Minnesota Judicial Tyrants play their ugly Apparatchik hand

A few years ago I bristled at a statement by then Russian President Putin regarding Democracy. Essentially he indicated "Russia has democracy. It is as good as American Democracy. It just upsets you that it is different than American Democracy". He went on to point out specific ironies of American Democracy. [ Bush and Putin Exhibit Tension Over Democracy 2005 http://twurl.cc/241o ]

President Putin was responding to then US President Bush 43's criticism of a perception of Putin's back sliding on democracy.

"Critics accuse the Kremlin of backtracking on democracy by stifling the independent press, re-nationalizing the Russian oil giant Yukos, taking control of Parliament, and abolishing elections for regional governors. Human-rights groups also accuse Russian forces of carrying out widespread abuses in Chechnya" [ Bush Confronts Putin, Face to Face, Over Democracy 2005 http://twurl.cc/241u ]

"(Putin) who has canceled elections, jailed opponents, driven pro-Western democratic parties out of parliament,taken over national television and effectively renationalized Russia's largest oil company" [ Bush Gently Prods Putin on Democracy 2005 http://twurl.cc/241l ]

"Mr. Putin told CBS: "Four years ago, your presidential election was decided by the court." and, paraphrasing, " haven't American Journalist been fired for criticizing the Bush Administration" [ Bush and Putin in democracy row 2005 http://twurl.cc/241s ]

As a American born and raised in the USA and having lived through the propaganda of the Cold War I was incensed by Russian President Putin's attitude of being on equal footing as the USA in discussing Democracy. How could this fledgling Democracy, born of out a loss to Democracy by a former communist country dare compare the fullness of their fledgling Democracy (> 15 years) to the Great USA Democracy (@ 230 years.)? Did Putin not realize the Russians lost? How dare Putin point out the shortcomings and hypocricies of American Democracy? They simply just can't be true. ( For those of you not old enough to remember the cold war, please seek out someone older who can share with you their feelings. If for no other reasons than to pay heed to the following adage; "They who know not their history are destined to repeat it. [Cold War Museum http://twurl.cc/241w] )

For four years now, a coalition of your fellow Minnesota Citizens have sought to have legislation on Minnesota Judicial Reform and Accountability heard in the Minnesota Legislature with no success. In Minnesota, the Chairpersons of the Respective Senate and House Judiciary committees control what legislation is heard and which is not. Senator Mee Moua (D)and Representative Joe Mullery (D) refuse to hear our proposed legislation or any of our testimony.