Letter to the editor: It seems to have worked in Poland

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Mr. Brunell writes about Poland’s record growing economy since breaking free from the Soviet Union domination in 1989 and adopting a free enterprise system. Mr. Brunell neglects to mention that Poland is the largest recipient of European Union (EU) development funds since they became EU members in 2004. These subsidies have significantly impacted the strong economic growth in Poland. Mr. Brunell did not mention that the economy in Poland received a boost with increased growth in 2014 to 2017 due to the Polish government’s increased spending on social programs and welfare. This has resulted in increased consumer driven growth. Mr. Brunell writes that here at home President Biden’s increased government intervention “never works.” It seems to have worked in Poland.

Mr. Brunell also did not mention the worrying anti-democratic trends in Poland since Poland’s Law and Order Party, the PiS was elected to majority power in 2014. PiS’s legislations have increased political control of the court system, have weakened the independence of the media, have made changes to the educational system making higher education less available and routing more students toward technical schools. PiS’s reform policies also advocate for curtailing women’s rights, LGBTQ rights and banned abortion in accordance with the Polish Catholic Church doctrine. I hope the PiS’s populist, ultra-conservative and anti-democratic sentiments do not attract a following in our country.



Berit Kristiansen,

Battle Ground