With General Elections looming in Taiwan, it seems the people who voted in the DPP (Democratic Progressive Party) have lost faith. This loss of faith could mean a return to the old rule of the KMT (the Kuomintang). One reason for the turn-around could be blamed on the economy; polls taken in January 2008 by CommonWealth Magazine indicated that as much as 72% of the population interviewed were unsatisfied with Taiwan's economic performance. But is it just about money? President's Chen's family have done a fantastic job for the KMT. His son-in-law, Chao Chien-ming, was convicted of insider-trading and sentenced to a jail term of 8 years and 4 months. President Chen's wife has also had a run-in with the law over insider-trading, but is probably better known for her indictment over allegedly falsifying expenditure records from the President's national security account. And then there's Vice President Annette Lu, indicted on corruption charges and embezzlement for writing off expenses with flase receipts from a special government account.
Politics always temps those of weaker wills who, when presented with a little authority, abuse the trust placed in them by the voters. It's always happened and always will. The strong character should have the decency to accept their failures and part their post with the little respect they have left. Anyone can make a mistake, but who has the courage to admit that they made a mistake? Not Taiwanese politicians, apparently. Or maybe not politicians in general. "Sexual relations" springs to mind.
But before I completely write off the DPP, it would be unfair not to take a quick glance over at the, probably soon-to-be-in-power KMT. The KMT has a long tradition of being associated with 'black gold' (黑金) scandals: a reference to the attainment of money through secret and corrupt methods. Chiang Kai-shek had connections with Shanghai gangster boss Du Yuesheng, although KMT party chairman Ma Ying-jeou has been credited with attempts to rid the KMT of corruption. However, surely the most worrying aspect of the KMT's politcal stance is their views on Taiwan's re-unification with China. KMT chairman Ma Ying-jeou, remember, is not actually Taiwanese. He was born in Hong Kong. Hong Kong, like Taiwan, stands in a very precarious and special position in relation to China. China regards these 'provinces' as part of China, but Hong Kong and Taiwan have a enormous ammount of freedom when compared to their mainland cousins. Do the people of Taiwan really want Beijing telling them what movies and TV programs they can watch; what books and newspapers they can read; what music they can listen to; what they can look at on the internet? The answer must be NO, no matter how many of their grandparents came over with Chiang Kai-shek. I always thought that if those people loved China so much...what's stoping them going back there? Well, i can only guess that it is the quiality of life in Taiwan, that stops them going back to China. Taiwan has freedom, freedom creates happiness and happiness is what everyone's heart desires. But maybe it's time to consider an alternative: maybe...the Green Party Taiwan (台灣綠黨).
Politics always temps those of weaker wills who, when presented with a little authority, abuse the trust placed in them by the voters. It's always happened and always will. The strong character should have the decency to accept their failures and part their post with the little respect they have left. Anyone can make a mistake, but who has the courage to admit that they made a mistake? Not Taiwanese politicians, apparently. Or maybe not politicians in general. "Sexual relations" springs to mind.
But before I completely write off the DPP, it would be unfair not to take a quick glance over at the, probably soon-to-be-in-power KMT. The KMT has a long tradition of being associated with 'black gold' (黑金) scandals: a reference to the attainment of money through secret and corrupt methods. Chiang Kai-shek had connections with Shanghai gangster boss Du Yuesheng, although KMT party chairman Ma Ying-jeou has been credited with attempts to rid the KMT of corruption. However, surely the most worrying aspect of the KMT's politcal stance is their views on Taiwan's re-unification with China. KMT chairman Ma Ying-jeou, remember, is not actually Taiwanese. He was born in Hong Kong. Hong Kong, like Taiwan, stands in a very precarious and special position in relation to China. China regards these 'provinces' as part of China, but Hong Kong and Taiwan have a enormous ammount of freedom when compared to their mainland cousins. Do the people of Taiwan really want Beijing telling them what movies and TV programs they can watch; what books and newspapers they can read; what music they can listen to; what they can look at on the internet? The answer must be NO, no matter how many of their grandparents came over with Chiang Kai-shek. I always thought that if those people loved China so much...what's stoping them going back there? Well, i can only guess that it is the quiality of life in Taiwan, that stops them going back to China. Taiwan has freedom, freedom creates happiness and happiness is what everyone's heart desires. But maybe it's time to consider an alternative: maybe...the Green Party Taiwan (台灣綠黨).
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