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Harvard economist and former Obama adviser says that Russia is "basically a big gas station" and is otherwise "incredibly unimportant"

Yakshi

Super Tuesday, my ass
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What sounds like a brutal takedown in the title is actually the truth.

When is the last time that you bought a Russian car? Russian cheese? How about a hot new clothing design by Russians?

Or how about that hot new Russian restaurant in town? Were there long lines for mashed potatoes and holodetz--cold meat jelly?

No, Russia is a gas station, and the oligarchs are hogging those profits for themselves. Russia's industrial capacity for producing things that people want is, in purely scientific terms, "for shit."

So, their economy relies on a non-renewable resource, which is always a great long-term strategy. And you'd think that a gas country would be rich, like Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates or Qatar.

Russia's per capita GDP last year plummeted almost 12 percent to $10,127 per person.

But due to incredibly low labor costs, they have a huge army. And they have nukes, created back in the day when they thought they were baller.

This is not the portrait of a world power. This is not even the portrait of a country that should be considered in virtually any international decisionmaking.

Russia can't handle this reality. And so it is invading Ukraine.

In the coming months, notice how often Putin wants to appear in the news with other world leaders to validate himself.
 
Full title is "otherwise 'incredibly unimportant' in the global economy."

Big difference.
 
Virtually any petro state, no matter where it is in the world, is a backwards dictatorship.
Full title is "otherwise 'incredibly unimportant' in the global economy."

Big difference.

Kind of like Pakistan.
 
Full title is "otherwise 'incredibly unimportant' in the global economy."

Big difference.
Still, they're never been impressive outside of their military, computer hacking and showing off. The lives of their people suck.
 

What sounds like a brutal takedown in the title is actually the truth.

When is the last time that you bought a Russian car? Russian cheese? How about a hot new clothing design by Russians?

Or how about that hot new Russian restaurant in town? Were there long lines for mashed potatoes and holodetz--cold meat jelly?

No, Russia is a gas station, and the oligarchs are hogging those profits for themselves. Russia's industrial capacity for producing things that people want is, in purely scientific terms, "for shit."

So, their economy relies on a non-renewable resource, which is always a great long-term strategy. And you'd think that a gas country would be rich, like Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates or Qatar.

Russia's per capita GDP last year plummeted almost 12 percent to $10,127 per person.

But due to incredibly low labor costs, they have a huge army. And they have nukes, created back in the day when they thought they were baller.

This is not the portrait of a world power. This is not even the portrait of a country that should be considered in virtually any international decisionmaking.

Russia can't handle this reality. And so it is invading Ukraine.

In the coming months, notice how often Putin wants to appear in the news with other world leaders to validate himself.
Well, the banks only support the Oligarchs businesses so it is quite impossible for any Russian with an idea to start a business. Small or middle sized company does not exists. No new companies are established. No Innovations that isn't desired and financed by the state becomes reality. In fact I think the youngest Russian company is Gazprom that was founded in1989.
 

What sounds like a brutal takedown in the title is actually the truth.

When is the last time that you bought a Russian car? Russian cheese? How about a hot new clothing design by Russians?

Or how about that hot new Russian restaurant in town? Were there long lines for mashed potatoes and holodetz--cold meat jelly?

No, Russia is a gas station, and the oligarchs are hogging those profits for themselves. Russia's industrial capacity for producing things that people want is, in purely scientific terms, "for shit."

So, their economy relies on a non-renewable resource, which is always a great long-term strategy. And you'd think that a gas country would be rich, like Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates or Qatar.

Russia's per capita GDP last year plummeted almost 12 percent to $10,127 per person.

But due to incredibly low labor costs, they have a huge army. And they have nukes, created back in the day when they thought they were baller.

This is not the portrait of a world power. This is not even the portrait of a country that should be considered in virtually any international decisionmaking.

Russia can't handle this reality. And so it is invading Ukraine.

In the coming months, notice how often Putin wants to appear in the news with other world leaders to validate himself.

That's a very interesting way to look it them and quite frankly is pretty spot on.

I've been there a few times. I can appreciate the beauty of the former palaces of the Tsars (and they are beautiful) but generally speaking, the country has nothing of value or interest. They do have a great military system to this day. And they produce pretty amazing athletes most of the time. That's about it.

I've also been to the UAE and Qatar, and unlike Russia, those countries are on their feet, wealthy, and all around amazing.
 

What sounds like a brutal takedown in the title is actually the truth.

When is the last time that you bought a Russian car? Russian cheese? How about a hot new clothing design by Russians?

Or how about that hot new Russian restaurant in town? Were there long lines for mashed potatoes and holodetz--cold meat jelly?

No, Russia is a gas station, and the oligarchs are hogging those profits for themselves. Russia's industrial capacity for producing things that people want is, in purely scientific terms, "for shit."

So, their economy relies on a non-renewable resource, which is always a great long-term strategy. And you'd think that a gas country would be rich, like Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates or Qatar.

Russia's per capita GDP last year plummeted almost 12 percent to $10,127 per person.

But due to incredibly low labor costs, they have a huge army. And they have nukes, created back in the day when they thought they were baller.

This is not the portrait of a world power. This is not even the portrait of a country that should be considered in virtually any international decisionmaking.

Russia can't handle this reality. And so it is invading Ukraine.

In the coming months, notice how often Putin wants to appear in the news with other world leaders to validate himself.

What sounds like a brutal takedown in the title is actually the truth.

When is the last time that you bought a Russian car? Russian cheese? How about a hot new clothing design by Russians?

Or how about that hot new Russian restaurant in town? Were there long lines for mashed potatoes and holodetz--cold meat jelly?

No, Russia is a gas station, and the oligarchs are hogging those profits for themselves. Russia's industrial capacity for producing things that people want is, in purely scientific terms, "for shit."

So, their economy relies on a non-renewable resource, which is always a great long-term strategy. And you'd think that a gas country would be rich, like Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates or Qatar.

Russia's per capita GDP last year plummeted almost 12 percent to $10,127 per person.

But due to incredibly low labor costs, they have a huge army. And they have nukes, created back in the day when they thought they were baller.

This is not the portrait of a world power. This is not even the portrait of a country that should be considered in virtually any international decisionmaking.

Russia can't handle this reality. And so it is invading Ukraine.

In the coming months, notice how often Putin wants to appear in the news with other world leaders to validate himself.
 
Still, they're never been impressive outside of their military, computer hacking and showing off. The lives of their people suck.
I mean, yes. We've been saying that for decades. Don't need a Harvard economist to tell us that communism sucks. There was a brief glimmer of capitalism taking off, but there's just too much corruption.
 
I mean, yes. We've been saying that for decades. Don't need a Harvard economist to tell us that communism sucks. There was a brief glimmer of capitalism taking off, but there's just too much corruption.

Communism? No. Russia is just crony capitalism at this point. There’s a big difference.
 
Communism? No. Russia is just crony capitalism at this point. There’s a big difference.
Another clueless post, trying to tell us we haven't had real Communism yet. IT AIN'T EVER GETTING ANY MORE REAL. Get over it.
 
This is essentially right. Russia has a competitive edge in energy resources, and not much else. They aren't even very good at refining their own oil.
 
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Seems like the best way to kick Russian aside is to move away from oil and onto more sustainable fuels. :)

Yup, so many issues revolve around oil and gas, so many shitty countries committing atrocities are OKd because of oil and gas. that would pretty much decimate the entire middle east, they have not much other than oil.

Communism? No. Russia is just crony capitalism at this point. There’s a big difference.

Yeah, pretty much what teh US is becoming, maybe that's why the right loves Russia and Putin so much
 
Communism? No. Russia is just crony capitalism at this point. There’s a big difference.
Russia is capitalist in the same way that North Korea is a Democratic Republic.
 

What sounds like a brutal takedown in the title is actually the truth.

When is the last time that you bought a Russian car? Russian cheese? How about a hot new clothing design by Russians?

Or how about that hot new Russian restaurant in town? Were there long lines for mashed potatoes and holodetz--cold meat jelly?

No, Russia is a gas station, and the oligarchs are hogging those profits for themselves. Russia's industrial capacity for producing things that people want is, in purely scientific terms, "for shit."

So, their economy relies on a non-renewable resource, which is always a great long-term strategy. And you'd think that a gas country would be rich, like Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates or Qatar.

Russia's per capita GDP last year plummeted almost 12 percent to $10,127 per person.

But due to incredibly low labor costs, they have a huge army. And they have nukes, created back in the day when they thought they were baller.

This is not the portrait of a world power. This is not even the portrait of a country that should be considered in virtually any international decisionmaking.

Russia can't handle this reality. And so it is invading Ukraine.

In the coming months, notice how often Putin wants to appear in the news with other world leaders to validate himself.
If they didn't have nukes, nobody would pay attention to them.
 
Russia is capitalist in the same way that North Korea is a Democratic Republic.

Yeah sure. Crony capitalism sucks and has nothing to do with real capitalism. But that’s still not the same thing as communism. I think one problem is that many people have started to think communism just means “yucky”.
 
Seems like the best way to kick Russian aside is to move away from oil and onto more sustainable fuels. :)
In the long run, yes. But in the long run, we're all dead. In this lifetime, we need to transition carefully. That includes maximizing the availability of American oil and gas, so that we have what we need, until we have enough nuclear power to charge up our cars and heat our homes. There ain't enough rare earth minerals to make all the solar panels and batteries to electrify our grossly overpopulated world.
 
Yeah sure. Crony capitalism sucks and has nothing to do with real capitalism. But that’s still not the same thing as communism. I think one problem is that many people have started to think communism just means “yucky”.
Started??? I think the problem is that many people are too young to remember what it is.
 
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