Russia isn’t Ukraina for about the same reason that New England isn’t the Midwest. But people have been growing crops in what’s now Russia for millennia. It’s a shorter growing season, bedrock is closer to the surface, and the variety of possible crops is smaller, but people don’t seem to be on involuntary diets.
And «Люди в Улицe» (`peоple in the street`) nano-interviews by a university-age dissident (who half-jokes about expecting to be grabbed off the street at any moment) doesn`t seem to be turning up many people who can`t buy stuff in the shops, though people do complain that it`s hard to buy from abroad because foreign traders aren`t convinced Putin won`t stop payment. Opinions about Putin himself by those under age 60 or so are generally quite negative.
I had to laugh when I saw how few likes and how many comments there were. Although at least a goodly portion of the comments support your point. But this comic illustrates how laying out facts only hardens people’s wrong-headed views. There are a lot of green-shirted people.
Conservative media says the same thing about the American economy (except saying it’s Biden’s fault and not sanctions) and I see all the same things going on in Detroit, Chicago, and Cleveland that are cited as the state of things in Russia in this comic. Is it possible that media outlets tailor their messages to their audiences instead of actually reporting the facts?
LOL, I think we all know the answer to that question.
The “good news” is that Russia is self sufficient in energy, food & most of the materials they’d need to build housing & basic infrastructure. I’m sure you can buy cabbages & beets. Good luck finding luxury goods or the latest electronics. There was a massive run on that stuff very early.
They’ve been injecting massive stimulus to keep things from cratering, so I’m not surprised if a visitor saw construction but their economy is still shrinking at about a 6% annual rate. Their inflation rate has been over 15% since they invaded Ukraine. The initial surge in gas & oil prices gave Russia a huge boost, but the longer the war goes on, the worse their ability to trade oil for hard currency becomes. The Kremlin is trying very hard to put a happy face on a bleak future & of course, Ted is willing to work as their propagandist.
While most economists agree that Russia is suffering real damage that will mount over time, the economy — at least on the surface — does not yet appear to be collapsing. The ruble’s initial nosedive in value quickly reversed after the state limited currency transactions and after Russia’s imports plummeted — an economic picture that can hardly be described as healthy, but one that calmed public fears about a currency crisis. Unemployment hasn’t noticeably surged, and Russia continues to earn the equivalent of billions of dollars every month from oil and gas exports.
In Moscow and St. Petersburg, restaurants and bars remain busy and grocery stores are stocked, even if prices have jumped and some imported goods, such as whiskey, are harder to find. The International Monetary Fund predicts Russia’s economy will contract by 6 percent this year — a sharp fall, but less than the 10 percent or more that some economists were initially forecasting.
This is a bit of a strawman. I have not seen widespread mainstream media claims that the Russian economy is collapsing. Specific industries and business sectors are having difficulties due to unavailability of certain items, and there are financial impacts, but the impact on the average man-on-the-street would inevitably be delayed since the sanctions aren’t aimed at collapsing the economy. They’re aimed at the oligarchs, mainly. Sure, there may be some ignorant commentators suggesting the Russian economy is collapsing, and sure, it’s not unaffected, but it’s a strawman to suggest this is what the mainstream media is saying.
I’m not sure you have a very realistic view of the world, Mr Rall, or how people work. Shoppers will keep on shopping even when times get a little hard. And shopkeepers will find ways to put goods on the shelves, even if they’re not the same goods they were able to stock before. It’s because life goes on, regardless of what the country’s leadership decides to go and do. It’s a mistake to think that they are unaffected just because they’re still living their lives. You’d have to be among them for years to know if there’s been a change in the past six months. A mere two week visit, during which you traveled between two major cities, is not going to tell you anything much at all.
knutdl over 1 year ago
Is Ted Rall in USSR (I mean Russia)?
GOGOPOWERANGERS over 1 year ago
Just proof and Ted’s a Russian agent working for putin
Nebulous Premium Member over 1 year ago
The phrase ‘Potemkin village’ comes to mind.
Màiri over 1 year ago
Russia isn’t Ukraina for about the same reason that New England isn’t the Midwest. But people have been growing crops in what’s now Russia for millennia. It’s a shorter growing season, bedrock is closer to the surface, and the variety of possible crops is smaller, but people don’t seem to be on involuntary diets.
And «Люди в Улицe» (`peоple in the street`) nano-interviews by a university-age dissident (who half-jokes about expecting to be grabbed off the street at any moment) doesn`t seem to be turning up many people who can`t buy stuff in the shops, though people do complain that it`s hard to buy from abroad because foreign traders aren`t convinced Putin won`t stop payment. Opinions about Putin himself by those under age 60 or so are generally quite negative.
Kurtass Premium Member over 1 year ago
I was in Russia two weeks ago. Wait, that was Florida.
Durak Premium Member over 1 year ago
How far did you get out of Moscow, or St. Pete? Yeah, there is growth there, where it is focused.
Did you get more than 50 miles outside them? We you ALLOWED free travel in Russia? We’re you allowed to see the conditions everywhere else?
You sound like Eleanore Roosevelt, after she visited the gulag.
You saw what they wanted you to see.
Zebrastripes over 1 year ago
Just hope Pooty doesn’t get more desperate and press the nuclear button….
mourdac Premium Member over 1 year ago
Not sure the point of this strip. Sanctions haven’t worked for a variety of reasons. But their aggression on their neighbor grinds on.
Serial Pedant over 1 year ago
Americans cannot enter Russia; only Rall and his minions. Both of them.
rossevrymn over 1 year ago
Ted, in 6 months, February 22nd, I’m putting it on my calendar, let’s look at this one, again and see where we stand……………..ok?. two beers
smokysilver.so Premium Member over 1 year ago
Rall’s Wikipedia entry explains much. On a different matter read Red Famine by Anne Applebaum for another view.
Cerabooge over 1 year ago
I had to laugh when I saw how few likes and how many comments there were. Although at least a goodly portion of the comments support your point. But this comic illustrates how laying out facts only hardens people’s wrong-headed views. There are a lot of green-shirted people.
piper_gilbert over 1 year ago
When did Ted start working for Pravda?
mac04416 over 1 year ago
What’s the difference between the Moscow Times and the New York Times? The color of the ink one is red the other is blue.
moondog42 Premium Member over 1 year ago
I’m confused. Is capitalism good now….? Or is it that capitalism is good when Russia has it…? Someone help me figure the point of this comic….
StackableContainers over 1 year ago
Conservative media says the same thing about the American economy (except saying it’s Biden’s fault and not sanctions) and I see all the same things going on in Detroit, Chicago, and Cleveland that are cited as the state of things in Russia in this comic. Is it possible that media outlets tailor their messages to their audiences instead of actually reporting the facts?
LOL, I think we all know the answer to that question.
Uncle Joe Premium Member over 1 year ago
The “good news” is that Russia is self sufficient in energy, food & most of the materials they’d need to build housing & basic infrastructure. I’m sure you can buy cabbages & beets. Good luck finding luxury goods or the latest electronics. There was a massive run on that stuff very early.
Good luck getting a new iPhone or Galaxy.
https://www.reuters.com/technology/russias-mvideo-starts-used-smartphone-sales-foreign-supplies-dwindle-2022-07-14/
They are running short of the things they need to function as an advanced economy. Auto production is down 97%.
https://intellinews.com/sanctions-bring-russian-car-market-screeching-to-a-halt-252036/
Strict capital controls prevented the ruble from collapsing for now.
https://www.dallasfed.org/research/economics/2022/0531
They’ve been injecting massive stimulus to keep things from cratering, so I’m not surprised if a visitor saw construction but their economy is still shrinking at about a 6% annual rate. Their inflation rate has been over 15% since they invaded Ukraine. The initial surge in gas & oil prices gave Russia a huge boost, but the longer the war goes on, the worse their ability to trade oil for hard currency becomes. The Kremlin is trying very hard to put a happy face on a bleak future & of course, Ted is willing to work as their propagandist.
GreggW Premium Member over 1 year ago
Ted Rall has committed the unforgivable sin: he has rejected part of the official Western establishment narrative about Russia.
cherns Premium Member over 1 year ago
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/23/opinion/international-world/russia-ukraine-putin.html?unlocked_article_code=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACEIPuomT1JKd6J17Vw1cRCfTTMQmqxCdw_PIxftm3iWka3DFDmwZiOMNAo6B_EGKZKx_asE11iiaQ9lINPowQ-Z2wqhFIld2SgDtv5iekZUDLmAttJ6yWCU2w5fJF_gewAPdU1OYeq151aHt-FWPKiSxCvmIz3UgJV4yopFnaV-tjX0XwvyVQPol29F6wawqApAtFzZTbXKJveL6SEkrYKXwZRrd6AY0WO5SSGuTyYbas-RcBV0UXVHWT3p_4nI-4cdcPb4VNaX_KR0mcanukOlbSzwofMryWcpHF8WDnK5qsLXNtRWH1MG3ovw8H65Rt77O2X2oZClXQcmEdOJDCjYYaw5Wwg&smid=url-share
martens over 1 year ago
While most economists agree that Russia is suffering real damage that will mount over time, the economy — at least on the surface — does not yet appear to be collapsing. The ruble’s initial nosedive in value quickly reversed after the state limited currency transactions and after Russia’s imports plummeted — an economic picture that can hardly be described as healthy, but one that calmed public fears about a currency crisis. Unemployment hasn’t noticeably surged, and Russia continues to earn the equivalent of billions of dollars every month from oil and gas exports.
In Moscow and St. Petersburg, restaurants and bars remain busy and grocery stores are stocked, even if prices have jumped and some imported goods, such as whiskey, are harder to find. The International Monetary Fund predicts Russia’s economy will contract by 6 percent this year — a sharp fall, but less than the 10 percent or more that some economists were initially forecasting.
(cont’d)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/08/23/russian-sanctions-economy/
calliarcale over 1 year ago
This is a bit of a strawman. I have not seen widespread mainstream media claims that the Russian economy is collapsing. Specific industries and business sectors are having difficulties due to unavailability of certain items, and there are financial impacts, but the impact on the average man-on-the-street would inevitably be delayed since the sanctions aren’t aimed at collapsing the economy. They’re aimed at the oligarchs, mainly. Sure, there may be some ignorant commentators suggesting the Russian economy is collapsing, and sure, it’s not unaffected, but it’s a strawman to suggest this is what the mainstream media is saying.
I’m not sure you have a very realistic view of the world, Mr Rall, or how people work. Shoppers will keep on shopping even when times get a little hard. And shopkeepers will find ways to put goods on the shelves, even if they’re not the same goods they were able to stock before. It’s because life goes on, regardless of what the country’s leadership decides to go and do. It’s a mistake to think that they are unaffected just because they’re still living their lives. You’d have to be among them for years to know if there’s been a change in the past six months. A mere two week visit, during which you traveled between two major cities, is not going to tell you anything much at all.