Sunday, June 18, 2006

Sad, sad Slovakia

With only 29% support the nutty Left of Robert Fico will apparently be forming a new government in Slovakia. Fico is a control freak. One of the old Left who think that little minds like themselves can operate entire economies and run people's lives. They get into office by promising to give the littler minds that vote for them lots of free goodies. They promise them heaven on earth but can't deliver.

The election is so splintered that there is still a chance that the reform minded government may retain power but only time will tell. Slovakia was the poor half of the former Czechoslovakia. But when that nation split in two Slovakia went on to reform while the Slovakians clung to the rigid views of the Left. The Czech Republic prospered quickly and Slovakia stagnated. But eight years ago a reform minded government was elected. It followed the examples of successful Eastern European nations and went to a flat tax and pushed through other reforms. Quickly new jobs were being created and the economy started booming.

All segments of the economy saw growth. Employment was up across the board. Of course some people got rich quickly and others are growing richer slower and Fico appealed to those who are not productive promising to punish those who got wealthy faster. He appealed to envy as the Left always does.

The numbers show that the reforms benefitted all. But the statists who want power know that envy is a sure fire method of rallying those people in society who hate others for their success and are willing to be slightly poorer themselves in order to make the wealthy substantially worse off.