I Lived In Soviet Russia When Bernie Sanders Visited, And He’s A Communist Dupe

[GURPS]

Bernie continued:

Their palaces of culture for the young people, a whole variety of programs for the young people, and cultural programs which go far beyond what we do in this country. We went to a theater in Yaroslavl which was absolutely beautiful, had three separate stages. Their cultural programs were put together by professional actors and actresses, including a puppeteer area. And the cost, the highest price of the ticket you can get was equivalent of $1.50.

It’s true that the Soviet Union subsidized all sorts of cultural programming for children, such as theaters and youth culture palaces with after-school enrichment programs. Unfortunately, in a socialist economy, that type of institution existed without any feedback from the markets.

I was part of the generation that took yearly field trips to the Theater of The Young Viewer. Ticket costs aside, there was just one such stage in the city, plus the Puppet Theater for the younger kids, and not a lot of demand for the shows. I don’t think American cultural programming is in any way inferior, albeit the cost to the consumer might be higher.

When I was 10, I started taking the metro across town to a children’s palace where the after-school activities were offered. The palace, a beautiful pre-revolutionary structure, was named after Stalin’s henchman Pavel Postyshev. Postyshev presided over Red Terror, purges, and Holodomor, before himself falling victim to Stalinist repressions.


https://thefederalist.com/2020/02/2...nie-sanders-visited-and-hes-a-communist-dupe/

 

[glhs837]

Want to ask Bernie if he visited a grocery store in the USSR on his honeymoon, and why in hell he thinks mine should look like that....

 

[SamSpade]

Figured I'd tell this story.

We were in Russia about a month while we adopted my son. One of the weird things we experienced was, just about every retail outlet would slightly tear our receipt just before giving it to us. Not in HALF - just a little rip. I asked a checker why - and she just said that's what they do. No idea.

Finally someone older told us. As many of us ALSO know, in the days of the Soviet Union, shopping for just about anything consisted of going through three lines (we would later experience the very same thing when buying cold medicine, which is sold in apothecaries there, and not sold over the counter). First you indicated to someone what you wanted - and they gave you a slip. Then you waited in another line, where you paid. Lastly, you waited in a third line, to receive the merchandise you paid for. (What made the apothecary visit so odd was, we were the ONLY patrons in the store and the whole place wasn't much bigger than our family room).

But - in days past, they often didn't HAVE what you asked for - milk, bread, and so on. So when you got through the third line - you'd get nothing except maybe a reminder to keep your receipt. You could return on another day - and when you GOT your merchandise, they'd put the little tear in the receipt as "proof" you got what you bought (of course, it kind of betrays the whole concept of "receipt", because the piece of paper isn't proof of receiving - just payment).

 

[Yooper]

...would slightly tear our receipt just before giving it to us. Not in HALF - just a little rip. I asked a checker why - and she just said that's what they do. No idea.

Finally someone older told us. As many of us ALSO know, in the days of the Soviet Union, shopping for just about anything consisted of going through three lines (we would later experience the very same thing when buying cold medicine, which is sold in apothecaries there, and not sold over the counter). First you indicated to someone what you wanted - and they gave you a slip. Then you waited in another line, where you paid. Lastly, you waited in a third line, to receive the merchandise you paid for. (What made the apothecary visit so odd was, we were the ONLY patrons in the store and the whole place wasn't much bigger than our family room).

But - in days past, they often didn't HAVE what you asked for - milk, bread, and so on. So when you got through the third line - you'd get nothing except maybe a reminder to keep your receipt. You could return on another day - and when you GOT your merchandise, they'd put the little tear in the receipt as "proof" you got what you bought (of course, it kind of betrays the whole concept of "receipt", because the piece of paper isn't proof of receiving - just payment).

I think I have a number of books that still have the torn receipts in them. So yes, I actually lived this during my time working over in that workers' paradise (Moscow and other highly desired destinations throughout/within). Fortunately, being a foreigner, I could use the beryozka (i.e., hard currency store) which overcharged by a mile (hard currency, y'all) but were stocked to levels unimaginable to the average Soviet (hence, the very vibrant black market). Did a bit of my shopping/buying in the State stores (beryozka and "normal"), but most in the "gray market" (the black market protected by local authorities).

Yup, the Moscow Metro was cheap. But by the time I got "over there" that was just all the USSR had going for it.... And to think that for its entire history THE destination fr those not living in Moscow was Moscow. It was so desired that a non-Moscow citizen had to get what was essentially a visa to travel/stay/live there (in addition to all the other internal travel documents requirements).

While living/working there one thought never left me: how hard life was/is for the people that the Party was supposedly caring for. Bernie is a tool (literally).

Good times (not).

--- End of line (MCP)

 

[SamSpade]

Yup, the Moscow Metro was cheap. But by the time I got "over there" that was just all the USSR had going for it.... And to think that for its entire history THE destination fr those not living in Moscow was Moscow.

A short time after we returned with my son, we went on an Alaskan cruise for my brother-in-law's birthday. At one point I met a woman who was from Russia, and I told her how beautiful I thought Moscow was.

Not being FROM Moscow, her reaction was less than welcoming - in a strong Russian accent she replied "dat iz because dey STEEEEEL from rest of country". It was as you say - yeah, thanks for nothing, Moscow.