Brexit

[Montegriffo]

Well you can have a certain amount of respect for the power Putin has built up around him but not one jot for how he has gone about getting that power.

But it's not really effective, Putin rails impotently from the Kremlin, but nothing in Russia works as it supposed to and nobody actually follows orders as a result, so Putin's power is an illusion.

Unless you dare criticise him openly. Then it's polonium tea and good bye.

[Cid]

I don't think anyone here is going to doubt the power of an illusion any time in the foreseeable future.

[Smitty-48]

Well you can have a certain amount of respect for the power Putin has built up around him but not one jot for how he has gone about getting that power.

But it's not really effective, Putin rails impotently from the Kremlin, but nothing in Russia works as it supposed to and nobody actually follows orders as a result, so Putin's power is an illusion.

Unless you dare criticise him openly. Then it's polonium tea and good bye.

Well most do not bother to, because Putin is actually totally impotent to impose anything on them of consequence, the tyranny in Russia, is the tyranny of disfunction, but Putin is neither the tyrant therein, nor able to do anything about it, so he's of no consequence to the day to day existence of Russians, he's far more of a reality tv star than Trump is, that's all Putin really is, Russian reality tv, but he's not actually driving the bus.

[TheReal_ND]

I don't think anyone here is going to doubt the power of an illusion any time in the foreseeable future.

It's about the only thing propping this country up it seems like at times. Yes.

[Montegriffo]

Unless you are LGBT. Smitty.

[Smitty-48]

Unless you are LGBT. Smitty.

Even then, Putin doesn't actually care about that, it's not the FSB that comes after you for being gay, they don't care, it's the dysfunction which the FSB cannot control, the hooligans run amok, which is the tyranny upon the gay people in Russia, again, all inclusive to the tyranny of dysfunction, and all the more evidence that the Kremlin does not control anything.

[Cid]

I don't think anyone here is going to doubt the power of an illusion any time in the foreseeable future.

It's about the only thing propping this country up it seems like at times. Yes.

Pfft, problem with listening to monetary wonks is they're like Nostradamus, something bad is going to happen in the future because of things that are happening now with money.

Though we might see what happens soon, because "fiscal responsibility" was not a phrase uttered by anyone at any time (I don't count Stoned Cold Gary Johnson) in the last election, and Trump's tax/budget plan was basically lets try the early 2000s again, but this time with infrastructure spending AND military spending.

[Montegriffo]

Unless you are LGBT. Smitty.

Even then, Putin doesn't actually care about that, it's not the FSB that comes after you for being gay, they don't care, it's the dysfunction which the FSB cannot control, the hooligans run amok, which is the tyranny upon the gay people in Russia, again, all inclusive to the tyranny of dysfunction, and all the more evidence that the Kremlin does not control anything.

Well I seem to remember comments about the gays not being able to practise their filthy deviances when they go over for the world cup in a couple of years. Might not have been Putin himself but it was a decree from the powers that be. Pandering to the mob or not that is a message coming from the top.
Think it might have been the mayor of Moscow or whatever title he would have.

[Smitty-48]

Unless you are LGBT. Smitty.

Even then, Putin doesn't actually care about that, it's not the FSB that comes after you for being gay, they don't care, it's the dysfunction which the FSB cannot control, the hooligans run amok, which is the tyranny upon the gay people in Russia, again, all inclusive to the tyranny of dysfunction, and all the more evidence that the Kremlin does not control anything.

Well I seem to remember comments about the gays not being able to practise their filthy deviances when they go over for the world cup in a couple of years. Might not have been Putin himself but it was a decree from the powers that be. Pandering to the mob or not that is a message coming from the top.
Think it might have been the mayor of Moscow or whatever title he would have.

All part of the illusion of power, that's not Putin imposing his authority on the hooligans, quite the opposite, that's the hooligans imposing their authority on Putin. Russia may be an illiberal democracy, but it is a democracy still, no unitary dictator is Putin, he's simply a titular figurehead for a mob run amok.

The mob calls the tune, Putin dances to it, he's their puppet, not the other way round.

[Montegriffo]

I'm getting your point about Putin not being all powerful and Russia being fucked up, but it is disingenuous to suggest he has no power over the populace and the fact that Russia is weak makes them more dangerous not less. That last point is one you made yourself elsewhere, if I am remembering it correctly.