(12-16-2014 10:01 AM)Redwingtom Wrote:  But Putin is such a great leader. How can this be?

You forgot the {sarcasm} tag on that one tom :)

(12-16-2014 06:50 AM)ericsrevenge76 Wrote:  Obama does not like to be embarrassed or made a fool of, and Putin made a fool of him a lot the last few years.

I'm kind of dumbfounded by this statement. I thought he was completely oblivious to being made a fool. I thought that was his defining characteristic?

(12-15-2014 10:32 PM)UM2001GRAD Wrote:  

(12-15-2014 10:32 PM)UConn-SMU Wrote:  

(12-15-2014 10:27 PM)UM2001GRAD Wrote:  All the righties will suddenly pretend like they haven't been slobbering over Putin for years.

What? Putin wants the Soviet Union to return from the grave. That is the last thing the "righties" want to happen.

There's no love for Putin on my side of the aisle.

Told you it wouldn't take long.

They never said they loved Putin, they said he was a much better leader than Obama. HUGE difference.

(12-15-2014 11:51 PM)DFWMINER Wrote:  This might be a good thing or it could make them desperate and dangerous as a result.

I worry about the latter. I think Putin could affect a cornered rat position and do something really stupid. For example, to distract the people of Russia, he could decide to finish the invasion of the Ukraine.

(12-16-2014 10:46 AM)QuestionSocratic Wrote:  

(12-15-2014 11:51 PM)DFWMINER Wrote:  This might be a good thing or it could make them desperate and dangerous as a result.

I worry about the latter. I think Putin could affect a cornered rat position and do something really stupid. For example, to distract the people of Russia, he could decide to finish the invasion of the Ukraine.

That is the real issue IMO. Unlike when the USSR fell, this Russia will not go quietly.

(12-16-2014 10:16 AM)I45owl Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 06:50 AM)ericsrevenge76 Wrote:  Obama does not like to be embarrassed or made a fool of, and Putin made a fool of him a lot the last few years.

I'm kind of dumbfounded by this statement. I thought he was completely oblivious to being made a fool. I thought that was his defining characteristic?

I think he is oblivious in most cases. Particularly when dealing with his political enemies here at home. He is delusional on most domestic political issues.

I think Putin actually made him feel embarrassed for real though. Or pissed him off.

As far as why this and not that? I don't know. Almost nothing the guy does makes sense to me.

(12-16-2014 09:58 AM)LSU04_08 Wrote:  

(12-15-2014 10:39 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  

(12-15-2014 10:27 PM)UM2001GRAD Wrote:  All the righties will suddenly pretend like they haven't been slobbering over Putin for years.

Actually I suspect Russia's been funding some of them. We shall see who gets their funding pulled. FRC, World Congress of Families, NOM, would be my guesses (they have known ties to Russia). The Russians got busted funneling 10 million Euros to Le Pen, and Jobbik in Hungary admits they take funding from Russia. UKIP is also rumored to be funded by them in part.

To be fair, Russia tries to fund some groups on the quasi-left too. Mainly anti-fracking groups in Europe. But most of them won't have anything to do with Putin because of the anti-gay and anti-human rights stuff.

At any rate, Putin is going to have less money to fund the Euroskeptic parties and the anti-fracking, and the the anti-Gay groups now.

Do you even have a functioning brain? If he was funding anyone, if he pulled funding from people, he'd have more money, if anything, to fund groups against homosexuals. I don't know if you tried to fail at trolling with that post, but I hope you did. If not, you're as bad or worse at trolling than UM2001DRAG. Yall are both mentally ill.

he's not trolling, Russia is notorious for funding political movements in other countries. One of the biggest european elections of the year took place a couple of days ago (Moldova). One of the political parties there was actually banned from the ballot because it had taken so much money with russian links to it.

anti-fracking....not hard to figure that one out and why it benefits him.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/01/world/....html?_r=0

(12-16-2014 11:20 AM)john01992 Wrote:  he's not trolling, Russia is notorious for funding political movements in other countries. One of the biggest european elections of the year took place a couple of days ago (Moldova). One of the political parties there was actually banned from the ballot because it had taken so much money with russian links to it.

anti-fracking....not hard to figure that one out and why it benefits him.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/01/world/....html?_r=0

He is too trolling. That's why he said he suspects Putin to be funding "them," meaning righties, while respnding to DRAG's post.

Nevertheless, nothing catches DRAG's attention unless he can blame righty or whitey, and nothing grabs gay Tom's attention unless he can blame the right for hating gays.

(12-16-2014 10:46 AM)QuestionSocratic Wrote:  

(12-15-2014 11:51 PM)DFWMINER Wrote:  This might be a good thing or it could make them desperate and dangerous as a result.

I worry about the latter. I think Putin could affect a cornered rat position and do something really stupid. For example, to distract the people of Russia, he could decide to finish the invasion of the Ukraine.

Unfortunately, War has often been good for a nation's economy.

(12-16-2014 11:44 AM)LSU04_08 Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 11:20 AM)john01992 Wrote:  he's not trolling, Russia is notorious for funding political movements in other countries. One of the biggest european elections of the year took place a couple of days ago (Moldova). One of the political parties there was actually banned from the ballot because it had taken so much money with russian links to it.

anti-fracking....not hard to figure that one out and why it benefits him.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/01/world/....html?_r=0

He is too trolling. That's why he said he suspects Putin to be funding "them," meaning righties, while respnding to DRAG's post.

Nevertheless, nothing catches DRAG's attention unless he can blame righty or whitey, and nothing grabs gay Tom's attention unless he can blame the right for hating gays.

Take a deep breath and start over. Seriously its like you are spazzing out right now. there is indeed a well known connection to russia funding political movements in other countries. This includes pro russia political parties, anti gay groups, & anti fracking groups. that's all I'm saying.

(12-16-2014 11:45 AM)Hambone10 Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 10:46 AM)QuestionSocratic Wrote:  

(12-15-2014 11:51 PM)DFWMINER Wrote:  This might be a good thing or it could make them desperate and dangerous as a result.

I worry about the latter. I think Putin could affect a cornered rat position and do something really stupid. For example, to distract the people of Russia, he could decide to finish the invasion of the Ukraine.

Unfortunately, War has often been good for a nation's economy.

And Prestige. Putin certainly hasn't shown signs of being cowed He knows Obama can be pushed around and has 2 years left to do it.

(12-16-2014 11:47 AM)john01992 Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 11:44 AM)LSU04_08 Wrote:  He is too trolling. That's why he said he suspects Putin to be funding "them," meaning righties, while respnding to DRAG's post.

Nevertheless, nothing catches DRAG's attention unless he can blame righty or whitey, and nothing grabs gay Tom's attention unless he can blame the right for hating gays.

Take a deep breath and start over. Seriously its like you are spazzing out right now. there is indeed a well known connection to russia funding political movements in other countries. This includes pro russia political parties, anti gay groups, & anti fracking groups. that's all I'm saying.

Must have been the first part I said, after reading it again, it sounds like a kid. I meant "Yes, he is trolling." And while I'm not negating what you're saying about funding, I'm saying HE suspects that its the right wing orgs that are getting the funding for anti-frac, and anti-gay. Oh how ironic.

lol

Russia is a funny place.

Some Russians protest because they think Putin is too liberal.

The threat of currency controls has caused many brokerages to suspend trading in Rubles and also in the RTS index. Ruble past 70. I suspect that the tale of the tape will show that the RCB spent billions of dollars trying to defend it over the last couple of days.

Here's where things stand today.

1) Russia's exchange rate stands at 70 to the USD (up from 45 around 3 weeks ago), 90 to the EUR, and over 100 to the GBP.
2) Russia's interest rate stands at 17 percent. Ruining the Russian economy didn't reverse the slide in the Ruble.
3) Russia's own Central Bank is now forecasting a contraction of around 5% next year and inflation around 20% (higher in food).
4) Russia's currency is now effectively worthless as a medium of exchange due to the panic.
5) There appears to be a shortage of physical dollars and Euros in Russia. People are offering up to 100 RUB per dollar on the streets of Moscow.
6) Prices are now being removed for big ticket items (purchasers are being asked to call the manager or leave their number so that someone can call them and tell them how much something will be sold for - my guess is that would be a Euro or Dollar price)
7) For small items, a new denomination of "convertable units" has appeared. This is effectively a dollarization. Its in violation of Russian law.
8) Russia will have to bail out its banks and its larger companies. This will have to take place in dollars or some other hard currency.
9) Russia had about 380 Billion in hard reserves (a surplus) as of last week. It sounds like a lot, but I suspect that barring a reversal, this will likely be down to 3 months imports sometime around February or March.

Obviously this will leave Putin with a lot less money to spend on his military, on donations to anti-Western groups/countries, and for payoffs needed to run his state.

And Putin has been radio silent during this. Interesting. Of course, this isn't a rebuke of Russia, which has valuable assets, but rather of Putin. Few trust him in the markets.

What will tomorrow bring?

(12-16-2014 12:54 PM)dmacfour Wrote:  Russia is a funny place.

Some Russians protest because they think Putin is too liberal.

Oddly, Putin seems to be funding some on the right. http://www.dw.de/is-the-kremlin-financin...a-18101352

Most Right wing groups are not stupid enough to take the money, but some have been, mainly Euroskeptic groups.

There also have been some links to the anti-globalization and anti-fracking "left", but he's found fewer willing takers in that regard.

(12-16-2014 11:01 AM)ericsrevenge76 Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 10:16 AM)I45owl Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 06:50 AM)ericsrevenge76 Wrote:  Obama does not like to be embarrassed or made a fool of, and Putin made a fool of him a lot the last few years.

I'm kind of dumbfounded by this statement. I thought he was completely oblivious to being made a fool. I thought that was his defining characteristic?

I think he is oblivious in most cases. Particularly when dealing with his political enemies here at home. He is delusional on most domestic political issues.

I think Putin actually made him feel embarrassed for real though. Or pissed him off.

As far as why this and not that? I don't know. Almost nothing the guy does makes sense to me.

I actually think you make a good point. Obama's at his most punitive when someone resists his will, regardless of whether or not the position he takes (either to begin with or at that point) makes any sense. He is petulant in those cases.

(12-16-2014 01:46 PM)I45owl Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 11:01 AM)ericsrevenge76 Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 10:16 AM)I45owl Wrote:  

(12-16-2014 06:50 AM)ericsrevenge76 Wrote:  Obama does not like to be embarrassed or made a fool of, and Putin made a fool of him a lot the last few years.

I'm kind of dumbfounded by this statement. I thought he was completely oblivious to being made a fool. I thought that was his defining characteristic?

I think he is oblivious in most cases. Particularly when dealing with his political enemies here at home. He is delusional on most domestic political issues.

I think Putin actually made him feel embarrassed for real though. Or pissed him off.

As far as why this and not that? I don't know. Almost nothing the guy does makes sense to me.

I actually think you make a good point. Obama's at his most punitive when someone resists his will, regardless of whether or not the position he takes (either to begin with or at that point) makes any sense. He is petulant in those cases.

What a legacy, 'The Petulant President". Why don't I feel secure with him a the leader of the country?

(12-16-2014 01:57 PM)Crebman Wrote:  What a legacy, 'The Petulant President". Why don't I feel secure with him as the leader of the country?

Because he's black, and you're racist?