ITHACA, NY (WSKG) - New York 23rd District Congressman Tom Reed recently visited Poland and came back encouraged by what he learned about the country’s recent economic growth.
Reed, a Republican, is pleased with Poland’s manufacturing contracts with companies in his district and its commitment to buy natural gas from the United States which he described as a move toward energy independence from Russia.
Owego, Ithaca and Corning are each home to a corporation that’s now doing business in Poland. Lockeed Martin has facility in Owego,Borg-Warner manufactures engine parts in Ithaca and Corning is home to Corning, Inc.
"It was a significant sign to me and to our American businesses about how Poland wants to be a competitive market to attract American investment," Reed said.
Reed visited Poland a few days before their national elections, but didn’t mention that when he talked about his trip.
Polish opposition critics worry that the ruling party’s changes to courts and press freedom are a threat to their democracy.
So do some in Congress.
California Democrat Adam Schiff was asked about global threats to democracy during a recent visit to Cornell.
He said in his role as chair of the House Intelligence Committee he has learned that the U.S. intelligence community have concerns beyond Russian interference in U.S. elections.
"You have the indigenous growth of autocracy around the world. You have this rise of the far right in places like Hungary and Poland," Schiff told students in the auditorium. "The rise of authoritarianism in Turkey and The Philippines."
Schiff called these changes the greatest threat to democracy since World War II.
Full Disclosure: Cornell University is a WSKG underwriter.