Voting in the New

THERE IS AN ELECTION for mayor of Moscow, which may actually be about over now. It is somewhat of an extended process, like mayoral campaigns in big american cities, like the one gong on right now in new york. Most likely the people in both cities are good and ready for the damned thing to be over with. Both have been interesting campaigns. The one in new york has featured all sorts of interesting characters, including the apparent pornography addict anthony weiner, who steadfastly has refused to quit the race, and in moscow the incumbant mayor is challenged by a vigorous, wealthy, successful businessman and politician. The incumbant was appointed three years ago by his buddy dictator/president vladimar putin, and has been a good administrator, reportedly. His reelection seems certain, and by now may already have occured. The challenger evidently has a huge volunteer camgpain organization, and a lot of advertising money. Sounds a lot like like american candidates. In authoritarian countries political challengers get elected far les often than in free for all democracies, as you might guess. The best advice is usually; vote the incumbant out, vote the new candidate in. Fresh blood. IN a participatory democracry, power is dispersed widely, and nobody ever has too much power, or has power for very long. If only th epeople in russia and syria and some other countries would rise up and vote in a totally different government! In the united states, there is no need to worry; a totally new government will be voted in soon enough.