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Mar 20·edited Mar 20Liked by Karl Sanchez

It just amazes me how almost infinitely far ahead Russia is now compared to the U.S. in their political will and energy, driven in no small part by Putin, to make life in the "Motherland" good for every person, every class, every profession. I almost teared up reading some of what was said by a number of speakers, and I have absolutely no reason to believe that they were not sincere or that they were forced. I can only pray that the USofA can one day start to become more like Russia. Either "again" or for the first time.

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Mar 20Liked by Karl Sanchez

President Putin at one point refers to "Academician Tamm", i.e., Igor Tamm, co-recipient of the 1958 Physics Nobel Prize, repeating Tamm's famous quote that this (the 20th) is the century of physics, the next will be the century of biology. Impressive reach. A true statesman.

Thanks for posting!

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Mar 21Liked by Karl Sanchez

"My impression: Putin aims to turn Russia into one massive soviet."

I sincerely hope that's true. He certainly does seem to have a strong sense of what was lost with the collapse of the USSR. Not to mention, he's really a product of it's society. Perhaps, beyond the obvious natural advantages of the land, that's the secret sauce with Putin's Russia: its retained some memory of the collective, Soviet experience.

Nonetheless, he has trashed Lenin and the Bolshevik party on many occasions, so I don't want to get too excited.

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Mar 21·edited Mar 21Liked by Karl Sanchez

Does this text below sound like the US and the condition of most countries?

"This would first of all require us to resolve the

crisis of extreme depoliticization we are in. (depoliticization in italics in original)

This depoliticization can be summed up in a cruel phrase: mute people trying

to speak to deaf ones.

While “the people” seem unable to articulate political

positions that can be understood by the government; “the government” also

seems incapable of listening to anyone’s claims.

Blocked at both transmission and

reception ends, a feeling of despair settles in.

It is as if the breath that energizes

the political spirit of an entire nation has completely vanished.

It is quite possible

that in France we have never before seen a situation of such profound silence in

the midst of such a flood of words.

We see crowds trying to talk to each other, we

see the State trying to fit them into a traditional mold, but, for the momentum any

case, we have the impression of a film with the sound-track turned off.

There is an old misunderstanding about what it means to express oneself

politically. It hinges on the usual distinction between the content of a political

expression from the movement or, if you will, from the spirit in which it is

expressed." (movement in italics in original)"

I see politics in Russia. Momentum. Movement. Engagement. Hope.

Would you like a link to the short article which this came from?

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