Translated material
History Online 1
The situation for this text is hopeless: since there were elections, then they were the main event of the past 7 days. But they weren’t: already on Tuesday their discussion practically stopped, as if nothing had happened. In principle, to fix this topic, you can provide links to some Polit.ru articles ( this , this and this ) - so that the historical moment is recorded in one place. Anyway, a short summary.
The results were clear already two weeks before the elections, and then there was a complete coincidence of society’s idea of itself with how it really is. This is the main result, and the numbers are not too important. Yes, the question remains: did the Russians create a result that suits the Kremlin, or did the Kremlin “make” the Russians? Because the numbers are very satisfactory to everyone - judging by the general calm. Although the question itself is rhetorical.
Well, if the results are expected, then all that remains is to interpret them. But the critical options are obvious, the victorious reports even more so. There are various statistical calculations ( here and here ). There are perplexities of a general philosophical nature. For example, delights like turnout in Dagestan 82.83%, in Chechnya - 99.21%, in the Buryat Autonomous Okrug 82.02%, in Bashkiria - 82.14%, in Ingushetia 92.11, in Kabardino-Balkaria - 94.06%. It is unnecessary to talk about the physical impossibility of 99%, but all these powerful percentages gave the final 60% in the Russian Federation, the reliability of which even the election organizers themselves have no doubt about.
The second nuance is the nature of the campaign. A whole year of All-Russian NLP with songs and dances. Propagandists, political scientists and television channels declare enemies, outline grandiose plans, announce victory and castigate threats. But this too is almost forgotten.
In general, it’s interesting: the organizers of the event received their numbers and are already confident that everything was exactly as it was, as if no special and painful actions were taken at all. They are clearly confident that, as a result of a completely free expression of the will of citizens, 60% of the population actually voted, and 64% specifically for United Russia. How can they not build a future based on these numbers?
The insignificance of elections is also illustrated by the fact that no one cares about examples of fraud, and there are plenty of them (here, for example, is a summary ). Because they don’t care that these are different stories. A figure is a figure, manipulation is a fraud. Well, they don’t consider the event an election, so what can you do? You can simply see the attitude towards the results.
What will the winners do with these results? There is a problem with the fact that they wanted to reformat the elections into a referendum. If this was a referendum on the National Leader, then it’s not very easy: 64% of 60% is only 38%, not very convincing for the National Leader (more details here ). Moreover, this is based on the figures that the organizers gave out. Conclusion: the topic of the “referendum” should clearly be quickly forgotten and the successes of United Russia should now be promoted exclusively. Yes, indeed, the conversation immediately turned to the excellent legitimacy of the new parliament and all that.
What to do with United Russia if V.V. Putin does not go to the Duma? It turns out that the party will enter the Duma with an empty federal list. Just some second lieutenant Kizhe will be at the head of parliament. Beautiful, but strange. So, what is next? The parliamentary elections were predictable, now V.V. Putin is firmly tied to his victory - as the only person in the top three of the United Russia federal list. So, what is next? Three wonderful (from a media point of view) turbid months.
In the meantime, life was seething elsewhere. Shvartsman's story continued. Then, a week ago, there were assumptions that this whole story would quietly fade away, as happened with various revelations of this kind. No, it hasn't faded out. This was partly facilitated by Kommersant. published various responses from interested parties, but the main step in further PR was taken by Mr. Shvartsman himself, who on Echo refuted everything that was said in the interview.
This was a strange action, considering that it’s not bunnies sitting in Kommersant: they didn’t throw out the audio recording of the interview and the text of Shvartsman’s edits. Well, they posted it on the website. Apparently, Shvartsman’s next action should be to demand an examination of these recordings - just like with the “Melnichenko tapes.” In fact, he has already gone in this direction: “ Oleg Shvartsman mentioned an audio recording of a conversation made by a Kommersant correspondent: “But this is a question for competent employees who will figure out what sounds in this recording, what doesn’t sound, what is literary editing, and what is my direct statements ""
As a result, the reliability of the original interview is no longer questioned by anyone, and the information reported there has become a fact of life. So Shokhin confirmed this . For those who wish to get acquainted with the subject from a less emotional perspective, you can read J. Pappe’s interview in Expert. For example, “ We can say that today a kind of economic oprichnina is being created (“oprichnina” - except, in addition to regular power. Not in the cinematic and literary meaning of the word, but strictly in the one that Ivan the Terrible had in mind). Most of the priority tasks is removed from the control of the government. A number of people subordinate directly to the president will be in charge of the entire system of regular power to manage a significant part of the economy. And the president, who has never been an economic management body, becomes just that ."
Among the events of a universal and interdisciplinary nature, one can note the reflection of the editor-in-chief of “Vzglyad” Shmelev: “... I am convinced that the intelligentsia (precisely as a specifically Russian social phenomenon - and not as just “intellectuals”) has always played an exclusively harmful and destructive role in our history. And we will be able to return to the normal development of the country only by completely clearing our socio-political life of the "intellectual infection" . Therefore, I not only do not object to the process unfolding before our eyes, but I also support it in every possible way to the best of my ability. And I will continue to support it. How personally, and using his official position. That's it ."
About the meaning - here , but here you need to imagine the situation in reality. Monday, evening. December, 2007, snow outside the windows. The day before there were elections, all this time the author was watching TV - both on duty and for personal reasons - and now he has torn himself away from it, looking out the window. It’s already four in the evening, it’s starting to get dark, multi-colored lights come on in the windows, the air turns a little blue. Snow, quiet, calm... The man is ripe to speak out. He leans over the keyboard and taps. What led him to write these particular thoughts? He, in fact, just won the election, why is he not happy and wants to drive someone away from the world? What kind of substance was released into the air of the city of Moscow following the results of the federal elections to the lower board of the Federal Assembly? Why does this substance make a certain type of people think about enemies, threats, cleansing from infection? Where does such anxiety come from amid the calm of this Monday? How truly romantic this is...
But he's not the only depressed romantic. On Thursday, Moscow again became the venue for nationwide patriotic celebrations. The center was again occupied by representatives of “OURS”. Here is a description from an eyewitness : "" Ours" in the city. A column (if you can call it that) is parading along Myasnitskaya towards Red Square. Curators in capes with the Face of Himself and an inscription like "We will not give up the country." The crowd is mostly middle-aged and older school. The faces are joyful, but without much enthusiasm. They express themselves so organically, the curators carry signs (with inscriptions like “Samara” or “Saratov”). Couples are holding hands. In general, a cute sight ."
OURS themselves explained their anxiety : “ Ten thousand activists of the OUR Movement from different regions of the country are now in Moscow. We have gathered to support our national leader and prevent provocations carried out by people who want to weaken the country. We do not need to use force , to prove that he was right. On December 2, Russia made its choice, and we will not allow a bunch of marginalized people to dictate their terms. Every provocateur must understand that the “OUR” Movement will stand in his way .”
They did not say whether provocateurs were brought in, but they did bring in children. Thursday's second event: the interregional children's and youth movement "Bears" gathered to address Russian President Vladimir Putin from Bolotnaya Square in Moscow. As the organizers of the action (the same “Nashi”) reported, “ more than 1 thousand activists with letters in their hands will write an appeal to Putin, in which they will ask him to become the leader of the “Bears” movement, since he is the most important “bear” in Russia .”
According to the media, “ the “Bears” movement appeared in September and unites children from 8 to 15 years old. The counselors – senior students – have their own “positions.” Thus, a counselor who managed to organize 10 events with children is called a “connecting bear.” "Polar bear" is the one who managed to unite 10 households; the top of the hierarchy is the "brown bear."
In short, the New Year is already here, and anxiety among individual citizens is only growing. The editor-in-chief of Vzglyad talks about purges of intellectuals. “OURS” are looking for provocateurs and carry posters “We won’t give up the country!”, and “Bears”, that’s actually... well, what is a connecting rod bear, which is a counselor who has organized 10 events with children? What kind of events are these, considering that “ a connecting rod bear, due to its extreme danger, is subject to immediate shooting .” Moreover, as one attentive person noted , the “Bears” event was held on Bolotnaya Square: “ The Shemyakinsky ensemble “Children - Victims of Adults’ Vices” is also there. The place was chosen surprisingly correctly .”
But! As it turned out, there were no children actually at Bolotnaya: the leader of the action especially emphasized that these were people over 18 years old. Indeed, it was wonderful : “ A great future awaits us - because we are bears! ”: the host of the event joyfully shouts to the audience, all of whom are over 18 years old, and they joyfully and unanimously answer her in chorus: “ bears! ” And, in general, at the end they were so cute hee-hee - you should definitely look at the link.
Now - about the positive. Polit.ru demonstrates the reliability of its forecasts. The reason, moreover, is not obvious. At the beginning of the week, Ukrainian Energy Minister Yuriy Boyko completed negotiations with Gazprom head Alexey Miller. As a result, the so-called border price for Ukraine was established - $179.5 per 1 thousand cubic meters. Meanwhile, on October 25, in “Online History” it was said : “... it is difficult to deny ourselves the pleasure of proposing our own version of the pricing formula, taking into account the results of the parliamentary elections. The price for 2008 should be the price for 2007 plus the total amount of interest collected "an orange coalition. That is - 130+44, and it would also be nice to throw in $5 for the subordination of all law enforcement agencies, including the Ministry of Internal Affairs, to President Yushchenko. In general, $180 per thousand cubic meters looks quite fair ." Compare the results.
Therefore, the next forecast, this time from a person who signs m-pronin : “ The plan of the triumphants or December is a fun month .”
As I understand it, the following are planned for December-early January:
1. Fight for Duma portfolios.
2. Fight over the candidacy of a successor.
3. Fights due to incidents of Storchak, Shvartsman and Bulbov - the great water truce is over.
4. Fight over government reconstruction.
5. A fight in Courchevel - well, just a New Year's fight, out of feelings, sir.
6. Fights over the budget and contracts of the March elections ."
It will be an interesting month."