Take a look at Sweden’s success

I was surprised to read Bob Praeger’s letter in the Herald’s Fence Post of June 29. He appears to make no distinction between communism, socialism and liberalism.

Referring to liberalism, along other things, he states, “It failed and every version of it has failed for the last 100 years.”

Where does he get this?

I suggest he read the Business Section of the Daily Herald dated June 25, titled “Lessons from Sweden.” Sweden, like all western countries, was hit hard by the recent recession. It boasts 5.5 percent growth in GDP in 2010. “Sweden didn’t do much in terms of special one-off efforts to spend money to combat the downturn. There was some extra infrastructure spending and a well timed cut to income tax rates, but the most basic response to the government was to do what the nation’s social welfare system, lavish by American standards, always does — provide income health care and other services to people who are unemployed.”

Unemployment has come down faster in Sweden than in any other industrialized country, including ours. Their GDP beats ours. This means in Sweden all are sharing in the growth, not just the top 10 percent as in the U.S. Liberalism, when practiced correctly, helps all members of society thrive and prosper, not just a select few.

Mich Barbezat

Elgin