Xi Jinping, the president of China, visited Moscow in March for talks with Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia. Xi is a Communist. Putin used to be one. Still, the non-Communist impressed the still-Communist with all the things his country is doing for its people.
Back home, Xi told the Chinese how impressed he was with Russia’s ability to care for its citizens. In the U.S. we call this welfare, food stamps, handouts and the dole. Those who don’t get it resent government for giving it. But Xi thought it was noble and Putin said any government that denies its people the basic components of life has no heart. Worse, he said, doing so creates stress, anxiety, dissatisfaction, crime and turns people into animals.
Xi seemed concerned that China has not done quite as well as Russia. He told his people that Russia provides five guarantees:
- Free housing.
- Free medical care (but not medicine).
- Free education (including one meal a day).
- Free public water.
- Government review and approval before any company can layoff off a worker.
Putin, a tough old bastard who was a lieutenant colonel in the KGB, sees this as civilized and helpful in building the economy and keeping people happy and productive.
Would you be happier and more productive with these things? Or would you hate yourself and your government?
I always thought we didn’t have these things because the rich people had taken all the money. But in post-Communist Russia the rich people also have taken all the money.
So how do they do it?
Maybe by using what they saved from pulling out of Afghanistan.
I’ll end with a joke – a true story.
A former United States secretary of defense during the Cold War visited new Russia and was amazed.
“Everyone is rich,” he said. “They drive big cars, smoke big cigars, have money bulging out of their pockets. On their arms are beautiful women. It is just like Beverly Hills, except there are fewer Communists.”
By Lanny Morgnanesi
NotebookM 
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