Ahmadinejad Denounces U.S. Elections As Too Expensive
jonathanturley
Yesterday, we saw how a Chinese newspaper was irate about the lines faced by U.S. voters — lines entirely avoided in a country that denies its citizens any right to select its leaders. Now, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has objected to the cost of the election — citing the runaway spending on the campaigns as a “battleground for capitalists” at a democracy forum. It is unclear why Ahmadinejad was even speaking at a democracy forum except as the balance against those who like democracy. Nevertheless, Ahmadinejad has certainly been able to suppress both democracy and its costs through the use of thug squads and widespread arrests.
Ahmadinejad suggested the Iranian approach to democracy is far superior despite international condemnation of the arrests and beatings of his citizens: “Just take a look at the situation in Europe and the U.S.,” where the “election, which is one of the manifestations of the people’s will, has become a battleground for the capitalists and an excuse for hasty spending.”
