Eric, even though I don't have any warm sentiments towards Stalin, I think I have to explain to you the background the way I see it, so you could form a more informed opinion. Like Peter I, Stalin transformed the foundation of the country to be what it is today. His successors would probably only beef it up, but did not change much infrastructure-wise. And that what ultimately forms the country. (I'm not talking about the price right now, just about the achievements. And not about whether those achievements were the best of all possible course of actions.)

What many of the Russians think today is that since the new government took over in the 1992, there has been virtually next to no improvements in the infrastructure. Rather, the old infrastructure had been utilized over the possible limits designed. For many Russians, that is a sign that the new government is not building the future, meaning the government does not care about the country and the citizens. As the next step, they conclude that the old government did care more. Especially the government which had built the foundation. At that time the country was run by Stalin. Hence, the sentiments. The buses seem to me more of a gesture of the despise to the present government than the wish another Stalin would come.

Using your analogy, it's more like the herd reminding the new ignorant shepherd that the old evil shepherd had actually planted some grass.