[Trumpinator]

What about under Brezhnev, or Gorbachev? As police state like Russia is right now - Russia under Putin is both freer now and richer for the average Russian (personal freedom and wealth) than any time in Russia's history and that includes the time of the Czars.

This is a golden age for Russians compared to what they had under Gorby, Brez, or Peter The Great or even Ivan the Terrible.

I will let you ponder that for a while.

[duckln]

As police state like Russia is right now - Russia under Putin is both freer now and richer for the average Russian (personal freedom and wealth) than any time in Russia's history and that includes the time of the Czars.

Well stated. You should make the jump, quit the thug stuff and give credit to Putins' honor in moving his country forward.

Now Putin is moving the world forward by walking the talk in Syria and setting an example for Americans of what a country culture values should be.

Rush has been on the kick that we are erasing our culture, Buchanan has said the same for years. Primarily due to Putin, Russia is fighting in preserving western culture. not the Europeans or the USA.

Conservatism has a leader in Russia (Putin) , not in the US (Obama).

I think, knock on wood so far, Putin is great, no how a thug, and I bet Trump will partner up with him. Maybe W had it right when first he looked into Putins' eyes.