Why do Russian-Americans hate Obama

Within the Russian community the dislike for Obama is very strong, which is rather counter-intuitive since immigrant communities more often than not lean Democratic. One recent example of such sentiment was Jan Schakowsky, getting booed on a stage at the annual Russian picnic. The Russian community, and specifically Russian Jews have had experiences within their lives that have shaped their strong opposition to the Goldenchild.

First of all, it is my strong belief that the hardships of life in the Soviet Union has created a society of realists rather than idealists. Russian Jews want to hear answers rather than vague promises of hope, change, unicorns, kumbaya, and rainbows. So far (and this is unlikely to change) the Obama campaign has been built around vague policies and the notion of feeling good.
To Americans, perhaps this is a new concept and a change from politics as usual, but anyone who has lived in a socialist society can see these overtures for what they really are, empty promises. The Soviet government also talked about change, in fact they went one step better, they touted a world revolution of the proletariat. You see the working classes would seize power from the greedy rich people, and everyone would start living in a harmonious society. I mean who wouldn't want that? Every step of your life is planned out, you get to share your communal apartment with two or three of your favorite random families, and everyone will be on equal footing, with some being more equal than others. And while we try to get there, lets "Spread the wealth" as Goldenboy insists.

This brings me to the second point. Russian Jews don't like government handouts to the poor. Within only a few years after immigration, many Russian families are able to achieve a level of success not often parried by American families. If a Russian family can become successful after only a few years in a foreign country, why can't all Americans have the same level of success? Undoubtedly, most American have had many more opportunity to succeed yet they fail to do so? Perhaps in that case they don't deserve another opportunity.

Unlike other segments of the population, Russian Jews realize that certain people just leach off of society. In fact given the opportunity to enjoy a lifestyle of their choice at the government's expense, many Russians would probably do just that. This makes Russian uniquely equipped to sniff out slackers and leaches to society, and when they hear groveling to such segments of the population they can't help but be appalled.

Wow Radio sucks

Ok so one of these recent evenings I was driving without any CDs in my car and had the misfortune of turning on the radio. I turned on 96.3 and 103.5 and after about 5 minutes wanted to kill someone. I especially hate Pink. This no-talent artist that miraculously manages to extend a five word lyric into a 5 minute song needs to be deported to an abandoned coal mine in Canada, or if that's not available, perhaps to North Korea, where she can be the muse of the Dear Leader. Maybe the US really should consider this as a legitimate strategy at dealing with DPRK, I mean if Kim Jung Ill is recovering from a stroke, perhaps 5 to 10 minutes of Pink's music can take him out his misery. In a way I guess it is inspiring that in today's society Pink did not let the lack of good looks or talent stand in the path of her success.

The last 8 years

I think it's funny how many people are so hostile towards Sarah Palin and how sexist the liberals really are. Granted, Palin's performance in the interviews has left something to be desired, but the truth of the matter is that Palin has more experience than Barack Obama. The media, SNL, and others are trying to show Palin to be just some dumb woman, and I don't really see how that's not offensive. Yet Goldenboy, is commended on his sexiness on shows like the View rather than asked about any tough issues.

I would really like to see a tough interview of Obama, I'd like to see him asked about Wright, Ayers, Rezko. I'd like him asked about the 57 states in the Union, his Muslim faith (his words not mine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIXRt57tM3Q) and being endorsed by Hamas. I would like him to name a single legislative accomplishment that he has achieved over the last 4 years, two of which were spent campaigning. I would like him to describe a single one of his programs in any detail, and I would like to know where he will find the money to fund it after the behemoth bailout that he has endorsed.

I'm tired that eloquence or rather ability to read off the teleprompter is somehow seen as a great qualification for our president. Of course, President Bush has done little to quench the thirst for fine oratory or wit, but ask yourself is your life really that much worse now than 8 years ago? Don't listen to the news, don't read any commentary, just think of your personal life, is your family better or worse than it was 8 years ago?

I remember when Bush was first elected, apocalypse was being predicted by the Democratic party. Celebrities threatened to move to Canada, and abortion right activists claimed the era of Roe vs. Wade was over. Yet nothing really changed. My family, and I would imagine most peoples' families are as prosperous as ever. Yes we are in Iraq, but really what percent of the population is actually effected by this? I would venture to say that out of families with active duty soldiers, most lean Republican anyway. Yes the economy is supposedly in bad shape, but how many people have felt the effects of it so far, I'm not seeing troves of newly homeless warming up by the fire in downtown Chicago, but maybe the four horseman of the apocalypse have been rendered invisible by the global warming related smog.

I'm not a fan of Bush, and I don't agree with everything on the Republican agenda, and I'm not a Republican.

I am for a strong America, I am for more individual freedom, and I am for reaping rewards for responsible behavior and suffering consequences for the lack thereof.

Day after the Debate

Debate observations:

-I thought Obama came off as rude throughout the evening. On many occasions he tried to interrupt McCain or inserted some comment like "it's not true" while McCain was speaking. I also found it incredibly rude when he said "Are you done?" while McCain was trying to make his point.

-I didn't think either candidate made a real solid point on economics. McCain presented the conservative view that gov't regulation only creates more problems down the line, while Obama was only to eager to trumpet gov't involvement in the financial market. I thought the key point came when Obama could not come up with a single program that he would consider cutting despite the $700 billion bailout. After being asked several time, he kept only talking about the need for fluff programs.

-I thought McCain made two solid points on foreign policy, one involving sitting down with Ahmadinwackjob and the other about Obama insisting the surge didn't work. I though it was a great exchange when McCain asked Obama what he would talk about with Ahmadinajad. Obama's attempt to use Kissinger's statements against McCain also reeked of desperation and lack of knowledge/understanding.

-Throughout the debate it seemed rather obvious that Obama was doing his best George W Bush impression in trying to avoid any specific mention of foreign leader names, countries, or important events. He seemed like a person who is clueless yet tries to project an image of a knowledgeable person. In contrast McCain was able to draw a connection between 25 years of successful engagement in foreign policy and his bid for the presidency.

On a Separate note: My commentary on the bailout didn't mention that help to irresponsible borrowers was part of the $700B package. My point centered on the politicking by the Democrats who are holding the nation's economy hostage by demanding concessions to help such individuals as part of any bailout programs. I honestly don't know what the right course of action is at this point, but focusing on helping the thousands of people who took out loans far exceeding their payment abilities is wrong. I think the whole experience just shows the issues that arise out of government regulation of financial markets. The prospect of the gov't safetynet is what promoted a lot of this irresponsible behavior. Now we are stuck between a rock and a hard place, and no option is particularly attractive.

Can I get a bail out?

I'm a little upset with this whole mortgage crisis. Why is the gov't so concerned about helping people who decided to live beyond their means, while punishing those who had common sense?

Is this really going to help anyone in the long run? All this is doing is sending a message, "go ahead screw up, and let Uncle Sam (or any uncle who pays taxes in the US) foot the bill." This moronic obsession with its origins in wealth redistribution is absurd. If the gov't just lets those folks lose their homes, I think it would send quite a message, "Think twice before you buy something you can't afford." I dare even say that it would be a long-lasting message, that these folks would pass down to their children.

Realistically how are these people any worse off than someone who is a responsible borrower. These slackers are living in a better home than the responsible individual of the same income level, and have the gov't fight to keep it that way. That doesn't sound just. Sam Zell was right there needs to be a cleansing.

Life without Israel or Jews

Oftentimes, I hear many gentiles (especially Europeans) or extremely liberal Jews say that if the state of Israel did not exist the world would have been a better place. Muslim terrorism wouldn't exist, the Arab world wouldn't hate America, and that everyone would just get along.

Unfortunately, this is quite a simplistic answer without much emphasis on fact. Let us pretend that Israel no longer exists, let us pretend that Jews (the much reviled source of hatred of the Muslim world) do not exist. What would happen then?

Would Russians continue to fight the Dagestanis and Chechens?

Would Serbs continue to fights the Kosovars and Bosnians?

Would the Pakistanis and Indians get along?

Would the Thai Muslims continue to try to succeed in the south of that country?

Would Muslim terrorists disappear from the Phillipines and China?

Would Darfur be averted?

Would Sunnis and Shiites in Iraq and Iran stop fighting?

Of course I can go on and on, but the simple fact is that none of these conflicts involve Israel or Jews in the remotest way, and yet they all have one thing in common, Muslim religious zeal. Now of course there are extremists in many religions including Judaism and Christianity, but somehow the main populace has been able to contain the numbers of such ideologues to a significant minority.

The point of making Israel and Jews into the world's villain is simply unfounded. If Israel didn't exist who is to say that Muslim extremist wouldn't find some other cause to rally around. They would most certainly find some "fourth" or "fifth" most holy city to expel the infidels from. For instance Al-Qaida's founding mission was not attacking Israel, it was expelling the infidels from Saudi Arabia, during the first Gulf War era.

Without Israel life would be much worse for the United States. If the US allows Israel to cease to exist, they will find themselves one step closer to confronting radical Muslim terrorist here at home. I view Israel as the important outlook station, without which America will be blind to its threats.

On a Separate note: Speaking of Jews, it would be kind of interesting to ponder what would have happened if Kievan Rus adopted Judaism rather than Christianity. Few people realize how close this was to reality. Judaism made it to the top three, along with Islam and Christianity, but lost out at the end. I hear it might have won the Congeniality prize but that's just pure speculation. Anyway here is an article about the discovery of an ancient Jewish city in Russia....http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080920/ap_on_re_eu/russia_lost_capital

What's up with Russia?

As many of you have probably heard the Russian market has experienced quite a decline recently. The decline in the Russian market is only outdone by the Chinese stock markets. The decline stems from the fall in oil and commodity prices, drop in the demand from China, and the fall of the ruble.

But what is lost in all of this is the effect of a certain Mr. Putin and his politics. It seems to me that Putin believes that he can bring back the old Soviet Union, but what he doesn't understand is that the current Russia is much more intertwined into the world economy than the Soviet Union ever was. This is precisely why his authoritarian tendencies are really hurting the Russian economy.

For instance, what investor will feel comfortable when even large companies such as BP cannot escape the grasps of the government. The track record of Yukos, Mechel, already painted a dim picture of the Russian rule of law, but the past Georgian war has really hurt.

Now I'm not defending Russia or Georgia, but the fact that this war drove a sharp decline in foreign investment is evidence of irresponsible leadership. Somehow I highly doubt that China with all of its authoritarianism would be willing to start a war with a foreign country or Taiwan. That is because when a regime is already viewed as shaky and potentially unfriendly to foreign business, something as dubious as a war with a tiny neighbor isn't going to do much for investor confidence.

In the end it appears that Russia might come to realization that the economy and not Georgia should be its primary focus. I don't exactly see how adding two tiny and impoverished republics to its territory, should be the government's priority. If Russia remains ignorant of such realities, it risks economic collapse which is likely to bring about a regime change that even Mr. Putin won't be able to avoid. Russia must make a choice capitalism and rule of law or authoritarianism and murky economics.