Russians go Republican

[Txjake]

Interesting.....If people who lived in a "worker's paradise" feel uncomfortable with the direction the US seems to be going, well.....

"STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Many Russian immigrants to the "red borough" of Staten Island are flocking to the Republican Party, saying that the national Democrats' "socialistic" policies remind them too much of the top-down oligarchy they fled in their native land."

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/12/many_russians_here_aligning_wi.html

[dynalow]

Jake,

My GF was the daughter of loyal Communist Party apparatchiks in Leningrad. Oops, make that St. Petersburg (once again). She emigrated with her young daughter in 1991 and after 9/11 they both became US citizens.
She's not wildly GOP yet and simply hates Sarah Palin (she did an excellent Palin Haloween costume in 2008), but she really likes our new Guv, Chris Christie, a union challenging, big govt. enemy Republican.
Give me a few more years.

Side note: She has a much better life here than most of her college classmates do back home, except some guy named Medvedev, who was a couple of years behind her. Things aren't too good in Russia right now for the average citizen.

[Txjake]

Thugs are still in charge there, just under a different banner

[Honus]

For all the same reasons Congress should have passed the Dream Act, we need to listen to these Russian immigrants. Their credibility takes a hit, however, when they say "that the national Democrats' 'socialistic' policies remind them too much of the top-down oligarchy they fled in their native land." Their use of the word "socialistic" seems frivolous and indicates that they lack an understanding of how Democratic and Republican policies have moved away from the socialist end of the ideological spectrum over the past 30 years. On the other hand, they probably know more about socialism than we do, so we should consider that part of their comment. Where I completely get off the bus, however, is when they accuse the Democrats of employing a "top-down" governing approach. It's the GOP, not the Democrats, who have tried to give more power to the central governments at the state and federal level. That part of the immigrants' comment reveals a lack of understanding of recent American history, IMHO.

[aklim]

I do agree that the Republicans sound much better than the Democrat pitch, at least to me. However, I am not sure whether the Russians are naive or not. Is there much of a difference between a Republicrat or a Demopublican? That seems to be what we get these days. I understand that they (both sides) do say a lot of nice things but will they act on it?

[Honus]

Originally Posted by aklim

...Is there much of a difference between a Republicrat or a Demopublican?...

Absolutely.

Karl Rove and GOPers like him depend on people assuming that the Democrats and Republicans are all alike. So long as people make that assumption, people like Rove don't pay a price for lying. When they get caught in a lie, people don't hold hit against them because, the thinking goes, politicians are all the same. That view, however, is not supported by the facts. The entire GOP agenda for the past two years have been based on numerous deceptions, all focused on discrediting Obama. That's why they routinely oppose legislative proposals that they previously sponsored.

I used Rove to illustrate my point even though he appears to have been pushed to the side in recent years. I cite him as my example because he is a particularly brazen practitioner of this deceptive brand of politics. I could have used Mitch McConnell or any number of other GOPers, but I think Rove is the paradigm.

[aklim]

Originally Posted by Honus

That view, however, is not supported by the facts.

So is it your contention that a Democrat has never lied, is not lying and will never lie? People lie. Both parties are made up by people so how can one party claim to never have lied and never will?

[JollyRoger]

Originally Posted by Honus

For all the same reasons Congress should have passed the Dream Act, we need to listen to these Russian immigrants. Their credibility takes a hit, however, when they say "that the national Democrats' 'socialistic' policies remind them too much of the top-down oligarchy they fled in their native land." Their use of the word "socialistic" seems frivolous and indicates that they lack an understanding of how Democratic and Republican policies have moved away from the socialist end of the ideological spectrum over the past 30 years. On the other hand, they probably know more about socialism than we do, so we should consider that part of their comment. Where I completely get off the bus, however, is when they accuse the Democrats of employing a "top-down" governing approach. It's the GOP, not the Democrats, who have tried to give more power to the central governments at the state and federal level. That part of the immigrants' comment reveals a lack of understanding of recent American history, IMHO.

I agree. In addition, do any of you realize that you have to be extremely wealthy to live on Staten Island? Of course they're Republicans.

[Brian Carlton]

Originally Posted by JollyRoger

In addition, do any of you realize that you have to be extremely wealthy to live on Staten Island? Of course they're Republicans.

Nope.

I have it on good authority from a reputable source that $50K will be plenty.

[JollyRoger]

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

Nope.

I have it on good authority from a reputable source that $50K will be plenty.

If you have a well insulated shipping carton to live in, sure.

[Brian Carlton]

Originally Posted by JollyRoger

If you have a well insulated shipping carton to live in, sure.

Well, pressing him repeatedly for the details of how he would live resulted in nothing...........so, you might be correct............a shipping carton under the Manhattan bridge would work well...........plenty of money remaining for food and clothing.

[dynalow]

Originally Posted by JollyRoger

I agree. In addition, do any of you realize that you have to be extremely wealthy to live on Staten Island? Of course they're Republicans.

Come on now JR. I went to high school there. It's like anywhere else. some nice areas. some not so nice. The median household income in 2008 was 72.5k. Half the folks there get by on less than that. Greenwich CT it's not. Sheet mon, the WTC is buried out there.

Staten Island aka Richmond County.
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/36/36085.html

[aklim]

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

Well, pressing him repeatedly for the details of how he would live resulted in nothing...........so, you might be correct............a shipping carton under the Manhattan bridge would work well...........plenty of money remaining for food and clothing.

WHOA there. that is not what I said. I said a carton over a warm grate behind a restaurant. That is heat and food. What is under Manhattan bridge?

[Brian Carlton]

Originally Posted by aklim

WHOA there. that is not what I said. I said a carton over a warm grate behind a restaurant. That is heat and food. What is under Manhattan bridge?

It wasn't you............I was referring to a troll on the other thread.

[Brian Carlton]

Originally Posted by dynalow

The median household income

Therein lies the explanation.

If two people have an income and share the cost of housing, you're in a completely different economic situation.

The discussion was a single person earning $50K. While it might not be impossible to pull off in the outer boroughs, Manhattan is out of the question unless you get a roommate.