Russia set to decriminalize domestic violence

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Introduced by a member of the "Social Democratic" opposition.

Yeah, I saw that before.  Controlled opposition, much?  Is the "left wing" in Russia all like that?

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

Introduced by a member of the "Social Democratic" opposition.

Yeah, I saw that before.  Controlled opposition, much?  Is the "left wing" in Russia all like that?

Most of Russia's "left wing" is pretty brown-shirted. Basically, to be a Communist in Russia these days means to be a rabid nationalist, anti-semite, and in cahoots with the Church (then, again, the Patriarch is planning a special liturgy to commemorate the glorious October Revolution - it goes both ways).

But, then, Mme Mizulina is not, even a "leftist" in that sense. She was a Communist party member only until the end of the old regime, at which point she joined the left-of-center liberal Yabloko, from which she jumped to the righ-liberal Union of the Rightist Forces from which she moved on to the servile pseudo-vaguely-leftish Just Russia (the main point of the party program being that it is more pro-Putin than the governing United Russia).  Now, it seems, she is leaving the JR - likely to move to the UR. There is a name for people like that, but I might be accused of misoginy here if I use it (though I would not hesitate to apply the same word to a man).

Thanks for the info.  I read a little bit about the Russian Communist Party a few days ago and what I got out of it was that its leaders (or one of its former leaders) are pretty generally anti-West and wanted to revive the USSR.  I didn't know that the rest of the left basically acted as a fodder for what is essentially a one-party (one-dictator?) state.

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

Introduced by a member of the "Social Democratic" opposition.

Yeah, I saw that before.  Controlled opposition, much?  Is the "left wing" in Russia all like that?

Most of Russia's "left wing" is pretty brown-shirted. Basically, to be a Communist in Russia these days means to be a rabid nationalist, anti-semite, and in cahoots with the Church (then, again, the Patriarch is planning a special liturgy to commemorate the glorious October Revolution - it goes both ways).

But, then, Mme Mizulina is not, even a "leftist" in that sense. She was a Communist party member only until the end of the old regime, at which point she joined the left-of-center liberal Yabloko, from which she jumped to the righ-liberal Union of the Rightist Forces from which she moved on to the servile pseudo-vaguely-leftish Just Russia (the main point of the party program being that it is more pro-Putin than the governing United Russia).  Now, it seems, she is leaving the JR - likely to move to the UR. There is a name for people like that, but I might be accused of misoginy here if I use it (though I would not hesitate to apply the same word to a man).

Thanks for the info.  I read a little bit about the Russian Communist Party a few days ago and what I got out of it was that its leaders (or one of its former leaders) are pretty generally anti-West and wanted to revive the USSR.  I didn't know that the rest of the left basically acted as a fodder for what is essentially a one-party (one-dictator?) state.

Now you probably understand why most of us (Russians by origin, writing here) are almost rabidly anti-left)))))

To me, it's difficult to understand Russian politics from a binary left-right perspective.  I don't view Putin as an ideologue much as someone who simply loves being in power and building his empire, and the only way he can maintain his popular support is by pandering to people and places of high influence, like the Russian Orthodox Church, by embracing socially conservative and reactionary initiatives.  Any "opposition" to Putin within the country is effectively neutered.