Crackdown

Putin signed a bill into law--

Another bill that will surely curtail

Freedom of speech, for violators

Could very likely end up in jail.

This is the most recent attempt

To stifle the freedom of thought and expression.

For years, such autocratic

Control has been Putin's obsession.

They say that it's an effort to make

Fake news disappear,

Although "fake news" is anything that

The government doesn't want to hear.

This is what it basically means:

Russia will not tolerate

Criticism of Vladimir Putin

Or "disrespect" of the Russian state.

Of course, that's just attacks on Russia.

Everything else remains the same.

Russian attempts to tamper with

Elections here will be fair game.

So American democracy

And institutions remain under threat

While Russian troll farms and Russian bots

Keep on flooding the Internet.

Will Trump speak out, or will he stay silent?

We hear how often he defends

Autocrats, and to hear him speak,

Putin and he are the best of friends.

-by Bob B (3-20-19)