Stump Lane

ELECTIONS IN RUSSIA approach, and the big question seems to be, can Putin and Medvedev coerce— with naked power —enough of the population to vote to give them their “mandate”:

The authorities’ biggest concern is that voter turnout won’t be high enough to make the election appear legitimate.

[NPR: Critics Say Political Opposition Silenced in Russia]

One of these days, Dear Reader, you’ll see where I’m heading with all of this stuff. I’m just saying we might take a lesson here in mitigating our own sham elections.