Putin to Medvedev as Fidel to Raul?

Posted by johnsblogs42 in March 3rd, 2008

As it looks, Putin’s somewhat of a stepping down and his hand picked replacement miraculously getting a huge majority of the votes really isn’t fooling anyone. It’s not just the opposition party in Russia that’s not buying it. A healthy amount of the Russian populace isn’t in favor of it either.

Perhaps enough of the Russian populace remembers what the Cold War was like there, and simply wants no part in a “Round 2.” Yet, with Russia emerging once again as a Superpower, and making a lot of negative statements about America, we’re likely to be headed in that direction again.

But this “trend” as it were, with those stepping down and being replaced by THEIR choice is reminiscent of another recent “election.” That of Fidel Castro being replaced by his choice, his brother Raul, who also seems to have amazingly garnered an outrageous majority of the votes as well. Go figure.

NOTE: I haven’t had a chance to really dig into the recent election events in Kenya enough to add it here as another ascension. So I’m not going to count it here yet.

There really isn’t any arguing the coincidences in these two elections either. Especially here in America were we have been holding democratic elections for over 200 years now. That both “hand-picked” individuals, (Medved & R. Castro) weren’t really elected, but simply stepped in and assumed power reeks of corruption.

Imagine the uproar if Bush decided to just go ahead and name a successor to the American presidency without a real election? Oh, we’d be able to vote, but the outcome was already determined to be HIS choice. There would be blood in the streets.

Another interesting similarity between these two ascensions to the dictatorship, erm.., I mean presidency are the open statements that both Medvedev and Raul Castro have made. In both cases, Medvedev and Castro have openly acknowledged that they will seek their predecessors council on state matters. So, the reality is, Fidel will still be in power, as will Putin, as Putin will be assuming the post of Prime Minister.

Why did either of them even bother to hold mock-lections anyways?