Teaching Each Other Much

THE ROAD FROM MOSCOW TO ST. PETERSBURG, in Russia, is about four hundred miles long, give or take. It should be a drive of, say, seven hours or so. Yet, it is evidently a drive taking twice that much time, because of the horrible condition of the highway. What should be a major economically flourishing thoroughfare between two huge cities is instead a veritable wasteland, with wolves roaming in packs through ghost towns, and abandoned and decaying buildings, abandoned and decaying towns, homes, and farms. In theory, the American military could eesily land a force in this wasteland regroupd and, organize, and simulatneously capture both cities, bringing Russia to its knees. And, knowing the United States, one should never omit any possibility. As an American citizen, you hate to hear about the economic stagnation in Russia, because not only do you know exactly how it could be different, you don't understand why it isn't. You don't understand why the highway between two of the greatest cities in Russia isn't wide, smooth, busy, and safe. Why isn't the four hundred mile expanse lined with motels, towns, service stations, hustle bustle capitalism? Why not get a little free enterprise going, and raise the standard of living? Why does Russia have a "rust belt", with "monotowns", ghost towns now, which depended on a single industry which failed? Because of a bit of surplus Soviet style economic planning, is that it? Why not sell land in the rust belt at a discount, to motivate reinvestment?, (said the insolent american capitalist.) We Americans need to learn how to plan and work together, without killing each other in the process. You Russians need to learn how to compete a individuals in a way which fulfills the demands of the people. We could teach each other so much.