called Clinton death list numbers over 50 to date. Nice to recall Ron Brown once again.
I don't understand LD.
Is LD in fact seriously asserting that Bill or Hillary Clinton killed 50 people. I know this is some kind of Q-Anon assertion along with kidnapped children bled for some youth-hormone and pimped out to pedophiles, but I had not understood that serious people asserted it. And who is Ron Brown?
Peter Sage
According to Etyomology.com, the term Mafia originates from Sicily as “a society of criminals with a spirit of hostility to the law” An earlier use of the word describes an “arrogant bully who is also fearless and enterprising”
One of the first popular uses of it was an 1863 Italian play about a Palermo prison gang that command particular kind of “respect”
The funny thing is, that coerced “respect” is not really respect at all is it? Those who wield the power to demand respect, know it is just a fragile illusion. I bet what galls Putin is the widespread respect Zelenskyy is getting for standing up to him.
I will do a blog post sometime soon about this being the Era of Trump. My complaint about Biden is that he lacks the ability to make this the Biden era. Trump leads multitudes. Biden was elected as the non-Trump. I am not happy about Trump's influence on the politics of the era, but I don't hide from it. He shapes the GOP. That then shapes Democrats. Trump hasn't disappeared.
One of Trump’s former press secretaries said that he admired Putin’s ability to kill whoever he wanted. One of Trump’s former chiefs of staff confirmed that Trump said he wanted his generals to be as loyal as Hitler’s. Trump bragged publicly that he “fell in love” with Kim Jong-Un. Republicans fell in love with Trump, not in spite of his autocratic, anti-American tendencies, but because of them.
During the lead-up to WWII, there was an influential pro-Hitler group called America First that opposed entering the war. Trump made America First a Republican slogan and a group of that name is now dedicated to carrying on his mission of normalizing hate speech, spreading crackpot conspiracy theories, lying about elections, etc. For a while, white nationalists had fallen into disrepute, but Trump brought them crawling out of the woodwork and they’ve become the GOP base. Republicans have sold their soul for the crazy vote.
P.S. For anyone unfamiliar with the “Clinton death list,” Mr. Dudgeon’s current whataboutism, it’s one of the usual evidence-free, crackpot conspiracy theories that so-called conservatives love so much, advanced by Newsmax publisher Christopher Ruddy, congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene and others.
Clinton Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown died in a plane crash after subpoenaed to testify against the administration. From Vince Foster to Seth Rich and dozens besides, there have been many unusual or seemingly mysterious deaths of person in an position to do harm to the Clintons.
"Conspiracy theory" is both vague and overbroad as typically used these days. It should apply righteously to Q-esque claims that the Clintons themselves are indeed responsible for the aforementioned deaths. The violent deaths themselves are, however, a matter of public record.
Are the claims or insinuations here about Putin and these oligarch deaths a "conspiracy theory" too? Depending how one justifies a "no" answer, we are arguably looking at a difference in degree, not kind, from comparable claims about the powers that be in the States.
The Q folks are kooks, but lucky kooks, if you will. Those positing an elite pedo ring servicing A-listers are aided by the highly-suspicious death in custody of panderer Jeffrey Epstein of "Lolita Island" infamy, who counted Donald Trump and Bill Clinton among his intimates.
LD is a fascinating opportunity for inspection and education. It is obvious that she is not stupid, and therefore is likely not utterly gullible. By past comments it is evident that LD does not attempt simply to troll this site.
And yet, look at what she wrote. Russian oligarch deaths and the rumors attributed to the Clintons are a matter of degree, not kind. Of course it is a matter of kind. Some and maybe most of the oligarch deaths are murders and they are intended to be a message. They are received as such. One a week is a message. The notion that a single light plane crash, or that somehow a Clinton arranged a murder of Epstein in a federal prison under the control of Trump's administration, or that there are 50 Clinton murders is the stuff of crazy partisan nut jobs. LD might as well sign on to the pizza basement pedophile kidnap story and gulp the Kool Aid. She knows better.
But the lesson here is that conservatives simply cannot admit that Trump is doing bad stuff. They simply must--must!!--go to "whatabout" which is happening here in front of us. Putin kills people; Trump intimidates people, so therefore Hillary or Bill must have killed Epstein in prison. Somehow Democrats must be Trump-lite. Somehow Al Gore's looking for a recount in Florida before conceding is pretty much the same thing as Trump's conspiracy to reverse votes in six states. They are "arguably" a difference in degree, not kind, because people committed to Trump-ism, if not Trump, are unwilling to clean their own house. The last line of my post said that the job of cleaning up Trump lay with Republicans. They aren't doing it. It is more comfortable to defend him by the device of saying Trump is pretty much just like Biden or Schumer or Pelosi. Besides, Hunter Biden. Don't look at efforts to stop the peaceful transfer of power in a democracy, not when Hunter Biden tried to deny paternity for a love child.
To point out the obvious, there’s a big difference between Grigory Kochenov, an opponent of the war in Ukraine, “falling” to his death from his balcony when police raided his flat, and Ron Brown dying in a plane crash.
Seth Rich’s parents wrote an op ed begging people to stop perpetuating their nightmare by politicizing their son’s murder, but that would require the perps to have a conscience, so it didn't stop.
Anyway, Trump himself said Putin could kill whoever he wanted. He wouldn’t lie, would he?
A hit, a palpable hit!
"Depending on how one justifies a 'no' answer [on the question of conspiracy theory}, we arguably looking at a difference in degree, not kind", is what I wrote, referring to the quality of existing proofs, and the chosen definition of "conspiracy theory". The non-circumstantial evidence on Putin is weak, and the manner and mode of the "Clinton" deaths is odd and lurid.
In these matters it's best to deal in likelihoods and plausibilities, as opposed to varying levels of certitude based as a function of partisan preference. On Epstein, for instance, the balance of evidence is that it was not a suicide. Could have been the Brits. Or Epstein himself hiring assistance. "Hoist with your own petard" is not trolling, no.
Unfortunately, this is how cults work.
Joe Biden wants to be President No Drama. Bravo!
Just doing his job. He doesn't make everything about himself. Thank God.
God Bless Joe Biden and his family.
Just throwing this out there: Wasn't Harry Truman appreciated more years later?
I truly appreciate what Joe Biden has accomplished, starting with defeating (!!!) the former Traitor in Chief.
Maybe others will eventually come around also.
What we have here are diversion, obfuscation and false equivalence from one who would have us believe that Democrats are no better than Republicans. To some degree, I would have accepted that before “W” invaded Iraq. But even Bush said the insurrection left him “disgusted,” and now everybody who cares is well aware how complicit the GOP is – based on a ton of evidence, unlike the wacko “Clinton Body Count.”
Peter said:
But the lesson here is that conservatives simply cannot admit that Trump is doing bad stuff.
Have liberals ever admitted that the entire Russiagate hysteria, from start to finish, was a complete and utter hoax?
These are very partisan times; neither side wants to admit it when they are wrong. Propagandists on both sides slant the discussion of issues to favor themselves.
Maybe if both sides decided to be honest…
...
(I had actually decided not to post this comment, because at this point Peter I think you're the troll here and you're just trolling all of us, but then Mike Trigoboff said the word "Hysteria", and well, I just had to...)
Oooooh! I love Etymology! I love getting to the marrow of meaning. One of my favorite words of late is:
"Hysterical (adj.)"
1610s, "characteristic of hysteria," the nervous disease originally defined as a neurotic condition peculiar to women and thought to be caused by a dysfunction of the uterus; literally "of the womb," from Latin hystericus "of the womb," from Greek hysterikos "of the womb, suffering in the womb," from hystera "womb," from PIE *udtero-, variant of *udero- "abdomen, womb, stomach" (see uterus).
Earlier searches state that it stems from the word "Hymen"
Anybody who calls me a misogynist after that is a miserable misandrist themselves
So, I think it is just hysterical watching Peter go in to histrionic fits of hysteria over Donald Trump committing the most unconscionable of all crimes; Opposing the results of an election!!!
The NERVE!!!
Never! Never, I say, has anyone ever questioned the integrity of our elections throughout our entire history as a nation!!
"Shocked! I'm shocked to find gambling going on in this establishment!!"
"...here is your winnings, sir."
"oh, thank you very much."
(From Casablanca ...again! I mean do you not get the inference yet??)
Political conservatives, and Trump-y people, plus people who are mostly unhappy former leftists, cannot bear to say Trump is dangerous. Their first instinct is "Whatabout." In response to that, this blog's frequent critic of woke-style progressive Democrats did--Guess what?
No need to guess. Read it. It was whatabout. In fact the Mueller Report there were multiple instances of cooperation between the Trump campaign and Russia both from staff and from Trump himself ("Russia, if you're listening. . . ." It is not my purpose to re-argue that "the entire Russiagate hysteria, from start to finish, was a complete and utter hoax?" when it was not. My purpose here is simply to reiterate my point that Trump does not have defenders. He has people who feel picked on. "YOU are bad." They don't defend, they accuse. Poor Trump, his campaign manager gave stuff to the Russians but he isn't in prison because Trump pardoned him. And since he isn't in prison his crimes must be a hoax. Poor Trump."
I can readily "admit" Trump is doing and has done bad stuff. I never voted for him, and never will. He is unqualified for office.
I mean that Trump's bad stuff is pretty weak tea, whether Democrats are opportunistic or histrionic about it, or some of both.
What Democrats have dome vis a vis BLM/Antifa, the border, and social reeducation are, in toto, far and away more injurious to America.
It's not a zero-sum game. But when the talk is siloes and comparative credulity, Democrats have at least as much koolaid to toss.
Peter I am doubling down and saying you really are the troll here this is as neurotic and juvenile is you going to republicans speaking engagements and demanding that they sign your little piece of paper saying that they consider the 2020 elections to be the most honest elections in world history. nobody in their right mind would be so ridiculous as to comply with that.
I've always had to assume but of course I've always wondered if you really still believe that the steel dossiers Has any legitimacy whatsoever I don't know where that puts us Peter I don't know where that puts anybody here
Ya gotta love it: Even conservatives who claim they don't like Trump dismiss his coup attempt as "pretty weak tea." Maybe they should ask themselves why they're so defensive about a guy willing to discard the Constitutions to overturn an election.
No, liberals never did admit that "Russiagate" was "a complete and utter hoax" because, as the Mueller report made clear, it wasn't.
This illustrates why our political divide is so deep. So-called conservatives believe whatever they want, regardless of the facts. Note they have nothing to support their claims - just spurious allegations.
It is a fact misogyny is baked into our language, society and culture. That is the problem and it isn't news. It is common knowledge to informed and educated people.
Also known as systemic misogyny or sexism and and the cause is patriarchy.
Not really sure why it was necessary to provide the origin of the word hysterical when a simple, modern definition would have been sufficient. So maybe you are a loud and proud male supremacist (aka misogynist) after all, as you suggested. Spot on.
Can white wingers who read this blog please just ADMIT that if BLM protestors had attacked the police, busted into the capitol and roamed the halls looking for the VP, House Speaker and other members of Congress that they would have been first in line to call for a full investigation and harsh sentences for all participants.
Mr. Sage—
The published comments to this and very recent posts include more than the typical number from commenters I’d describe as heavy-handed liightweights, akin to Curt but the leftist side of the same coin. I understand the moderation here disfavors specific refutations, so I’ll refraiin. Perhaps you can clarify when and how such comments are “enlightening” in some wider or representative sense, as you sometimes do with Curt and, of late, David in Ashland. If targeted, corrective spankings are in fact permitted, I will be sensitive and judicious.
Yeah, this one got out of hand. I shouldn't have participated. I rose to the bait of LD saying at 8:17 a.m. some reference to the 50 Clinton murders. Since LD is usually informed and disagreeable but rational. Her likening of the defenestration of Russian oligarchs, which is real and which goes far beyond random bad luck and is admitted policy what with Russian agents going into the UK to kill people, to the Q-Anon tabloid rumors of 50 Clinton victims, just seemed too much.
What the hell is wrong with her, I wondered. Alas, wondered aloud.
Tomorrow I am going to give myself and my readers a rest, with a guest post about cheating in athletics. Bottom line: we tolerate it if we like the cheater.
Peter Sage
Yep, I definitely stepped into a steaming San Francisco pile. "...nobody's fault but mine"
Precise intent online is unavoidably often opaque. I concede that applies to those I’d criticize as well. My albeit facetious point was that operative but unconfirmed assumptions are driven by partisan preference and exigency more, and more often, than they should be. I opine now that moderation here is filtered through analogous lenses, however well you succeed in a very difficult job overall. My only request is that the separation of the wheat from the chaff occur via quality, not quantity.
Mr. Sage,
Trump-y people as you call them, like Trump, can't tolerated being contradicted with facts. That's why they and Trump were so infuriated by Dr. Fauci. Maybe they shouldn't be so disingenuous.
At Xerox in the early 1980s, on something like this blog’s comment pages, there was a feature called “express mail“ that they would turn on when a thread started to get out of hand. Express mail guaranteed one day delivery, meaning that every post was delayed for 24 hours before it appeared.
It was like pushing the control rods into a nuclear reactor; people had time to cool off and stop melting down.
How about providing a definative citation for "the 50 Clinton deaths" not originating in the RIGHT WINGNUT FRINGE. Includking Newsmax,Fuxnews or the creature from a desolate Georgia outback that no one else wanted to.represent
Putin has never been indicted for murdering his opponents, nor is it likely that he will be. However, the circumstances warrant suspicion. Is he capable of it? Look at Ukraine.
The 50 murders the clueless attribute to the Clintons have no more credence than Trump's claim that Cruz' father was involved in the Kennedy assassination. It's a difference of kind, not degree.
Those who have to lie in order to prove a point don't have one.
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