Putin Government Moves To Take Control of Russia's largest space company Energia 252
schwit1 writes Vitaly Lopota, the president of Russia's largest space company Energia, was suspended Friday by the company's board of directors. From the article: "The move appears to be part of an effort by Russia's government to obtain majority control over Energia, of which it owns a 38-percent share. The directors elected Igor Komarov as its new chairman of the board. Komarov is chief of the Russian United Rocket and Space Corporation (URSC), the government-owned company tasked with consolidating Russia's sprawling space sector." The government is also conducting a criminal investigation of Lopota, which might be justified but appears to be a power play designed to both eliminate him from the game as well as make sure everyone else tows the line so that URSC can take complete control.
people who can't write because they didn't read... (Score:4, Insightful)
... really... you "toe the line" not "tow the line" as the submitter writes.
Russia = Fascism (Score:5, Insightful)
Anybody still seriously doubt that Russia is a neo-Fascist country?
"to take control" (Score:2, Insightful)
I like the "to take control" euphemism for steal.
Putin is stealing private property, that's the actual headline here. There can be no real economic development if private property rights are not protected, specifically not protected from government theft. This wouldn't be the first time Putin stole something, by the way, even before [cbssports.com] Crimea I mean. Of-course he basically stole democratic elections in Russia, I guess nothing can beat that.
Re:minutes to midnight (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:"to take control" (Score:4, Insightful)
Somebody mod this up (Score:5, Insightful)
Administrative takeover of corporations by autoritative central state, with intimidation through abuse of executive power, is textbook fascism. Mussolini would be proud.
Not a bad idea (Score:5, Insightful)
Sure, the way Russians go about nationalizing companies is not very nice or even subtle. But I wish my government did the same. Services that people need in order to live - energy, water, medical - shouldn't be on the free market. All that stuff should be publicly owned and the goal shouldn't to be to make money but to provide critical services to the people for the cheapest amount possible.
Re:"to take control" (Score:5, Insightful)
Nationalisation pays the previous owner. It's a compulsory purchase, not just seizing control.
What the Russians are doing is just theft, extralegal, unconstitutional, just as they did with all the energy companies which are the only thing propping up their economy, and media companies. The method is a variation on how organised crime takes over a business, but with the backing of the courts.
Re:Biased Summary? (Score:3, Insightful)
I see. So if you were privileged or able to work your way into a company supplied med insurance program. You win the lottery and all is well. However, if you were unprivileged or had to work your life away in low, menial jobs to support your poor family and never had a chance to work your way into a company supplied insurance program, then you lost the lottery of life; you should just accept that you will die early. Then there is the lottery of your company shipping your job overseas to some low wage country when you are in your 40's or 50's. You then have little chance of further employment and your insurance is gone with your job. And you might have been allowed to get an medicaid, if you have lost enough of your wealth...except that was made harder by some governors rejecting the wider coverage. So, better hope you stay healthy and employed and aren't steamrolled by corporate America.
Most modern countries have healthcare for their citizens. How is it the U.S. cannot figure this out?
Re:Response to sanctions (Score:4, Insightful)
So, it is the Americans fault the new Russian Tsar stole back the Crimea, a piece of Georgia, is threatening a piece of Ukraine, is threatening Moldova, is threatening the Baltic states, and consolidating all power in the Kremlin.
Is there anything else you'd like to blame the U.S for?
Re:Not a bad idea (Score:5, Insightful)
Sure, the way Russians go about nationalizing companies is not very nice or even subtle. But I wish my government did the same. Services that people need in order to live - energy, water, medical - shouldn't be on the free market. All that stuff should be publicly owned and the goal shouldn't to be to make money but to provide critical services to the people for the cheapest amount possible.
While that is a laudable goal the reality is government owned utilities rarely view "cheapest amount possible" as a primary goal. Rather, they become tools for politicians to use to maintain themselves in office by providing jobs, subsidies , etc to please their voters and donors. That is not to say government owned utilities cannot provide lower cost services just that cost is often secondary to politics.
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Re:minutes to midnight (Score:4, Insightful)
No we are not, not even close not even to todays Russia.
From personal experince in both countries.
Re:minutes to midnight (Score:4, Insightful)
In the 1980s Russia was run by KGB thugs, in the 2010s Russia is run by former KGB thugs
Re:Trillion-dollar boo-boo (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:minutes to midnight (Score:4, Insightful)
but they don't start wars.
- stares in disbelief at monitor -