Thursday, March 6, 2014

Politico: "Crimea lawmakers schedule vote on joining Russia"

"Lawmakers in the embattled Crimean region of Ukraine decided Thursday to hold a referendum March 16 on whether Crimea should become part of Russia, a move likely to further ratchet up tensions."
"This is our response to the disorder and lawlessness in Kiev," Sergei Shuvainikov, a member of the local Crimean legislature, said. "We will decide our future ourselves."

The parliament in Crimea, which enjoys a degree of autonomy under current Ukrainian law, voted 78 with eight abstentions in favor of holding the referendum. Local voters will also be given the choice of deciding to remain part of Ukraine, but with enhanced local powers.

There was no immediate response from the Ukrainian central government to the vote...

A U.N. special envoy sent to Crimea came under threat from armed men who forced him to leave the region.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the globe...

"If you mention the word "secession" most people think of the South during the Civil War. But today, a new movement is gaining steam because of frustration over a growing, out-of-control federal government."
A number of conservative, rural Americans are taking about seceding and creating their own states, meaning a new map of the United States of America could include the following:
  • A 51st state called Jefferson, made up of Northern California and Southern Oregon
  • A new state called Western Maryland
  • A new state called North Colorado
These are real movements gaining traction with voters across the country. Jeffrey Hare runs the 51st State Initiative in Colorado, an effort to fight an out-of-control legislature trying to ram big government policies down the throats of voters.
Politico, CBN News

18 comments:

Unknown said...

See Drudge. Looks like they voted, and voted to join Russia.

Trooper York said...

I hope this doesn't interfere with the Presidents vacation.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Now the task is to credit Obama somehow.

Shouting Thomas said...

I like the succession bit better.

Without reference to the merits of the gaydom political fracas, my takeaway from the process was that the political and legal class holds the electorate in contempt.

30 consecutive state referendums voted down gay marriage.

At the end of that process, our betters announced that gay marriage would be imposed by fiat, against the will of the electorate.

Since the lawyers rule by fiat, the electoral process is useless. Maybe it's time to break things up into smaller jurisdictions where people can decided for themselves... not that I have much hope for that.

Leland said...

Now the task is to credit Obama somehow.

Are you kidding? The right would have rushed to war. Obama got Putin to allow democracy to occur in Crimean. Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Barack Obama got Russia to allow Crimean to determine their own destiny. How great is that?!?!

What do you mean Crimeans were going to the voting booths while Russian troops stood outside holding machine guns? Who cares? What does that have to do with anything?

JAL said...
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JAL said...

So who knows what they actually decided? Drudge says they voted to return to Russia, the other news says they will have a referendum (right, just like the union card checks?) ...

In the past couple days I have watched the announcement that Facebook folded and is restricting the sale of guns (but not) and that the Southern Democrats (but not) blocked the illustrious and talented and of course, obligatory black, civil rights lawyer (except for the very dead cop and his family), from an exalted federal position, and I am convinced that beng able to read is an absolute necessity today as the lying media will tell you anything they want to make up or find on Journo-list or in The Playbook. Because they obviously have little or no ability to read, listen and comprehend what is actually written, said or done in the world.

God. Please deliver America from these mindless minions and liars.

That being said, knowing how diplomatic and independence minded Russia and Putin are ... /s ... snowball's chance in hell that Crimea -- and maybe even Ukraine -- will survive the Russian invasion.

Jimmy Carter no doubt will monitor the results if they do have a referendum and tell us how great democracy at the end of the barrel of a gun is.

john said...
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john said...

This could cinch Putin's lock on his own Nobel Prize. The one thing he was always jealous of Obama about.

edutcher said...

Hey, (Godwin Alert) invaded Osterreich so they wouldn't even have to vote.

And don't forget there's a move to break Califony into 6 states.

Trooper York said...

I hope this doesn't interfere with the Presidents vacation.

You can bet it won't bother Moochelle's.

sakredkow said...

No way no how was Crimea joining EU or NATO. Ever. Everyone understood that.

Leland said...

No way no how was Crimea joining EU or NATO. Ever. Everyone understood that.

Apparently that is not remotely true. Unless you think those guys facing the Russian troops were invading EU troops, I would suggest the obvious facts were the soldiers defending Crimea from Russia didn't understand phx odd assertion. He may be correct that no way no how was Russia ever going to let Crimea join the EU or NATO. However, it certainly seemed a possibility before Russia "liberated" Crimea from Ukraine.

sakredkow said...

No way was Russia ever going to allow Crimea join EU or NATO. While some ethnic Ukrainians might have held hope for that, nobody in EU or NATO thought that would happen. As far as the USA goes, think the Pacific pivot.

Trooper York said...

As far as the USA goes, think the Urkel wedgie as administered by Vladimir Putin.

sakredkow said...

As far as the USA goes, think the Urkel wedgie as administered by Vladimir Putin.

So far not, but we'll keep an eye on it and explain it to you as it unfolds.

Aridog said...
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Aridog said...

Damn! I missed another event again. The Crimea per se evidently was considered for EU & NATO membership? It said no. Sort of like South Ossetia.

sakredkow said...

Without Crimea, which really doesn't belong with the Ukraine, it might be possible to entertain the possibility of Ukrainian membership in EU.

Probably not.