Aleksei A. Navalny & Pussy Riot

Being a professional emerging markets investor and a descendent of a Russian (and a Hungarian and 2 Finns), I know the world is a complicated place.  My regular readers know that I am very thankful my great grandmother left her husband (who family lore has being the son of the Chief Rabbi of Moscow - but that makes no sense to me as why would the son of the Chief Rabbi of Moscow be living in Kovel, Ukraine?) to come to the U.S. and assist my personal gene pool.  I wouldn't be me if she hadn't.

What makes Russia such a difficult place to understand is its own complications (not unlike the U.S.A.)    Being an aging Punk Rocker, I was taken by Pussy Riot's actions and understood their motivations very well.  Being a pro-the-people person when it comes to escaping over bearing government, I support the Syrian Free Army and anyone who wants to improve individual freedoms.  I didn't know what to think about Aleksei Navalny because corruption is so rampant in corporate Russia and if you work there, I don't know what is true and what isn't.  Transparency and a rule of law is needed in Russia.  That is why I only buy bonds of the sovereign and state owned companies.  The Oligarchs, in control of everything else, need to understand that the Rule of Putin must evolve into the Rule of Law; if Russia is to evolve into an integrated member of the global community.

I was in Moscow in 1994 and met someone who studied the U.S.A. during the Communist era. He told me a priceless comment.  "We imported the only kind of capitalism we could observe, DALLAS."  Dallas, unfortunately, is still alive in the U.S.A. in the Republican Party. For the unknowing, Dallas was a TV show where people with money in Texas ran over people to become more wealthy.  Nothing I have ever heard about Russia is more true than this statement.

I have finally gathered enough information to believe that Aleksei Navalny has been framed.  That is unfortunate.  So is the Russian government's support of Assad and Iran, while Iran supports the Islamic Terrorists in the Caucuses.

So what is the conclusion?  You cannot be effective if you are in jail.  Other paths must be found.  When frustration erupts and you can't stand it anymore, get enough people to agree with you, quietly, so that you personally don't get put away for 5 years.  Use anonymous electronic media to gather this support.

If so many descendents of Russians can be successful in the West, all Russians can be successful in Russia.  The newest version of the Tsar's and the communist autocracy can be overcome.  Just do it in a way that keeps you out of jail and with your family.