I Hate the Russian Embassy

[san diego 407]

how can your car make you better or worse? why are you so concerned about somebody else's Bentley and counting somebody else's money anyway? they can commute to work using a plane or a helicopter and I won't care as long as they are doing their job. I just don't believe there is such a thing as a good politician. Period.

I have a full right counting their money if they earned them by taking bribes while seniors starve.

[eekee 182]

I have a full right counting their money if they earned them by taking bribes while seniors starve.

Yeah, I am going to agree with San Diego. There may not be totally 100% honest politicans anywhere, but Russia really takes the cake in this regard.

[slim 1,514]

Are our politicians any different? They may not overtly scam everyone, but they have no problem getting millions and millions of dollars in other ways.

I've always wondered why our politicians are millionaires.

[eekee 182]

Are our politicians any different? They may not overtly scam everyone, but they have no problem getting millions and millions of dollars in other ways.

I've always wondered why our politicians are millionaires.

It takes money to get elected in the first place, generally. Most people don't work their way up from, say, municipal government.

[san diego 407]

Every government has some degree of corruption. However, the keyword is DEGREE. US government corruption and European countries level is acceptable, meaning it does not affect US citizens on any significant way. On the other hand, corruption in Russia and Arab countries is at the level far beyond being reasonable and affects its citizens in a major way. Affects people's well-being, affects personal freedoms. Do you think there is so little personal freedom in Russia and Arab countries because of dictatorships?? No! Because it allows local governments to steel from its citizens. This is all Putin and its gang is all bout. This is all what arab gangs are all about that currently attacking US embassies. They are lead by jerks that make money on this whole thing.

[san diego 407]

Are our politicians any different? They may not overtly scam everyone, but they have no problem getting millions and millions of dollars in other ways.

I've always wondered why our politicians are millionaires.

Actually, a lot of our so-called millionaire politicians already come into the politics with independent wealth: either family (Kennedy, Bush) or earned (Bloomberg). I would be happy to discuss specific examples that you may bring up. Of course, there are several cases but not nearly not as many as you are implying.

[slim 1,514]

Every government has some degree of corruption. However, the keyword is DEGREE. US government corruption and European countries level is acceptable, meaning it does not affect US citizens on any significant way. On the other hand, corruption in Russia and Arab countries is at the level far beyond being reasonable and affects its citizens in a major way. Affects people's well-being, affects personal freedoms. Do you think there is so little personal freedom in Russia and Arab countries because of dictatorships?? No! Because it allows local governments to steel from its citizens. This is all Putin and its gang is all bout. This is all what arab gangs are all about that currently attacking US embassies. They are lead by jerks that make money on this whole thing.

Where is this absence of personal freedom you speak of?

When my wife (from Russia) got here she was shocked how we had to petition the government for the right to do things like start a fire in the park for shashliki, get a permit to change our house around, get certified to work certain jobs. In Russia, people are FREE to do things like that without their government's permission.

I lived in a few countries in the Middle East and visited several others. What I saw there was normal, every day HIGH STANDARD of living similar to what we have here. Were there poor people? Sure. Do we know their regimes to be oppressive? Absolutely. But, the average person there is free to do stuff just like we are here and they can in Russia.

How many rules and regulations do they have? How many do we have?

The United States has the highest rate of incarceration of any country in the world. I didn't say "developed country" I said "country." For a culture that is so free we sure do have a lot of government involvement in our lives. From the moment we wake up in the morning (slept on a bed that has a warning label on it - CDC approved as hypoallergenic) and punch the alarm clock (cheap import inspected by government upon entry - regulated and inspected by FCC so as not to cause interference with other electronic devices) and walk to take a tinkle (in a porcelain pot that's water is regulated by the EPA so we don't use too much) and brush our teeth (with paste inspected by the FDA) ... and I'm already tired of typing and I've been up three minutes.

Our system is different. But it's no better or worse than anyone else's.

Actually, a lot of our so-called millionaire politicians already come into the politics with independent wealth: either family (Kennedy, Bush) or earned (Bloomberg). I would be happy to discuss specific examples that you may bring up. Of course, there are several cases but not nearly not as many as you are implying.

When was the last time a "regular person" won an election?

Our representatives very seldom represent us. A good measuring stick for that is the BILLIONS of dollars spent on campaigns each year. And then look at their salaries. The median household income in my state is $47,000. A state rep makes $60,000 per year.

The Obama campaign spent over 700 million dollars to win a job that pays $400,000 a year. Don't tell me our government isn't corrupt.

[san diego 407]

Where is this absence of personal freedom you speak of?

When my wife (from Russia) got here she was shocked how we had to petition the government for the right to do things like start a fire in the park for shashliki, get a permit to change our house around, get certified to work certain jobs. In Russia, people are FREE to do things like that without their government's permission.

I lived in a few countries in the Middle East and visited several others. What I saw there was normal, every day HIGH STANDARD of living similar to what we have here. Were there poor people? Sure. Do we know their regimes to be oppressive? Absolutely. But, the average person there is free to do stuff just like we are here and they can in Russia.

How many rules and regulations do they have? How many do we have?

The United States has the highest rate of incarceration of any country in the world. I didn't say "developed country" I said "country." For a culture that is so free we sure do have a lot of government involvement in our lives. From the moment we wake up in the morning (slept on a bed that has a warning label on it - CDC approved as hypoallergenic) and punch the alarm clock (cheap import inspected by government upon entry - regulated and inspected by FCC so as not to cause interference with other electronic devices) and walk to take a tinkle (in a porcelain pot that's water is regulated by the EPA so we don't use too much) and brush our teeth (with paste inspected by the FDA) ... and I'm already tired of typing and I've been up three minutes.

Our system is different. But it's no better or worse than anyone else's.

When was the last time a "regular person" won an election?

Our representatives very seldom represent us. A good measuring stick for that is the BILLIONS of dollars spent on campaigns each year. And then look at their salaries. The median household income in my state is $47,000. A state rep makes $60,000 per year.

The Obama campaign spent over 700 million dollars to win a job that pays $400,000 a year. Don't tell me our government isn't corrupt.

Your statements are absolutely unsupported. $400K per year is not such a big salary for responsibility that US President has. In general if you like Russia so much, why didn't you move there with your wife instead of dragging her here???

[slim 1,514]

Your statements are absolutely unsupported.

ORLY? You're free to look them up at your own leisure. It's not my job to get your facts for you.

$400K per year is not such a big salary for responsibility that US President has.

The president has almost no responsibility. You can look that up in the constitution if you wish.

In general if you like Russia so much, why didn't you move there with your wife instead of dragging her here???

Where did I say I like Russia so much?

[tmma 467]

It got alittle snippy in here, I see!

[Neonred 3,522]

A quick update. Since wife's passports expired she has been trying to renew them through the Russian embassy following their requirements. Embassy says she must prove she is a Russian citizen. She sent everything they asked for, passport copies, birth certificate, etc, etc. Talked with them a while back and they were asking where she was in 1992 and every year since then. Of course in 1992 she was in (East) Germany as her husband then was Russian military.... after that she lived in Rostov. Her propyska is in Rostov and she still owns an apartment there . The embassy says the Rostov region has no record of her ever being there. They cannot establish that she is a Russian citizen and will not renew her passport!

I had her call back the embassy and ask if they cannot establish that she is a citizen, then can she renounce her citizenship or get a letter that says she is not a citizen? They said to do that she must first renew her Russian passport and send that in and do the paperwork to renounce. WHAT??

Can't renew, can't renounce. If not for her US passport she would not be able to prove any citizenship. Only downside now is that she will not be traveling to Russia until we figure this out.

You gotta love the Russian embassy and it's "customer service"....just like back in mother Russia.

[Brad and Vika 129]

A quick update. Since wife's passports expired she has been trying to renew them through the Russian embassy following their requirements. Embassy says she must prove she is a Russian citizen. She sent everything they asked for, passport copies, birth certificate, etc, etc. Talked with them a while back and they were asking where she was in 1992 and every year since then. Of course in 1992 she was in (East) Germany as her husband then was Russian military.... after that she lived in Rostov. Her propyska is in Rostov and she still owns an apartment there . The embassy says the Rostov region has no record of her ever being there. They cannot establish that she is a Russian citizen and will not renew her passport!

I had her call back the embassy and ask if they cannot establish that she is a citizen, then can she renounce her citizenship or get a letter that says she is not a citizen? They said to do that she must first renew her Russian passport and send that in and do the paperwork to renounce. WHAT??

Can't renew, can't renounce. If not for her US passport she would not be able to prove any citizenship. Only downside now is that she will not be traveling to Russia until we figure this out.

You gotta love the Russian embassy and it's "customer service"....just like back in mother Russia.

I read this to Vika just now. Her comment was "sounds like business as usual".