Rivo Sisas

Ökonoomikast, poliitikast, elust, inimestest.

[Lars Höcker🏳️‍🌈🇩🇪🇪🇺🇺🇦🇬🇱🇩🇰🇨🇦 🇹🇼🇬🇧 @PerviRave]

Hypothetical question:
If a President of the USA is a secret Russian asset, what would he do to help Russia?

ChatGPT:
Interesting thought experiment—and a useful way to think about incentives and power. If someone in that position were secretly acting in another country’s interest, the key wouldn’t be dramatic, obvious betrayals. It would be subtle, deniable, and cumulative.

First, they’d likely undermine alliances quietly. The United States’ biggest strategic advantage is its network—especially NATO. So instead of openly pulling out, they might question its value, delay commitments, create distrust among members, or signal unreliability. Even small cracks weaken collective defense.

Second, they could shift foreign policy in ways that benefit Russia without looking extreme. That might mean softening sanctions, slowing military aid to countries Russia opposes (like Ukraine), or reframing conflicts to reduce U.S. involvement. None of that needs to look like “helping Russia”—just “putting America first.”

Third, damage internal cohesion. A divided country is less effective abroad. Amplifying polarization, discrediting institutions (courts, elections, intelligence agencies), or constantly creating internal crises reduces the ability of the U.S. to act strategically. That’s something adversaries historically benefit from.

Fourth, reshape leadership and bureaucracy. Appointing people who are inexperienced, loyal over competent, or sympathetic to certain narratives can gradually shift how decisions are made. Over time, that changes policy outcomes without needing explicit orders.

Fifth, control the narrative. Public opinion matters in democracies. Repeating talking points that align with Russian interests—questioning support for allies, portraying adversaries of Russia as corrupt or unworthy—can steer public sentiment in a favorable direction.

Finally, they’d avoid anything blatantly illegal or provable. The whole strategy would depend on plausible deniability. If it’s obvious, it fails.

The big picture: influence at that level isn’t about one shocking act—it’s about slowly tilting the system so that, over time, outcomes consistently benefit the other side.

[Rivo Sisas @FTRADE]

@Kodanikublogi Kõik kes pooldavad legaalseid nuge on süüdi selles, et eksisteerib noakuritegevus. Vt. ka haamrid, kirved, labidad

[Rivo Sisas @FTRADE]

@RandelVuks @ArgoLuude Saan sellest erisusest aru ja teoreetiliselt on õnnetusjuhtumite katmiseks kindlustsseltsid. Samas võib argumenteerida, et kui riik ei luba küttida metssigu, suurendades sellega riski, siis osaline riigi vastutus oleks ehk kohane.

[Bjorn Lomborg @BjornLomborg]

Remember, even if both EU and UK waste enormous sums on achieving net-zero, it will do nearly nothing in a century

Cost: nearly half a trillion dollars last year, and €3.8/£3.2 trillion by mid-century

Benefit: 0.09°C

Cost: https://t.co/9u6W6pK5iZ

Benefit: https://t.co/50NWnqLdim

[Rivo Sisas @FTRADE]

@WallStreetMav Has Trump shown his toughness to the side who started the war and attacking, and who continously tries to grab more land?

[Rivo Sisas @FTRADE]

@WallStreetMav Ignorance is bliss. The real aid given to Ukraine, over 3 years is closer to 110B, but who cares about the basic facts.

[Rivo Sisas @FTRADE]

@ArgoLuude @ebavalitsus Esimene lahesõda ilmselt oli.

[Rivo Sisas @FTRADE]

Huvitav on jälgida Argentiina president Javier Milei tegemisi. Veidi üle aasta tegutsemist ja tulemused on mõõdetavad. Populaarsus kõrgem kui enne valimisi. On küll võimalik.

[Rivo Sisas @FTRADE]

@jurihunt1 Väga piinlik lugu. Arusaamatu arrogants riigi esindajalt. Kasutu ärplemine, millest saab olla riigile ainult kahju. Ligi peaks tagasi astuma.

[Thomas Sowell Quotes @ThomasSowell]

Listen carefully what Ronald Reagan had to say about government, taxes and inflation.

[Rivo Sisas @FTRADE]

@KJarvan Sotsiaalsete töökohtade armastus on visa kaduma.

[Rivo Sisas @FTRADE]

@runnel Inimesed kulutavad, autoga liigeldes, transpordile 5% oma ajast. Kas me tahaks, et see oleks teisiti?

[Rivo Sisas @FTRADE]

Paremat seletust inflatsioonile ja selle mõjudele on raske leida.

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

💯
https://t.co/lrfyLK3ID9

[Rivo Sisas @FTRADE]

@luftivend Tulevik on plaanimajanduse päralt. Lõpuks sai see välja öeldud.

[Rivo Sisas @FTRADE]

@paivootele @tarmoseliste @rivos @Elsabert Kas eraisiku tulumaksu tagasiküsimine aasta alguses, on maksukabetamine? See on seaduslik viis maksta vähem maksu. Riik on ette näinud eri võimalusi kuidas ettevõte varasid hinnata. Kui ettevõtja valib endale nendest soodsaima, siis mille vastu ollakse eksinud?

[Rivo Sisas @FTRADE]

Rahva elatustase saab kasvada, kui on ligipääs soodsale energiale. Eestis ja Euroopas ei taheta paraku sellest aru saada.

[Bjorn Lomborg @BjornLomborg]

EU climate policy has enormous costs

Industry electricity prices have increased 70% in real terms since 2000

EU industries now pay 2.7x the electricity price in the US (and 1.9x in China)

EU households now pay 2x US electricity price (and 3.3x China)

https://t.co/NmD8QooxYM

[Rivo Sisas @FTRADE]

@martparve Väiksema sissetulekuga inimeste toetamiseks on maksuvabastus, mille nimi on tulumaksuvaba miinimum. Võibolla võiks miinimum olla kõrgem. Võibolla alumises otsas võiks olla isegi negatiivne tulumaks. Toidu km vabastus tekitab küsimuse, mis on toit ja sellest tulenevad moonutused

[Rivo Sisas @FTRADE]

@tarmoseliste Minuteada sureb külma tõttu inimes rohkem, kui kuuma tõttu. https://t.co/hIy9m1MMq9