Sanctions on Russia

Nathan Evans78 said:Where are all the massive protests about people not being able to buy a budget $100 smartphone?

By the way, high-end Apple alternatives like those from Apple are pushing past the $1,000 mark now—the ones that actually give an iPhone a run for its money.

Look, it’s pretty simple logic: if you don't have the cash for a $1,000 smartphone, you go for the $500 model.
If $500 is out of reach, you pick up one for $300.
And if $300 is too much, you settle for a $100 option.
But if nobody can even swing a $100 phone, then well... stores just start closing their doors.

Are you seriously asking why there aren't mass protests happening in Russia?...

silentnomad7 said:It’s only been three months and suddenly there isn't even money left for budget phones around the $100 mark.

Those sanctions are really starting to shake things up...

An Apple phone wasn't even hitting the $100 mark five years ago, let alone today.🤣

By the way, while the European Union will likely remain relatively insulated, the situation for developing nations and emerging markets is an entirely different story; they are poised to bear the brunt of this fallout. We are already seeing the devastating consequences unfolding in Sri Lanka.

https://www.ft.com/content/c89a972c-...4-ba3ccd54a4da - "Sri Lanka appeals for food aid as debt crisis worsens"

silentnomad7 said:Look, it’s pretty simple logic: if you don't have the cash for a $1,000 smartphone, you go for the $500 model.
If $500 is out of reach, you pick up one for $300.
And if $300 is too much, you settle for a $100 option.
But if nobody can even swing a $100 phone, then well... stores just start closing their doors.

Are you seriously asking why there aren't mass protests happening in Russia?...

The reality is, Americans—or rather, Russians in this context—haven't had real disposable income since 2008. Just because Western media shows a few clips from downtown Moscow doesn't mean that represents the entire country.

I’ll say it again: isn't the whole point of sanctions to squeeze the political elite and those in power?

boldtiger7 said:By the way, while the European Union will likely remain relatively insulated, the situation for developing nations and emerging markets is an entirely different story; they are poised to bear the brunt of this fallout. We are already seeing the devastating consequences unfolding in Sri Lanka.

https://www.ft.com/content/c89a972c-...4-ba3ccd54a4da - "Sri Lanka appeals for food aid as debt crisis worsens"

Let's be honest, though—who actually cares about Sri Lanka? The self-appointed moralists among us can never seem to focus on more than one crisis at a time anyway.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/...of-sri-lankans

What does this have to do with Ukraine?

boldtiger7 said:By the way, while the European Union will likely remain relatively insulated, the situation for developing nations and emerging markets is an entirely different story; they are poised to bear the brunt of this fallout. We are already seeing the devastating consequences unfolding in Sri Lanka.

https://www.ft.com/content/c89a972c-...4-ba3ccd54a4da - "Sri Lanka appeals for food aid as debt crisis worsens"

Maybe tell the Russians to just end the war and then everyone will have plenty of food.

Melissa Rivera5 said:Maybe tell the Russians to just end the war and then everyone will have plenty of food.

Exactly. Or they could just enlist in the Ukrainian army and help take down the Russians.

Zachary Jackson4 said:https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/...of-sri-lankans

What does this have to do with Ukraine?

It’s quite simple, really. Ukraine stands as one of the world's premier grain exporters, primarily supplying developing nations. Meanwhile, Russia is a titan in the production of both fertilizer and energy. When you factor in global inflation and the lingering fallout from the pandemic, you get a perfect storm. While wealthy nations might feel the squeeze, they possess the capital to weather the blow; however, for impoverished countries or those heavily reliant on imports, the situation is far more dire.

Zachary Jackson4 said:https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/...of-sri-lankans

What does this have to do with Ukraine?

Look what happened when they slapped on those sanctions ☕

Ethan Gomez82 said:I don't care what it means for an American (or a Ukrainian, or anyone else outside the West). I care about my gas bill. I’m sure some genius will chime in to tell me the bill hasn't actually gone up and I'm just imagining things. ☕

It went up.
Vote for a new administration. Protest. You have that right, and you won't get 15 years in prison for it.

silentnomad7 said:Look, it’s pretty simple logic: if you don't have the cash for a $1,000 smartphone, you go for the $500 model.
If $500 is out of reach, you pick up one for $300.
And if $300 is too much, you settle for a $100 option.
But if nobody can even swing a $100 phone, then well... stores just start closing their doors.

Are you seriously asking why there aren't mass protests happening in Russia?...

Exactly. I have my own phone for $667 and honestly, what's wrong with it? It does everything a $1,500 flagship can do. People in Russia just need to shift the entire burden of this crisis onto those wasteful elites—the ultra-wealthy class.

Russia is staring down a projected GDP collapse of somewhere between 10% and 15% this year. Meanwhile, the European Union’s GDP is expected to maintain a growth rate slightly north of 2% over that same span.

Does any Kremlin sycophant out there actually have the mathematical capacity to explain how these sanctions supposedly inflicted more damage on the European Union than they did on Russia?

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/pres.../en/IP_22_3070

https://www.reuters.com/business/rus...ws-2022-04-27/

What about all the medications, though? I remember someone mentioning how those sanctions were messing with getting medicine into Russia. Did they actually find some kind of workaround?? Are they just buying their meds from China now???

Anthony Hill5 said:Russia is staring down a projected GDP collapse of somewhere between 10% and 15% this year. Meanwhile, the European Union’s GDP is expected to maintain a growth rate slightly north of 2% over that same span.

Does any Kremlin sycophant out there actually have the mathematical capacity to explain how these sanctions supposedly inflicted more damage on the European Union than they did on Russia?

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/pres.../en/IP_22_3070

https://www.reuters.com/business/rus...ws-2022-04-27/

I mean, what's even the issue if the Soviets—uh, I mean, Russians—have more purchasing power than someone in Germany right now?😁

Anthony Hill5 said:Russia is staring down a projected GDP collapse of somewhere between 10% and 15% this year. Meanwhile, the European Union’s GDP is expected to maintain a growth rate slightly north of 2% over that same span.

Does any Kremlin sycophant out there actually have the mathematical capacity to explain how these sanctions supposedly inflicted more damage on the European Union than they did on Russia?

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/pres.../en/IP_22_3070

https://www.reuters.com/business/rus...ws-2022-04-27/

A 10% dip isn't exactly a catastrophic collapse when you consider the scale of the sanctions being thrown at them. And honestly, if they manage to permanently neutralize the threat from Ukraine, that's a price worth paying. Think about it: they get to reset their entire system, reduce their economic reliance on the European Union, and they walk away with new territory populated by new people who speak Russian.

gentleviper62 said:Exactly. I have my own phone for $667 and honestly, what's wrong with it? It does everything a $1,500 flagship can do. People in Russia just need to shift the entire burden of this crisis onto those wasteful elites—the ultra-wealthy class.

Are you suggesting that Russia is just one revolution away from a total overhaul?

gentleviper62 said:A 10% dip isn't exactly a catastrophic collapse when you consider the scale of the sanctions being thrown at them. And honestly, if they manage to permanently neutralize the threat from Ukraine, that's a price worth paying. Think about it: they get to reset their entire system, reduce their economic reliance on the European Union, and they walk away with new territory populated by new people who speak Russian.

That threat from Ukraine 😁 😵😵

gentleviper62 said:A 10% dip isn't exactly a catastrophic collapse when you consider the scale of the sanctions being thrown at them. And honestly, if they manage to permanently neutralize the threat from Ukraine, that's a price worth paying. Think about it: they get to reset their entire system, reduce their economic reliance on the European Union, and they walk away with new territory populated by new people who speak Russian.

That sounds more like wishful thinking on your part. In reality, the Russians are demanding the lifting of sanctions.🤷

Anthony Hill5 said:Russia is staring down a projected GDP collapse of somewhere between 10% and 15% this year. Meanwhile, the European Union’s GDP is expected to maintain a growth rate slightly north of 2% over that same span.

Does any Kremlin sycophant out there actually have the mathematical capacity to explain how these sanctions supposedly inflicted more damage on the European Union than they did on Russia?

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/pres.../en/IP_22_3070

https://www.reuters.com/business/rus...ws-2022-04-27/

Friendly reminder:

GDP = consumption + investment + government spending + exports – imports

Go ahead, spin it however you want.