[Alter Kaker]

Russians know that 50% of USA GDP is produced in financial sphere; that average household income in the USA is same as in 1959 but today 25-30% of this income is subsidized by the state. Situation in 1959 was much better because people and state were not burdened by debts unlike today. Accumulated potential for recession is bigger than in 1929.

You might tell Moody's, Standard & Poors and Fitch, because they're all of the opinion that the United States is a considerably better credit risk than Russia. Russia has the oil and gas industry and essentially nothing else. Since Putin took over, Russia has failed to take even basic steps to diversify its economy - instead using declining energy revenues to pay for welfare projects for the rest of the country.

50% of the US GDP does not come from finance - the actual figure is approximately 15%. And US household income is not the same as it was in 1959. Other than that, tovarich...

[Cossak]

Enron rating was good until it collapsed. Russia failed in 1991 when liberals seized power. It was their intended policy to make Russia raw materials appendix of civilized World. They still rule finances and economy and preserve colonial status of Russia. Bank of Russia is subsidiary of US Federal Reserve. Having better credit risk than Russia is not big achievement IMO