Posted on 09/26/2005 3:08:03 PM PDT by RWR8189
WARSAW -- In Mitteleuropa, the roles have reversed. The boring, steady Germans last Sunday opted for political chaos by failing to elect a government. A week later, the passionate but messy Poles expressed no ambivalence in picking a clean slate of leaders.
Polish former communists were chucked out after a single term, keeping alive a losing streak for incumbents dating back to the birth of democratic Poland. The fresh Polish twist is found in the victor's camp. Two conservative parties built a majority around the very ideas that Angela Merkel and her center-right allies failed to sell Germans on.
Law and Justice, which exit polls last night gave a three percentage point lead, fits in with Europe's Christian Democrats. Civic Platform, in second place, offers a straight shot of free market reforms, including a flat tax and a radical overhaul of the creaky state apparatus. In coalition, these two should form one of the most economically free-thinking governments of any EU state.
The earthquake in Polish politics will continue at next month's presidential elections. The Civic Platform's Donald Tusk holds a double-digit lead in the polls over Warsaw Mayor Lech Kaczynski who, along with his identical twin Jaroslaw, runs Law and Justice.
These polls spell the end for the old uklad -- or ruling order, which in the current version means rule by former communists with good connections. For the first time since 1993, neither prime minister nor president will have emerged from the senior ranks of the old People's Republic. The incumbent Democratic Left Alliance (or SLD) self-combusted after a series of corruption scandals. Fittingly, its presidential candidate Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz earlier this month was forced to withdraw when allegations surfaced that he made a tidy profit off insider trading on the Warsaw Stock Exchange.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Go Poland. Maybe if they enact the flat tax our public will finally see what kind of prosperity that can bring, and push the congress over that edge.
In 15 years, Poland could surpass a lot of the complacent, decadent Western European countries.
You are right. Poland has a lot going for it: (1) a relatively young population, (2)no Islamic minority, and (3) unlike the Germans, the Poles have babies.
...unlike the rest of europe, the Poles are Poles.
'Nuff said.
In Poland, are the conservatives like the ones we understand them to be in the US? Less taxes, less government, less rules, more freedoms, strong defense....?
Is this new Polish government a "TYPICAL" European conservative who’s just a bit more nationalistic minded but still a socialist at heart in an economic sense, or is this the real deal?
Anybody have info?
Red6
I'm not sure exactly, but in the run-up to the election I read that generally the conservative political parties in Poland grew out of the Solidarity Movement, whereas the liberal parties grew out former ruling Communist Party.
I think you're right. I just know a little about Poland so I can't expound too much.
Poland has enormous measurable economic growth though (That I do know). They are a hungry people with a good work ethic (The few I ever ran into). They are Catholic and the people have not lost their values unlike most of the (as you put well) decedent rest of Europe. This is witnessed in their position on abortion etc. They stand up for their beliefs and are proud of their nation. I too see them as a success story in the future.
That is if they don’t fall into the European pitfall of “Eurosocialism” with big government, high costs, lots of restrictions etc. There will be a constant pressure on them to conform and be like all the rest. The Europeans, especially the French and to a lesser degree the Germans are conformists and expect other to conform. As witness everywhere where the French have a say- Cameroon, Ivory Coast etc.
Red6
But is the conservative wing in Poland like Reagan in that they are about "LESS" government in the market place and peoples lives?
The "KEY" difference is that most of the conservatives in Europe still hold to a centralized, almost command driven style economy with huge social structures, massive government share in the economy etc. Is this also the case in Poland?
Red6
btt for later
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