Irish Economics

Ireland has proven itself to be a model country when it comes to improving their economy:

What brought about Ireland's dramatic transmogrification? One study suggests that it was simply more people working more effectively. Starting in the early 1970s, an almost unprecedented extended period of strong productivity growth resulted in productivity levels (as measured in output per hour worked) above those of the United States, the global productivity gold standard. Meanwhile, around a decade ago, Irish growth was fueled by a surge in the number of workers, from 1.2 million in 1993 to 1.8 million in 2003—in part as unemployment rates dropped and large numbers of women entered the workforce.
Of course, if that were all there was to it, labor camps run by productivity experts would be popular models of development. Instead, the Irish recipe is a combination of Economics 101, luck, and an almost otherworldly persistence. Long before globalization became a geopolitical cliché, Ireland subscribed to free trade in part as a way to increase domestic competitiveness. It also recognized how protectionist policies, like high tariffs, can distort the path of economic development and investment. It implemented policies focused on facilitating foreign investment and created incentives to aggressively attract it; now Ireland accounts for one-quarter of all U.S. foreign direct investment in Europe. Tax rates were cut, both for businesses and individuals, and the country's fiscal and monetary house was brought into order. In the 1980s, a broad social partnership between industry and trade unions paved the way for positive and constructive relations and helped restrain wage growth. And, as in other European countries, Ireland's education policy has been broadly successful in creating a large supply of young workers.

Emphasis mine. Free trade, reduction of protectionist policies, facilitating foreign investment, lower taxes and industry and labor cooperation; that sounds like very sound fiscal policy. It also sounds exactly like what Bush wants to do (with the exception of that very stupid, politically motivated steel tariff fiasco--since rescinded) and what the Democrats are against.

I disagree with the writers premise that Ireland is "fading fast", their economy is at 4% annually, which is double the rest of Europe.