Comments by "Grenade Tennis" (@hughjass1044) on "VisualPolitik EN"
channel.
-
9
-
I don't find it particularly surprising that some people, or even most people, in Bulgaria and elsewhere in Eastern Europe have a kind of fondness for Russia. After all, they lived under the umbrella, influence and shadow of the Russian / Soviet Empire for centuries. You don't erase that in 30 years; especially when you're as poor as Bulgaria is and they perceive that Russia has done at least something for them in recent memory.
And it's not as though Western Europe is exactly doing very much to win their affections. If you want to shove Russia out of the picture, then start demonstrating what you have to offer that's better. If the EU (and the USA, for that matter) were smart they'd be investing heavily in places like Bulgaria and Hungary and bettering their economic prospects so they wouldn't continue to be tempted by, and look favorably upon, despots like Putin who only ever meant to exploit them.
Instead of buying everything from China and feeding cash to the PRC war machine, why not build factories in Bulgaria? Shorter and much more stable supply lines, you'd be keeping the wealth in Europe and you'd be dealing with allies instead of enemies - win/win.
9
-
9
-
8
-
8
-
8
-
8
-
8
-
8
-
8
-
7
-
7
-
7
-
6
-
6
-
6
-
6
-
6
-
6
-
6
-
6
-
6
-
Norway finances its operations by taxes and banks its oil wealth. As a result, the nation and it's people retain a healthy buffer against periods of low economic activity so they can maintain their standard of living. They also retain the wealth; and the attendant power, that comes with it.
High earners pay high taxes for the privilege of living and operating their businesses in a safe, secure environment, with a healthy, well educated, highly motivated workforce. Strangely though, you don't constantly hear stories about people and businesses "fleeing" this high tax jurisdiction. Wonder why?
Alaska on the other hand (along with Alberta Canada, where I live), relies on resource revenue for everything and finances most of their operations with it. Whenever there's a price drop, we/they go into crisis mode because the money dries up.
Most of the wealth that our/their vast resources produce ends up in the pockets of oil company executives, stock portfolios and transient workers who pull pole and leave whenever times turn tough.
We/they are in nearly constant crisis mode when times are tight and blow through money like drunken sailors when times are good. What used to be great infrastructure and public services are declining steadily in quality but hey;.... LOW TAXES, BABY!!
The people who have nothing invested in this place and couldn't care less if we live or die are making out like gangbusters while the rest of us watch it all fade into dust.
6
-
6
-
5
-
5
-
5
-
5
-
5
-
5
-
The sanctions are effective, the sanctions are not effective..... I guess, depends entirely on how you choose to define effective.
Are they likely to do serious damage to the Russian economy? Most likely, yes though it may not be as harsh or as quick as some would like. Are they likely to alter Russia's behavior in any meaningful way? I doubt it.
Remember, Iran and North Korea have been under absolutely debilitating sanctions for decades and each has only gotten more dangerous and more aggressive. And like both of those countries, Russians have been propagandized and brainwashed into believing that their governments are the heroes in all this and that they have to pull together to overcome it.
People seem to forget that deprivations, shortages and a general reduction in living standards are nothing new for Russians. They've seen all of this many times before and in each instance, the government has played victim and turned up the nationalism meter.
I've always said that sanctions are what you do when you're too gutless to do anything else. The poorer you are, the more they hurt you. The wealthier you are the less they hurt you so in a place like Russia where the government cares not a jot for anything nor anybody but itself, and where they've got the country believing that the other side are the bad guys, sanctions are likely to be of pretty limited effect.
You want Russia to stop what it's doing? You're going to have to go in and make them stop.
5
-
5
-
5
-
5
-
5
-
It isn't a question of grievances, it's a question of what is and is not, an appropriate and acceptable response. No doubt, Russia probably has some legitimate issues with Ukraine; especially since the latter has been a corrupt basket case heavily and hopelessly indebted to the former for nearly all of its existence.
It follows then that Russia would take steps to remedy that situation. But there are many, MANY options open to it that fall well short of what it is currently doing which is far, FAR out of proportion to whatever sins Ukraine may be guilty of.
If I have a neighbor who refuses to properly mind his dog and that dog is continually shitting in my yard, digging up my garden and snarling at my kids, I have every right to be aggrieved about that; especially if I've made multiple attempts to try to remedy the situation peacefully. I have the right to seek redress of those grievances through proper legal channels.
What I do NOT have the right to do is go kick in my neighbor's door, kill him and his family, burn down his house, poison his well and steal his possessions as well as further threaten anyone who may come to his aid which is the equivalent of what Russia is doing.
4
-
4
-
4
-
4
-
4
-
4
-
4
-
4
-
4
-
4
-
4
-
4
-
4
-
3
-
3