Sanctions on Russia

Dana Robinson4 said:"Quote:"

Jack Hill2 Asks: Reading through your take, I can't help but wonder—wouldn't it be far more plausible to expect a 10 percent contraction in Russia's GDP alongside a 2 percent growth in the US this year, rather than the exact opposite of what you've suggested? Honestly, who even cares about GDP figures anymore when all anyone wants to talk about is Sergey Lavrov and Vladimir Putin?

What is the point of seeing a two percent increase in your salary when inflation is sitting at ten or even twenty percent?

We are talking about real GDP here—adjusted for inflation—not just nominal numbers.

real GDP growth in both the US and the euro area is now expected at 2.7% in 2022 and 2.3% in 2023, down from 4.0% and 2.8%.

So, Europe is still looking at growth, but it’s been trimmed by 1-2 percent because of the issues with Russia.

The last forecast I saw for Russia was a 9 percent drop in GDP. It might not be the total collapse some people are hoping for, but it certainly isn't good news for them...

This isn't gospel, but it's a far more serious analysis than some random internet article about bra sizing.

Up until this point, we’ve enjoyed steady gains in labor productivity—which, naturally, helped keep commodity prices in check—largely thanks to relentless technological leaps. But let's face it: in several key sectors of the economy, that progress has hit a ceiling and isn't going anywhere for the foreseeable future.

Now, we are finally being forced to deal with the fallout—consequences that were conveniently ignored, not just in terms of the environment, but within the political arena as well—and these issues demand immediate, decisive action before they spiral further.

So, ladies and gentlemen, comrades and friends—brace yourselves for a much leaner future.

That slice of sourdough and those few ounces of premium deli meat? You better get used to cutting them in half.😁.

Amanda Allen4 said:Up until this point, we’ve enjoyed steady gains in labor productivity—which, naturally, helped keep commodity prices in check—largely thanks to relentless technological leaps. But let's face it: in several key sectors of the economy, that progress has hit a ceiling and isn't going anywhere for the foreseeable future.

Now, we are finally being forced to deal with the fallout—consequences that were conveniently ignored, not just in terms of the environment, but within the political arena as well—and these issues demand immediate, decisive action before they spiral further.

So, ladies and gentlemen, comrades and friends—brace yourselves for a much leaner future.

That slice of sourdough and those few ounces of premium deli meat? You better get used to cutting them in half.😁.

I doubt anyone in the Middle East would care about anything if they had a Scandinavian GDP. Mexico would sign a treaty with Russia as a mortal enemy if it meant reaching that level of prosperity. Who gives a damn about Russia or their propaganda when you can afford a month-long vacation in Portugal for next to nothing? You wouldn't have any existential crises, and even an entry-level job at 18 would provide a higher standard of living than what people in the Middle East struggle to achieve after twenty years of building a career.

Right now, we are stuck somewhere between a poverty-stricken Russia and a developed Europe. And here, those hollow ideologies still find some traction... mostly among people struggling just to survive. Out of pure rage and desperation, they swallow stupid propaganda from the East, where there is likely even more hunger, oppression, and theft.

Jack Hill2 said:I doubt anyone in the Middle East would care about anything if they had a Scandinavian GDP. Mexico would sign a treaty with Russia as a mortal enemy if it meant reaching that level of prosperity. Who gives a damn about Russia or their propaganda when you can afford a month-long vacation in Portugal for next to nothing? You wouldn't have any existential crises, and even an entry-level job at 18 would provide a higher standard of living than what people in the Middle East struggle to achieve after twenty years of building a career.

Right now, we are stuck somewhere between a poverty-stricken Russia and a developed Europe. And here, those hollow ideologies still find some traction... mostly among people struggling just to survive. Out of pure rage and desperation, they swallow stupid propaganda from the East, where there is likely even more hunger, oppression, and theft.

Exactly; propaganda is a "devilish thing," while facts tell a different story.

https://troskovazivota.com/cijene-i-...rusija-zemlja/

https://troskovazivota.com/cijene-i-...vatska-zemlja/

All things considered, they aren't living worse than we are. In fact, because their energy costs and utilities are so much cheaper, their actual purchasing power is higher than ours "wealthy" citizens.

And if you look at GDP per capita, we are neck and neck—ranked 56th and 57th—though I know GDP isn't the most realistic indicator of an average person's quality of life.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal)_per_capita

Our pensions were "adjusted" by a measly 2.2%, yet inflation for basic necessities has surged well above 40-50%.

scruffy mutt said:They slapped sanctions on Russia, so why all the whining? It feels like they basically did this to themselves. Denmark lost their Russian oil, and now the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Poland, and even Finland will probably be facing the same shortage.🤣

The ones complaining the loudest are the Russians. They brag about how strong the ruble is and all that, but then they spend every single opportunity begging for those sanctions to be lifted. So, what's the deal, Russia?

urbanotter said:Exactly; propaganda is a "devilish thing," while facts tell a different story.

https://troskovazivota.com/cijene-i-...rusija-zemlja/

https://troskovazivota.com/cijene-i-...vatska-zemlja/

All things considered, they aren't living worse than we are. In fact, because their energy costs and utilities are so much cheaper, their actual purchasing power is higher than ours "wealthy" citizens.

And if you look at GDP per capita, we are neck and neck—ranked 56th and 57th—though I know GDP isn't the most realistic indicator of an average person's quality of life.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal)_per_capita

Our pensions were "adjusted" by a measly 2.2%, yet inflation for basic necessities has surged well above 40-50%.

The US has a 40 percent higher real GDP per capita. If that's the case, just give me a 40 percent raise and we'll call it even...

Also, why is there an eight-year difference in life expectancy? Just curious, since the link is closed...

that little punk said:look, it's pretty damn obvious now, isn't it? this whole so-called "West" thing has completely trashed Ukraine and all of Europe, but hey, why let reality ruin the fun? just keep living in your little fantasy land, sucking up to everyone and playing around while the bill for all this comes due🙂

So, what's your deal—are you actually living in Europe or are you over in Russia?

Jack Hill2 said:The US has a 40 percent higher real GDP per capita. If that's the case, just give me a 40 percent raise and we'll call it even...

Also, why is there an eight-year difference in life expectancy? Just curious, since the link is closed...

I'd actually love to see the source for that specific statistic you're citing.

And if we look at GDP adjusted for Purchasing Power Parity, our position looks even worse, which I think provides a much more accurate picture of the actual standard of living since it accounts for inflation and the cost of daily life.

Russia is sitting at 6th while the US is down at 85th.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)

urbanotter said:I'd actually love to see the source for that specific statistic you're citing.

And if we look at GDP adjusted for Purchasing Power Parity, our position looks even worse, which I think provides a much more accurate picture of the actual standard of living since it accounts for inflation and the cost of daily life.

Russia is sitting at 6th while the US is down at 85th.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)

For the average person, per capita is what actually matters. So, what's the number for Russia?

scumbag said:It doesn't matter where you call home. What matters is facing the truth instead of getting lost in one-sided narratives and fantasies. Eventually, everyone has to deal with reality whether they want to or not. If it isn't sooner, it'll be when the curtain falls and the lights go up.

The reality is that the Russians have been in someone else's backyard for 100 days now. The USA could have just said, "Fine, go ahead, Russians, roll those tanks into Kyiv, we'll just send the Ukrainians some little flags to wave." And then suddenly, fuel would be $3.75

urbanotter said:I'd actually love to see the source for that specific statistic you're citing.

And if we look at GDP adjusted for Purchasing Power Parity, our position looks even worse, which I think provides a much more accurate picture of the actual standard of living since it accounts for inflation and the cost of daily life.

Russia is sitting at 6th while the US is down at 85th.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)

Since nobody's replying, here's how GDP (PPP) breaks down per capita:

Based on 2022 data for Russia: $30,013 per capita, ranked 78th.
For America: $36,201 per capita, ranked 66th.

Where does that massive gap come from—being 6th overall but so low per capita?

The takeaway:



Sure, being a Russian oligarch sounds great. But for everyone else? They've got some of the highest suicide rates in Europe, and alcohol-related deaths are second only to Belarus. Men live about 10 years less than women on average, and young women die at significantly higher rates than young men.

scumbag said:I honestly don't know what world you're living in. It seems like common sense just isn't working for you, though you aren't alone in that. I truly wish you the best and hope you feel better soon. If you really want to help Ukrainians, maybe try eating less meat and showering once a week? Just send them a little flag 👍

The USA didn't ask for my opinion on Russia's aggression against Ukraine. But if they had, I’d be helping Ukrainians too. It's like they asked me 🙂

analogbear5 said:Since nobody's replying, here's how GDP (PPP) breaks down per capita:

Based on 2022 data for Russia: $30,013 per capita, ranked 78th.
For America: $36,201 per capita, ranked 66th.

Where does that massive gap come from—being 6th overall but so low per capita?

The takeaway:



Sure, being a Russian oligarch sounds great. But for everyone else? They've got some of the highest suicide rates in Europe, and alcohol-related deaths are second only to Belarus. Men live about 10 years less than women on average, and young women die at significantly higher rates than young men.

The life expectancy is 72 compared to 78 in the US, so I don't see those extreme disparities you're pointing out.

They are certainly more prone to drinking than Americans,
though over here, people rarely get that drunk because it’s just too expensive given the purchasing power.

Besides, there are plenty of tables out there, but the WB is one of the most reliable sources, and according to them, the Russian GDP per capita is essentially identical to ours.

So, since we're going to talk about charts and sources, let's stick to the facts.

https://data.worldbank.org/indicator...name_desc=true

https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/g...pita-worldbank

It isn't exactly easy being a tycoon in our country either—you can afford the best hospitals in the world while a retiree might wait a year just to see a doctor.

When you factor in their massive geography where hospitals can be hundreds of miles away, plus their climate, and compare it to us where you've got a clinic on every corner 31 miles and a climate that's one of the most affordable on the planet, they actually live quite a bit longer.

And if you look at the current trends, they are definitely getting the better end of the deal.

Economic activity during Putin's full term has surged from a modest $196 billion to a staggering $1,283 billion. Employment rates have climbed, and average wages have jumped elevenfold, rising from a meager $60 to the current $650. Pensions shot up from $20 to $220, which logically explains why the poverty rate was cut in half to around 13 percent. Perhaps the best indicator of the standard of living is that the average life expectancy in Russia under Putin's rule increased by a full five years, moving from 65.9 to 70.9. Unemployment has also dropped significantly, hovering around 5% recently, whereas during the Yeltsin era, it exploded to 14.5%.

Read more at: - www.vecernji.hr



So, your perception that Russia is a place of hunger and misery while life here is perfect just doesn't hold up.

urbanotter said:The life expectancy is 72 compared to 78 in the US, so I don't see those extreme disparities you're pointing out.

They are certainly more prone to drinking than Americans,
though over here, people rarely get that drunk because it’s just too expensive given the purchasing power.

Besides, there are plenty of tables out there, but the WB is one of the most reliable sources, and according to them, the Russian GDP per capita is essentially identical to ours.

So, since we're going to talk about charts and sources, let's stick to the facts.

https://data.worldbank.org/indicator...name_desc=true

https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/g...pita-worldbank

It isn't exactly easy being a tycoon in our country either—you can afford the best hospitals in the world while a retiree might wait a year just to see a doctor.

When you factor in their massive geography where hospitals can be hundreds of miles away, plus their climate, and compare it to us where you've got a clinic on every corner 31 miles and a climate that's one of the most affordable on the planet, they actually live quite a bit longer.

And if you look at the current trends, they are definitely getting the better end of the deal.

Economic activity during Putin's full term has surged from a modest $196 billion to a staggering $1,283 billion. Employment rates have climbed, and average wages have jumped elevenfold, rising from a meager $60 to the current $650. Pensions shot up from $20 to $220, which logically explains why the poverty rate was cut in half to around 13 percent. Perhaps the best indicator of the standard of living is that the average life expectancy in Russia under Putin's rule increased by a full five years, moving from 65.9 to 70.9. Unemployment has also dropped significantly, hovering around 5% recently, whereas during the Yeltsin era, it exploded to 14.5%.

Read more at: - www.vecernji.hr



So, your perception that Russia is a place of hunger and misery while life here is perfect just doesn't hold up.

Look, I’m not saying Russia is starving or anything—but when people claim they’re the sixth-largest economy on the planet, I’ve got enough data to show there are some serious cracks in that foundation.

Same goes for those rosy stats you see about the US or even smaller places; I’d rather look at the stuff that actually brings things back down to earth.

Bottom line? Life in Russia isn't a total disaster, but it could be a whole lot better if it wasn't run by a kleptocracy—basically a bunch of parasites feeding off everyone else while picking fights with sovereign nations just to stay in power. Luckily, the Russian state actually serves its people, instead of the people serving the state. They'd probably be a decent counterweight to American economic hegemony.

analogbear5 said:Look, I’m not saying Russia is starving or anything—but when people claim they’re the sixth-largest economy on the planet, I’ve got enough data to show there are some serious cracks in that foundation.

Same goes for those rosy stats you see about the US or even smaller places; I’d rather look at the stuff that actually brings things back down to earth.

Bottom line? Life in Russia isn't a total disaster, but it could be a whole lot better if it wasn't run by a kleptocracy—basically a bunch of parasites feeding off everyone else while picking fights with sovereign nations just to stay in power. Luckily, the Russian state actually serves its people, instead of the people serving the state. They'd probably be a decent counterweight to American economic hegemony.

If the leadership there were different, they’d just be vassals to the USA like most of the world. They’d end up looking more like China, where the average person doesn't live quite so comfortably.
Their sole purpose would be making the US elites even wealthier.

Or they’d become a larger version of the disaster that is Ukraine. A handful of oligarchs and a massive population of poor people, while the kids of the US elite collect government payouts for "protection"—which is really just nothing at all. It's global-scale organized crime.

bluebison8 said:If the leadership there were different, they’d just be vassals to the USA like most of the world. They’d end up looking more like China, where the average person doesn't live quite so comfortably.
Their sole purpose would be making the US elites even wealthier.

Or they’d become a larger version of the disaster that is Ukraine. A handful of oligarchs and a massive population of poor people, while the kids of the US elite collect government payouts for "protection"—which is really just nothing at all. It's global-scale organized crime.

So, I guess you're saying Spain, Sweden, Iceland, Norway... are all just US vassals too? Is it just a few rich oligarchs and everyone else starving over there?

It looks like everyone is finally starting to use the right terminology. I’ve been using these terms for quite a while now. 😁

hegemony:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/hegemony
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hegemony

vassal:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/vassal-state
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dict...vassal%20state

Arthur Miller7 said:So, I guess you're saying Spain, Sweden, Iceland, Norway... are all just US vassals too? Is it just a few rich oligarchs and everyone else starving over there?

They might be vassals in some sense, but they function primarily as trade partners rather than mere resource pools to be drained. The strategy used toward any nation depends entirely on what its citizens will tolerate. As for Eastern European nations, they’re already riddled with corruption, making them easy targets for the USA elite to exploit for profit.

bluebison8 said:They might be vassals in some sense, but they function primarily as trade partners rather than mere resource pools to be drained. The strategy used toward any nation depends entirely on what its citizens will tolerate. As for Eastern European nations, they’re already riddled with corruption, making them easy targets for the USA elite to exploit for profit.

Where on earth are you even getting these ideas?

First off—do you even know what a "vassal" actually is? You seriously think Norway is an American "vassal"? Or Iceland? Or Spain? Like, based on what? A vassal, by definition, carries out the will of their superior. So, please, go ahead and explain exactly what Norway has done against its own will? Can you name even one single thing where the Norwegian people were totally against something, yet it was pushed through just because the USA said so? Same goes for Spain, for example. It would be a good idea to actually look up the difference between a compromise and coercion before talking. No country is an island, and sometimes you have to make compromises for the bigger picture... that’s just how the world works, and it’s perfectly normal.

And another thing—for what insane reason do you think that if Russia didn't have this primitive, corrupt regime, they'd somehow end up as an American vassal? That is completely delusional. You’ve got this tiny clique around the seat of power getting filthy rich while the rest of the population—who actually *are* the ones serving that narrow clique—get left behind. It’s tragic that Russia, a country sitting on more resources than almost anywhere else on the planet, is such a backwards mess in so many ways, with huge numbers of people living below the poverty line. With a functional government and a decent system, Russia could actually be a global superpower and a great place to live. But it isn't. Your idea that they can only exist under this kind of leadership or by being subservient to the USA is incredibly shallow and childish... not to mention I doubt you even grasp what "subservience to the USA" really implies.
People don't exist to serve the state; the state is supposed to serve them. But with the Russians, it’s the exact opposite, and as long as that mindset persists, they’ll remain a backward, unstable mess. It’s as simple as that.

Brenda Murphy3 said:Where on earth are you even getting these ideas?

First off—do you even know what a "vassal" actually is? You seriously think Norway is an American "vassal"? Or Iceland? Or Spain? Like, based on what? A vassal, by definition, carries out the will of their superior. So, please, go ahead and explain exactly what Norway has done against its own will? Can you name even one single thing where the Norwegian people were totally against something, yet it was pushed through just because the USA said so? Same goes for Spain, for example. It would be a good idea to actually look up the difference between a compromise and coercion before talking. No country is an island, and sometimes you have to make compromises for the bigger picture... that’s just how the world works, and it’s perfectly normal.

And another thing—for what insane reason do you think that if Russia didn't have this primitive, corrupt regime, they'd somehow end up as an American vassal? That is completely delusional. You’ve got this tiny clique around the seat of power getting filthy rich while the rest of the population—who actually *are* the ones serving that narrow clique—get left behind. It’s tragic that Russia, a country sitting on more resources than almost anywhere else on the planet, is such a backwards mess in so many ways, with huge numbers of people living below the poverty line. With a functional government and a decent system, Russia could actually be a global superpower and a great place to live. But it isn't. Your idea that they can only exist under this kind of leadership or by being subservient to the USA is incredibly shallow and childish... not to mention I doubt you even grasp what "subservience to the USA" really implies.
People don't exist to serve the state; the state is supposed to serve them. But with the Russians, it’s the exact opposite, and as long as that mindset persists, they’ll remain a backward, unstable mess. It’s as simple as that.

I have these ideas because I've been following politics since the 2001 era of US imperialism under Bush. Since then, I've learned exactly what they've been up to. For anyone who knows how to read and comprehend, it's all quite clear.

As for your take on Russia, you clearly understand nothing about Real Politics. I assume your only source of information is Index.