Vladimir Putin

Fighting ISIS isn't a sign of a great leader. He is also aiding Bashar Al-Assad, which contradicts this. Secondly, a little humor doesn't show likeability. Character is not defined by a little humor. According to Dictionary.com, the definition of likeable is "readily or easily liked; pleasing:" (http://www.dictionary.com...) There are multiple definitions of great on Dictionary.com, but the one I will use for the purpose of clarity is "of noble or lofty character:" (http://www.dictionary.com...) The reason why I use this definition is because it is the best criteria of what a leader should be. When one says "great," we usually think of leaders such as Ronald Reagan or Abraham Lincoln. The reason they were considered great was not only based on their accomplishments, but on their character. With this criteria established, let"s take a look at why Vladimir Putin fails both standards. Contention 1: Putin is Not a Likeable Guy According to a poll conducted by the Levada Center in March: "When asked to do a word association with Putin, 30 percent found him "likeable""seven percent fewer than last year"and 8 percent felt he was admirable, compared to 10 percent last year" (http://www.newsweek.com...). Not only does Russia agree with the Opposition, but so does the rest of the world. According to the Pew Research Center on August 5, 2015: "Outside its own borders, neither Russia nor its president, Vladimir Putin, receives much respect or support, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. A median of only 30% see Russia favorably in the nations outside of Russia. Its image trails that of the United States in nearly every region of the world. At the same time, a median of only 24% in the countries surveyed have confidence in Putin to do the right thing in world affairs, and there is far less faith in the Russian leader than there is in U.S. President Barack Obama" (http://www.pewglobal.org...). Putin is clearly not likeable in the perception of others. To analyze why, let"s take a look at some of his actions that have contributed to this negative view. First off, his suppression of free speech has contributed to his character decline. According to the Guardian: "Once an oasis of free speech, the Russian internet is now subject to vague laws that allow the government"s communications watchdog to block sites deemed to publish "extremist" material or content harmful to children. As a result, several major opposition sites were blacklisted in 2013. According to a 2014 law, popular bloggers must now register their true identities with the state and face potential libel suits." (https://www.theguardian.com...) Secondly, his greediness has contributed to this view. According to BBC News: "Mr Szubin would not comment on a secret CIA report from 2007 that put Mr Putin's wealth at around $40bn ("28bn). But he said the Russian president had been amassing secret wealth. "He supposedly draws a state salary of something like $110,000 a year. That is not an accurate statement of the man's wealth, and he has long time training and practices in terms of how to mask his actual wealth."" (http://www.bbc.com...). Someone who lies to the public to get rich and does so with governmental funds is not only a bad guy, but a bad leader, which leads me to" Contention 2: Putin is Not a Great Leader The United States also agrees with my point, as shown in another poll from the same source: "In the U.S., roughly one-in-five Americans (21%) have confidence in Putin"s handling of world affairs. This is about half the proportion who trusted him in 2003 (41%). Older Americans are particularly distrustful of Putin." (http://www.pewglobal.org...). From almost every country, Putin is not seen as likeable or trustworthy. Trustworthiness is especially a measure of one"s greatness, since trustworthiness shows one"s character. Some actions that have contributed to this view will be analyzed in a few moments. Let"s look at the economic freedom of Russia. According to the Heritage Foundation's 2016 Index of Economic Freedom: "Russia"s prospects for long-term, diversified, sustainable economic growth remain bleak. There is no efficiently functioning legal framework, and government continues to interfere in the private sector through myriad state-owned enterprises. Corruption pervades the economy and continues to erode trust in the government." (http://www.heritage.org...) Also from the same article: "2016 Economic Freedom Score: 50.6 (down 1.5 points) Economic Freedom Status: Mostly Unfree Global Ranking: 153rd Regional Ranking: 42nd in Europe" (http://www.heritage.org...) Overall, Russia"s economic freedom has been in decline. Vladimir Putin is not a great leader, because a great leader is one who has true character. The suppression of freedoms and corruption in the government reflect his lack of character. Finally, let"s take a look at one more piece of evidence from the same source, which summarizes the overall state of the Russian nation: "Vladimir Putin was reelected president in March 2012 on the heels of hotly disputed December 2011 Duma elections. Russia illegally annexed Ukraine"s Autonomous Republic of Crimea early in 2014. Moscow"s support of Russian separatists in Ukraine has led to capital outflows and targeted sanctions by the United States and the European Union. Russia"s economy is heavily dependent on oil and gas exports. The low price of oil, the financial burden of annexing Crimea, and the desire to rearm the Russian military have strained public finances. The economy is in recession, contracting in 2015. Russia became a member of the World Trade Organization in August 2012, but its bid to join the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has been postponed as a result of its recent actions in Ukraine." (http://www.heritage.org...). Overall, both of my contentions prove my point: Vladimir Putin is not a likeable guy or a great leader. For all of these reasons, I strongly believe that the vote should fall to the Opposition. I eagerly await my opponent"s response.