An administrative resource is power!</p>
<p>
Shoigu asked the obvious question:</p>
<p>
- What are we going to do in Afghanistan? Will intensify the fighting or to take a break?</p>
<p>
Mishustin banged his fist on the table and passionately uttered:</p>
<p>
- We will act even more decisively! We will bomb the militants, and use the latest weapons. We need a victory there!</p>
<p>
Shoigu objected to this:</p>
<p>
- Maybe what Mikhail Gorbachev did right was to withdraw troops from Afghanistan!</p>
<p>
Mishustin nodded in agreement:</p>
<p>
"That's right… But we will not have miscalculations of the Soviet leadership. We will bomb the Mujahideen and use local forces and ... Chechens. At the same time, we will fuse a potentially dangerous element into Afghanistan!</p>
<p>
Shoigu agreed:</p>
<p>
- Yes, it will be very logical!</p>
<p>
The acting president continued with a smile:</p>
<p>
- And in general, the Russians have always been able to fight, and our people love those who fight!</p>
<p>
Shoigu objected to this:</p>
<p>
- And didn't Zhirinovsky fail in politics because of his belligerence?</p>
<p>
Mishustin replied to this:</p>
<p>
- The real decline in Zhirinovsky's popularity began from the moment Mark Goryachev gave him a punch in the face, and the candidate for dictator was afraid to answer him!</p>
<p>
Shoigu agreed:</p>
<p>
- Yes, Volfovich pretty scared off the electorate with his cowardice!</p>
<p>
The previously silent First Deputy Prime Minister chimed in:</p>
<p>
- Russia's economic situation is very difficult. If it is not improved, then there is nothing to think about winning the election!</p>
<p>
Mishustin said with a sigh:</p>
<p>
"That's bad… But we can raise wages and pensions and hold down inflation and the dollar a little before the elections. We still have large gold and foreign exchange reserves. And we can shake some of them. And raise your confidence level.</p>
<p>
The Finance Minister nodded:</p>
<p>
"For a while, of course, you can freeze prices and raise wages. This has been done more than once. But will it help us?</p>
<p>
Mishustin slammed his fist down on the table again and growled:</p>
<p>
- We must raise the standard of living of the people at any cost, even temporarily, and win the presidential election. Now we have a task of difficulty comparable to Yeltsin against Zyuganov. And maybe worse. Since Kuznetsov is stronger and younger than Zyuganov. If the Communists had such a leader in the ninety-sixth year, Yeltsin would not have resisted!</p>
<p>
Shoigu tried to console:</p>
<p>
- After all, we have a better economy than in the ninety-sixth year, and we did not lose the war in Chechnya!</p>
<p>
Mishustin noted with a sigh:</p>
<p>
- But the people are not so tired of the power that came to Russia from the ninety-first year. And people then in the ninety-sixth year remembered too well the empty shelves, the shortage of goods and the longest queues under the Communists. Now the youth of the times of communism do not know. And the old people were young then. And when you're young, everything seems good and fun. In their youth, almost everyone is happy and full of optimism. Yes, and as a rule, everything good is remembered. Not that for example, not that they remember that the sausage was in short supply, but that it cost two twenty. And not that the shelves were empty, but that the prices did not change for twenty years!</p>
<p>
The First Deputy Prime Minister agreed:</p>
<p>
- With almost zero inflation during the communist era, people were really confident in the future. There was no bankruptcy, ruin, mass speculation, unemployment. A person could save money for something valuable and was confident in the future. Alas, capitalism was not very good in our country. On the other hand, the good and romantic are more and more remembered, and the ideas of communism flourish. No, we can't beat the left so easily!</p>
<p>
Mishustin grunted:</p>
<p>
- And in the ninety-sixth year, it seemed that Yeltsin had no chance. But they still managed to overcome it! We have defeated Zyuganov, we will also defeat Kuznetsov!</p>
<p>
Shoigu noted with a certain degree of doubt:</p>
<p>
- Should we be so complex? Do you think the Communists will organize repressions against us?</p>
<p>
The Acting President remarked:</p>
<p>
"Maybe Yeltsin should have lost in' ninety-six. In this case, he would have left, Zyuganov would have come. Then Zyuganov would have left, and real democracy would have reigned in our country. Without successors and personality cults! There would be a change of power!</p>
