Foreign Policy: Russia

I'm deeply concerned about the Putin sponsored events which appear to be a return to the cold war era.

The February 9, 2008 incident in which a Russian Tupelov 95 bomber twice flew directly over the deck of the USS Nimitz while in the western Pacific is a needlessly provocative act which could have easily turned deadly and escalated to a greater conflict. Political strategists suggest that this incident is part of Putin's attempt to increase tensions between Russia and the United States as the U.S. prepares a missile defense system based in Poland and the Czech Republic. Japan filed a formal protest with the Russian Embassy in Tokyo after the incident as one of the Russian bombers violated Japanese airspace while in route to the U.S. Navy ships. Russia has denied there was an intrusion.

 

On February 14, 2008, President Vladimir Putin used his final annual address as President to repeat his threats to aim Russian missiles toward former Soviet allies and satellite states. Putin raised the rhetoric another notch by lashing out at Poland for agreeing to host a U.S. backed missil defense system, threatening the Czech Republic for a proposed radar system and renewed his recent threats to the former Soviet republic Ukraine as their pro-Western government is also willing to host a missile-defense facility. Earlier this week, in a face to face meeting, Putin gave a blunt warning to Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko that Russia would point its missiles toward the Ukraine if Ukraine does not back down from Russia's demand.

Putin Continues Dictatorship Like Reign

President Vladimir Putin has chosen to cede the Presidency to Dmitry Medvedev and transition to the second highest public office of Prime Minister late in 2008. In his 2-14-2008 annual address, Putin stated that the number 2 position would give him sufficient power. Putin commented that while the president plans the country's course, the prime minister has control over the budget, sets economic policy and is responsible for national defense. Dmitry Medvedev is a Putin protege and my most accounts is expected to act as a Putin puppet. While Russia officially has an election for its next President, Putin has used his censorship and control of the press to promote Medvedev and prevent coverage of any opposing candidate; thereby assuring Medvedev's win. Putin has also denied European requests to put election officials in place to assure a free and fair electoral process. The prohibition of a free press, the assisinations of vocal critics and the removal of fair elections are clear signs that Russia is no longer a democracy and Vladimir Putin will continue his dictator-like reign for an indefinite period.

Russia Continues Downward Trend

Russia continues a downard socio-economic spiral. Deaths now exceed births throughout the country, life expectancy for males has dropped to its lowest level since the 1950s, and Russia's abortion rate is one of the highest in the world. Several factors have contributed to these trends: massive alcohol consumption, decades of neglect of the health care system and of the environment, and a non-competitive economy in long-term decline. Russia now has a disproportionately older population of women over 60. With a smaller population approaching military age, Russia may have to continue to rely on nuclear weapons. Countries losing population normally seek to offset military manpower with new technology, but Russia cannot finance technological modernization, and it lacks an alliance with a modern military, such as NATO. The draining demographic pressures will weigh on Russia for many years to come, affecting everything from schools for the young to pensions for the old. Rather than approach a strategy of economic advancement and long-term economic stability, Vladimir Putin and Russia's leaders seem to be taking a denial approach and regressing to communism in order to keep the denial and the truth about Russia secret.

IN FLUX

Economics: Making the most value from the scarcest resources.

Why capitalism prevails over socialism - for economics and for people.

Locate a whole lot of farmers on a Soviet farm and tell 'em they'll all be shot and their families banished to Siberia if they don't produce 100 bushels of beets and you'll get 100 bushels of beets -- exactly, and they will be poor quality and the sorriest crops that ever qualified as a beet. As the history of the Soviet Union proved.

Or you can show them how much money they'll make per bushel of beet, and that better quality beets will get better prices at market, and that they'll get to keep the rewards of their labor and sacrifice minus a reasonable tax and you'll get more beets than you know what to do with. As the history of capitalism proves every day.

Socialism failed because it failed to take this basic human nature into account, that working for the glory of Mother Russia wasn't enough of an incentive for people who weren't making any money to work harder, people who aren't going to benefit from a project aren't going to work any more than the absolute keep-my-job minimum for it.

If companies take a Soviet-style mentality to customer data integration projects -- "Do it for the glory of Acme Anvils, comrades!" -- they'll get Soviet-style efficiency results. If they do it with a capitalistic mentality, recognizing the reality that people do well what they're incentivized to do well, they'll have a successful program.