Russians Struggle and Wait

There are people who hope the new president fails, and who are looking for an opportunity to have their biases and false theories proven correct. I recall a friend who took glee in the idea of President Obama turning the nation into a version of France, and socialist, after four years. People make these statements while giving Bush, a man of principled ill execution but true sincerity, a free pass for the state in which he has left the nation. One could make the argument that Bush took us to socialism, and over the years, when the government pulls out of the private sector, Obama will return us to the way things should be, with our without his "magic" powers.

Meanwhile, around the world, the chaotic toll of our flawed choices continues.  Though Russia continues to slip, let us hope that the interiews in this BBC piece accurately reflect a broad consensus of Russians.

Konstantin says that in the worst-case scenario, he will be able to provide for his family for a year, as they have a flat and "all the primal needs are fulfilled - without foreign trips and big spending".

Speaking of the main lessons he has learned during the crisis, Konstantin says that when things get back to normal, he will try to put aside enough money to tide him over for two years, not the three to six months he thought was enough before.

It is good to know that Russians see this as a situation to learn from and are not inclined to reject capitalism in the face of current troubles. The idea of things "getting back to normal" is comforting from the mouth of a Russian and is a sign that western ways have been internalized.
Seems as though Russians can still recognize capitalism, even if certain disgruntled Americans have lost the ability to differentiate between truth and a lie, or capitalism and socialism.