When Obama Admin expelled 35 Russian "diplomats", who thinks the names of those 35 were pulled out of a hat?
What do you think the motivations were in picking the specific 35 individuals were were named, and why the two specific compounds in Maryland and NY that were closed?

Because all were suspected of being either Russian intelligence officers in the US under diplomatic cover, or being instruments of Russian intelligence. And the two compounds were both involved in intelligence gathering activities in the DC and NY areas.

So if Russian had "retaliated" in kind -- expelling 35 US "diplomats", who thinks they might have "selected" a number of US "diplomats" who were actually either CIA or DOD operatives in Russia under diplomatic cover???
What if Russia had "escalated" and expelled 70+??

Would US foreign policy interests in the last 20 days of the Obama Admin. have been advanced for 70 or more US intelligence operatives in Russia being sent home?
The sense of "disappointment" that emanates from pro-Obama folks that Russia didn't do anything is comical.

The sheer idiocy of their position -- and the fact that they present it here and elsewhere with a straight face -- makes you wonder if they really can prevent themselves from laughing when sitting around a table only with other true believers in the "Hopey-Changey" guy.

And that is where the root of the problem really lies. The modern Dem party really thought Obama was going to unlock the future of leadership across the entire governmental spectrum for them and their world views. And the opposite happened.

The reaction of the electorate at local, state, and national levels after 8 years of Obama was a rejection of everything they thought Obama would deliver to them in terms of power to run the gov't.

They are like the little kid with his nose pressed up against the window of the candy store who has no money in his pocket, and has been kicked out once for trying to steal what he could not buy.