Financial crisis dents Russian steel town

John Doe, Detroit, MI — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 19:15:02 GMT

Why won’t you go to report from some Midwestern town here in the US?

Financial crisis dents Russian steel town

Darlene Carson NYC — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 19:31:22 GMT

I wish I could move to Ireland or St. Pertersburg.

Things are really bad in the USA, started going downhill, when we invaded Iraq onlies told by the WHitehouse, the innocent blood is coming back to haunt us, we will not recover.

Financial crisis dents Russian steel town

Mark McCarthy, Asheville North Carolina — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 21:02:15 GMT

"That pounded steel into fuel rods for Russia’s nuclear power plants."

You have to be kidding me right? Steel????? It is really hard to take this seriously when you make a mistake like that.

Also, if I was only living on a 30 dollar state benefits, working as a cleaner for 120 dollars a month might just be an improvement.

Finally, what history are you talking about? "The people of Electric Steel know their Russian history, they know that in this country revolutions have always started with poor, angry people protesting in the streets against the Kremlin." Honestly, what revolution started with poor, angry people protesting in the streets against the Kremlin? Do you mean the 1905 Revolution? Wait, the Tsar ruled from St. Petersburg then and it was a reaction against the war with Japan. Maybe the February 1917 Revolution? Oh wait, the Tsar was still in St. Petersburg and that was a revolution about the incompetence of the Tsar and Russia's involvement in World War 1. Maybe the October 1917 Revolution? Oh wait, that was not a Revolution, but a overthrown of a democratic government by a small group of rabid fanatic Bolsheviks who were willing to do what ever it took to grab power in a country that was utterly exhausted.

If you were serious in your reporting you might want to avoid egregious mistakes and historical inaccuracies and instead examine if the economic slowdown in this city is any different from what happened to Russian heavy industry in the early 1990s? Are the people better able to cope with economic recession than they were in the immediate post Soviet time period since they have already been through this. What did your interview subjects do in early 90s to survive? Can they fall back on those plans again? Are the people less passive than before? Did the brief era of prosperity make them less tolerant of economic decline? Do they blame Putin directly for taking much of the profits from the past boom years and not rebuilding Russia in any meaningful way. A lot of the money went into the military so they could throw their weight around a bit more on the international scene. Was this wise given what is taking place now? Was it wise for Russia to nationalize so many of their best businesses and scare off foreign investments? Is there really a threat to social stability and Putin's government given his strange priorities?

Financial crisis dents Russian steel town

Joe American — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 22:34:53 GMT

Looks like the plan to eclipse the U.S. by raising high oil prices and flooding its shores with cheap goods has failed again. Be careful what you wish for, Comrades... you may get it.

Financial crisis dents Russian steel town

James Bond, Orlando, Florida — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 22:55:03 GMT

This is exactly what happens when a country is more concerned with weapons and a big military than its very own citizens who has elected them in office. I am speechless, Russia is run worst than a dictatorship. The term modernization is not fitting for a country that would lets its people starve to death while buying billions of dollars worth of arms.

Financial crisis dents Russian steel town

pattherealist — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 01:13:18 GMT

I guess that this article is written to distract us Americans from taking a look at our own screwed economy and to keep our own suffering work force docile and delay a long overdue class revolution here in the US!

Financial crisis dents Russian steel town

pattherealist — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 01:13:47 GMT

Financial crisis dents Russian steel town

Phil Olson, Port Angeles, Wash. — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 01:30:31 GMT

Putin made the common mistake of all socialists. When the money is flowing in, not from work but from a natural resource, things are great but when the resource takes a hit there's nothing to fall back on.

Socialism doesn't create jobs so when oil fell through the floor the entire economy went from boom to bust. As bad as things are here we are still less than 8% unemployed and have a much stronger safety net.

Financial crisis dents Russian steel town

YOUR WORST ENEMY — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 03:50:07 GMT

RUSSIANS STEEL IS LOZY JUNK. AMRICAN STEEL IS ALOT BETTER. RUSSIA SUCKS ASS/AMERICA IS GOOD.

Financial crisis dents Russian steel town

vmo, nyc — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 06:49:02 GMT

"railing against "bad" government economic policies."

Who is to blame for this crisis that's going around the world?

Sounds like the US is still living high and jobs are plenty.

Financial crisis dents Russian steel town

james — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 14:40:51 GMT

Good i hope russia collapse because their leaders spending alot of money to challenge the west by viloateing air space of canada and many other nations they want to be a bully and thank god gas prices so low that it will prevent dictator putin from wanting to be more bully to the world. Russians deserve better leaders not the leader like putin who murders independant russian journalist who tell the truth when reporting not like those state run news. So much murders by this man and putin wants to challenge the west big time and he is now trying to rewrite history and make stalin look like good guy and any leader who trying to brainwash its own people to make them think stalin did not kill single person is plain insane. USA had bad leaders at least we get rid of them unlike fake elections that these nations have specially russia and i pray to god gas prices stay like this for years to ruin russia because they depend on high prices from gas and when they have money they get aggression on international stage

Financial crisis dents Russian steel town

Tom Paine — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 15:46:18 GMT

Maybe workers around the world have far more in common with each other than with their incompetent, money grubbing, power hungry leaders in their corporate-sponsored governments. Let's try to build links with each other, instead of being fooled into conflicts by our so-called "leaders."

Financial crisis dents Russian steel town

Tom Paine1, Columbus, Ohio — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 15:56:14 GMT

From Moscow to London to Washington to Beijing and more, maybe workers around the world have far more in common with each other than with their incompetent, money grubbing, power hungry leaders in their corporate-sponsored governments. Workers arounfd the world need to try to build links with each other, instead of being fooled into conflicts by our so-called "leaders." Please don't censor this Newsweek.

Financial crisis dents Russian steel town

mike joyce — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 16:06:49 GMT

The story of electric steel and its city is the same story of many businesses and cities around the world. As an american, I understand that the responsibility of the finacial crisis should fall on the shoulders of Dick Cheney and George Bush. These two people are american criminals who have created more wealth for the ultra-weathy. Also, george bush is the american terrorist who is responsible the the killing of thousands of innocent iraqi men, women, and children. To the rest of the world, I am sorry america voted for george bush as president... obvously too much responsiblity for a thug and a criminal.

Financial crisis dents Russian steel town

Thomas Shaffer, Miami, FL — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 17:50:25 GMT

I went and looked at the photos on http://picasaweb.google.com/avesirin/Magnitogorsk#. The city apparently does have a very nice side to it.
I was raised in Latrobe, Pa., a steel town. I could show you pictures I took there at my 50th class reunion that would look just as bad as the ones in the story. The American Locmotive Steel Company (ALCO) has huge buildings still standing empty with many classes broken out of the windows. Pittsburg in no longer the steel town it once was either. Things change.

Financial crisis dents Russian steel town

Don Stockstill, Ozark, Missouri — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 18:50:41 GMT

Elektrostal sound much like some places in the United States. I would be willing to bet that there are as many areas as bad off, if not worse in Russia. In the Unitd States the rust belt covers a large area of the central part of the country, including such cities as Detriot, Chicago, Cleveland, Saint Louis, Pittsburg, Kansas City, where there were once good paying jobs in the steel and auto industries. As the economy has contracted and continues to do so, they now find thenselves looking at jobs in the retail shops and the tourism industry, very few of which pay a living wage. I imagine that this is also happening in Russia and like American workers, the ones in Elektrostal and other Russian cities will have to pay the price too.

Financial crisis dents Russian steel town

Blogengeezer, ABQ NM — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 19:11:54 GMT

This is the Keynesian model the Liberal Leftists, now in power in the USA, are now trying to re-design into the United States of America. Frankly I do not see the positive aspect that they see and have been taught in their 'now failing' media and universities.

Financial crisis dents Russian steel town

Don L., Minnesota — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 22:22:58 GMT

One definition of stress is "unreconciled change". It is true in Russia, in the US, in China, in Europe, in Japan... Zimbabwe.. The change will happen, whether or not those now in charge want it to or not. If the system is not sustainable, it will not persist, long term. The tradgety is what happens to the people, unfortunately.

Financial crisis dents Russian steel town

Carl Wiley, Bayonne, New Jersey — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 22:40:08 GMT

Just another example of this being a global issue and not one for just the US to handle alone. How much more for countries, like the Philippines, who rely on workers being deployed overseas to send money back home. I think this global depression is just going to get worse.

Financial crisis dents Russian steel town

barbara, villas, nj — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 22:44:44 GMT

i feel for those people, we must all soon realize that we are not the only ones in the grips of poverty or we will all fall together.

Financial crisis dents Russian steel town

ibsteve2u, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 23:44:16 GMT

Gee - an object lesson in what happens when you allow your economy to lose its diversity.

Does it make you question words to the effect of "Don't worry - we are becoming a service economy!" that some of our recent Presidents were so fond of?

It should!

Well, it should have...a little late, now.

Financial crisis dents Russian steel town

Deidre — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 06:16:52 GMT

The world has to deal with GREED not just in America but all countries, dictators come and go eventually, but this greed factor remained until now a kind of game that most people ignored or or worse they looked up to the super rich and envied the fools who rip off employees, stockholders and government. Putin will die too just like all of us, pity the poor fool doesn't realize what he's in for. On the subject of the source of this problem Credit IS the problem, and there will be a world without credit when all these bailouts fail. the real balance will come about after a time of struggle. I belive in the goodness of people throughout the world, I believe there will be an unstable time, then peace. It says very clearly in the bible 'neither a borrower nor a lender be' Want to know what it means? It means pray to the creator for all you need and it will be provided. It's just too bad Putin isn't anywhere near there yet.

Financial crisis dents Russian steel town

ABDUL, LAGOS — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 09:28:18 GMT

WHAT CONCEPT CAN WE EXPLAIN ALL THESE GLOBAL "WAHALA" WITH? HOW CAN THE WHOLE WORLD BE IN TROUBLE AT THE SAME TIME? IS THIS THE FAILURE OF THE BANKING SYSTEM OR THE ECONMIC SYSTEM? SOMETHING PRINCIPLE MUST EXPLAIN THIS!! SOME EGG HEADS SHOULD PLEASE HELP

Financial crisis dents Russian steel town

Neil Harris Monticello,New York — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 10:10:12 GMT

The president of the United States has taken responibilty for his government, will other leaders do the same?

Financial crisis dents Russian steel town

Joe Montreal Quebec Canada — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 11:53:13 GMT

Most recently arrived Russians I have met in Montreal Canada are quite intelligent and hard working . It is amasing that they can be so controled and taken advantage of by their government . We are indeed fortunate here.

Financial crisis dents Russian steel town

Charles R. Studstill, Amherst, Ohio — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 12:43:28 GMT

Sounds familiar, isn’t that what oboma is doing by pumping billions of dollars in to falling companies that are said to be too important to and too big to fail.

Financial crisis dents Russian steel town

Russ Atchison, Cheney Washington, USA — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 16:45:26 GMT

Its too bad the citizens of Russia must suffer so their government can keep their military at full strength. Will the Soviet government come to their aid? Can the people that are with out work be retrained to work in the large oil fields. I know how the one person felt when they offered her a very low paying job instead of one in line with her training. It happened to me right in the good ole USA. The big bear should help its own , the cubs starve and the big bear gets bigger and hungrier.

Financial crisis dents Russian steel town

Ryan Gibby — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 20:45:44 GMT

I've been to Russia in bad times before (1993-4), and then more recently visited during the boom in 2007.

I've studied Russian history too--and have a minor in Russian language. But it still never ceases to amaze me how bad it has to get before the people expect principled leadership.

America--don't let this happen to you. You have a firm tradition of not selling yourself for a bowl of porridge and a bottle of vodka. Of not paying taxes to support government in and of itself. Don't let the false lure of Socialism lead to bad government. Socialism = bad government. It's unavoidable in our world until good triumphs over evil. (We require help from a Lord more mighty, yet more meek, than this world's leaders for that to ever happen.)

Financial crisis dents Russian steel town

Bill Riley,Soap Lake, Washington — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:33:25 GMT

This could well be the USA in less than a decade. Instead of stopping spending and cutting taxes, cities, counties, states, and Congress think increased spending of borrowed money will stimulate the economy. It never has in the past and only deepens the pain of the upcoming day of reckoning.
Americans have been overspending on borrowed monney for decades.Now our industrial base has moved overseas, encouraged by GATT, NAFTA,and CAFTA. With unemployment at 10% in Oregon and California corporations use H1B Visas to bring in foreign workers who work cheaper.Obama's 2010 Federal budget is $3.75 Trillion, with a built in $1.25 Trillion deficit. I rue the day when our paper money becomes
as worthless as the Wiemar Republic of Germany in 1933.

Financial crisis dents Russian steel town

Roi Tauer, Chicago, IL — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 02:06:33 GMT

I was in ELEKTROSTAL, before the fall of the Berlin wall, as a guest of the leaders and was amazed at the how one company and one community were so dependent on one another. Everything depended on everything connected to it. It is not surprizing that the city
has collapsed into the present state. In sharp contrast to China, there was little in the way of actual running a business. I lived in China for 5 years.

The present world economic conditions have yet to show
the devistation that could result in both these countries or even the rest of the world. bush/cheney
have left this planet with scars so severe, we will not know how badly, until the current administration unearths the remains and the Forensics are able to decipher reality.

Financial crisis dents Russian steel town

Harry T — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 06:34:39 GMT

I'm sure conditions in Elektrostal is every bit as bad as you depicted so there is no need to use hyperbole to add drama to the story. It actually allows one to question the severity of conditions - I don't understand why you claim Matvaev couldn't afford gloves and a scarf. How long as he lived there? Doesnt he have a pair from last year?

Financial crisis dents Russian steel town

k. havard — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 06:59:55 GMT

A prime example of what Socialism does to a country.
State ownership of industry leads to stagnation and loss of incentive.