Mayor Fired

[Corno Dolce]

Yep,

Mayor Luzhkov of Moscow is now a "private citizen" as of 07:55 a.m.

Living here in Moscow and attending Divine Liturgy services in Christ the Savior Cathedral which Luzhkov helped to find construction specialists and artisans to "write icons", frescoes, and other interior and exterior art work - Wow, now it takes on a whole other meaning. Some media called him the King of Moscow, others saw him as "Czar of Moscow". He certainly brooked controversy, thats for sure.

Many factors contributed to his removal - I can mention one in particular since I am an avid supporter of saving "Old Moscow": Luzhkov's deputy Mayor was implicated as an accessory to the wanton destruction of Church property by developers who want to build fancy residential buildings in the Kadashevsky section of Moscow, which is right across from the Kremlin. If you wish to read: <www.kadashi.ru> That website also has English translation. During illegal excavation activities there were found burial tombs from the 17th century. Anyway, Luzhkov sat in office for 18 years - Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely! - Even good men become corrupt.

I think of all those Senators and Congresspeople in the U.S.A who are re-elected to office again and again and again and........They have unjustifiably enriched themselves on the back of their constituents - Yes, that goes for both Democrats and Republicans alike. Term limits must now be legislated and enacted. America's Founding Fathers were wise to write that a President shall sit no more than two terms of office. Senators and Congresspeople should also have the same restrictions.

[teddy]

We have the same problem over here in England. One member of the Labour government committed mortgage fraud. He is now a very highly paid executive in the EU, and a muti-millionaire. He was also implicated in a passport-for-cash scandal. Blair himself, so feted by the Americans is almost certainly guilty of leading England into an illegal and unconstitutional war which helped to escalate terrorism, and he has made millions from it. And on and on it goes. It does not help to know that it happens in other countries. It does not make it more acceptable. It merely fuels ones disgust. The answer? Pay politicians less so they only do it out of a sense of duty to their country, not so as to get rich. Politics is just a gravy train these days. Thanks for the thread. It makes very interesting reading.

teddy

[dll927]

A correction -- the Founding Fathers did not put in anything about a two-term limit. That was done by the Twenty-second Amendment. It happened after FDR was elected four times, which could not have been done if the limit had been there originally.

Back at the time, there was something of a joke about FDR and his two successors: FDR proved one could be president as long as he wanted, Truman proved anybody could be president, and Eisenhower proved we didn't need a president.

Since then, we've had quite a list of additional ones to make jokes over.

[Krummhorn]

. . . I think of all those Senators and Congresspeople in the U.S.A who are re-elected to office again and again and again . . . [the] President shall sit no more than two terms of office. Senators and Congress people should also have the same restrictions.

Absolutely ... and to add, Senators and Congress should also be forced to accept the same Social Security system that we 'normal' people have been given ... as it is, they have their own retirement and health plan - which they voted for themselves ... along with their annual raise in salary .

[teddy]

I am a great believer in MPs having to use public transport. We would soon see am end to all this rubbish about " you don't need your car to get to work". They should also have to use they National Health Service, without getting any priority. And I won't even start on schools.

teddy

[Corno Dolce]

I gladly stand corrected by dll927 - Thank you kind sir for setting the record straight.

Cheers aplenty,

CD

[teddy]

Todays paper states that the mayor may decamp to the "family home" in Holland Park, London. Reputedly worth £10,000,000 it is said to be carpeted in mink. Dead presumably. Glad to hear he is not destitute even if his morals are.

teddy

[JONESEY]

but will he cycle there (assuming we're talking about the same bloke)

[teddy]

He may be in a herry to get to London as he is Rushin.

teddy

[Corno Dolce]

Well, the disgraced mayor spent the month of August in Austria whilst the inhabitants of Moscow choked on the fumes that were generated by all the wildfires that were burning - It was horrible! He supposedly has a palace in Austria too - Oh, and one more piquant detail - His wife is the third richest woman in the world.

[Chi_townPhilly]

A correction -- the Founding Fathers did not put in anything about a two-term limit. That was done by the Twenty-second Amendment.

True, that...

but America's first President, George Washington, served two terms and was easily popular enough to have served a third, but chose not to run again.

In the wake of his example, and by manner of protocol and tradition, no President after him attempted to stand for a third term.

Until FDR.