A terrifying document. The table listing the line items of Russia’s budget can fairly be called a table of the meaninglessness of the state we have.
Who, exactly, does this state exist for, if its budget does not in the slightest reflect the interests of the population?
Look, the main issue in any election campaign is housing and utilities services. Everyone goes on about it all day long, from the Communists and A Just Russia to United Russia and the democrats. Why do they keep harping on it? Because it pays off, it wins votes, it is what people ask about. It is a hot-button issue, and everyone is unhappy.
Now look at the federal budget: housing and utilities get the same amount as state media (propaganda). In other words, housing and utilities in Russia are funded to the same extent as lies. No more than that.
Enormous, utterly unthinkable defense spending—more than three trillion rubles—at a time when the whole country is crying out: give at least a little money to the regions and cities; all of Russia is poor except Moscow. Interbudgetary transfers to the regions could be doubled while still leaving the defense budget very large.
Yes, many will say that the United States allocates more to defense. More, much more. But that comes out of an incomparably larger budget. In absolute terms, not as a proportion. Let’s grow the economy—then the budget will be bigger, and so will defense spending.
As for the two trillion rubles for “national security and law enforcement,” one hardly even wants to talk about it. With our levels of terrorist attacks, road injuries, drug use, bribery, and intentional homicides per capita, it is simply money thrown into the void. In other words, we fund a police force and security services of astonishing size, outstripping every country in per-capita numbers, and we get no-thing.
Whom does this system serve, and what is it for?