Will Ma Ying-jiu usher in a new age and direction for the KMT?
Yes (In a positive way)
Yes (In a negative way)
No
0voters
[Moderator’s Note: Title changed to keep discussion in one place]
With Wang Jin-ping saying that he’s no longer putting himself in the running for the chairmanship of the KMT, and Ma Ying-jiu basically saying that he’s going to run for the position (and with Lian Chan hopefully, finally, really stepping down in August), what does this mean for the KMT? Any major changes in their policy platform? New strategies? How will the DPP cope with this (they don’t have anyone as charismatic as CSB, and Ma whooped his butt before). How will the KMT cooperate with the PFP now with Ma being a generation younger than James Soong? Politics around here could be getting even more interesting beginning in August …
Has Wang definitely said he won’t stand? The most I’d heard was that he wouldn’t stand against Lien Chan, but that he was waiting for Lien to make up his mind before commiting to a decision (I guess he’s trying to show loyalty to Lien, and so get his support).
Personally, I hope that Ma & Wang both stand for the chairmanship, so that there’s a real contest for the leadership (rather than the usual behind-closed-doors decision making that seems to characterise all the parties in Taiwan). Of course, either of them would be a massive improvement over Lien.
I dunno about the popularity thing though … Ma’s hugely popular in Taipei, but what’s his support like in the rest of the country? Maybe Wang will appeal to the rest of Taiwan more?
Incidentally, assuming Ma becomes chairman, would he step down as mayor of Taipei?
Ma doesn’t have the clout within KMT to change anything. Putting him in as chairman will give the appearance of change, without the substance of change. He’s a pretty puppet, but nothing more. The guys in the smoky back room will pull the strings as usual.
And no, I don’t think Ma has much of a fan base outside of Taipei.
As far as I know, Lien Chan can’t run again … or has said he won’t, or something …
EDIT: I just checked and Lien Chan can seek another term. I think that is pretty doubtful, otherwise Ma wouldn’t have declared his candidacy. Also, I was wrong about Wang Jin-ping … he still hasn’t made his decision, and has even made comments to the effect that the Legislative Speaker also serving as the Chairman of the KMT would be a good thing.
I voted yes, in a positive way, but I don’t think there will be a sudden revolution within the party. If I were to compare the way LDH changed (for better or worse) the KMT in the 90s and the way I think it would change under Ma, I’d bet that the KMT under 4 to 8 years of Ma’s leadership wouldn’t change too much. My thinking is that many in the KMT are allergic to agents of change considering that the last one who ran the party turned out to be a hard boiled independence advocate. They won’t expect the same from Ma, but the conservatives will still try to hamper him.
I actually doubt that Ma will have the balls to dominate his party. I find him as agreeable as anybody else in the KMT, but I just don’t think he can be ruthless enough. I also don’t think the elders in his party will yield to him. It really seems to me that even if Lian Zhan steps down, other old farts in the KMT are going to pull a Margaret Thatcher: they’ll continue to hamstring the next party leader regardless of having no better alternative. They will do this mainly because Ma isn’t as ideological as they are and because they can’t accept that anyone even one point to the right of Ma on the political spectrum will be unelectable. I think he will become party leader and will force the party to change somewhat, but he will not be allowed to be a strong chairman. In a couple of HK papers, I read quotes from some older, anti-Ma KMT farts who were complaining that he would be a bad chairman because he can’t even manage Taipei well. Huh? Some of these idiots just can’t bring themselves to support one of the few successful politicians in their party.
Some people quoted in the papers complained that Ma showed disrespect toward Lian Zhan because he declared his intentions while Lian was out of the country. I wonder how vigorously Wang Jinping will contest this. I think it will look bad if nobody challenges Ma (smoke filled room politics), but I don’t think the KMT is a mature enough party to have a proper contest for the chairmanship without slinging so much mud that the party looks worse or is weakened.
Except for all those middle aged housewives who don’t mind seeing a man the age of their husbands without the beer gut and beetlenut stained teeth.
[quote=“Jive Turkey”]
Except for all those middle aged housewives who don’t mind seeing a man the age of their husbands without the beer gut and beetlenut stained teeth. [/quote]They think he’s cute, but the cheesy act of speaking (such poor) Taiwanese and appearing in his various costumes doesn’t cut it with the great unwashed public. Sorry, no sale.
I think earlier in Ma’s poitical career he showed the tenacity to change the KMT party on the issue of “Black Gold.” Will he change the KMT party doctrine to be pro-Independence, I doubt it. But it will be a stepping stone into the Presidential office, if he wins.
However, given the strict heirarchy within the KMT, I would be pleasantly surprised to see him win over Wang Jing Ping.
I don’t think that Ma is any different than any other KMT member. I believe he still wants Unification over the current status quo of a free independent democratic Taiwan. He is a member of the China Nationalist Party after all.
For example, do you think Ma deep down desires to see the KMT emblem removed from Taiwan’s national flag? Never happen. Any changes happen, it be will his own consolidation of power and nothing fundamental about the KMT’s backward thinking! As the previosu poster said, perhaps the elimination of Black Gold from within the KMT.
Seems like things are starting to get nasty within the KMT with Wang Jin-ping “criticizing” Mayor Ma about getting into the race before Lien Chan officially announced whether or not he was running again (which would be the worst thing for the party), and all the talk about how everyone hopes that Lien Chan will seek another term. Sigh
[quote=“LittleBuddhaTW”]…and all the talk about how everyone hopes that Lien Chan will seek another term. Sigh[/quote]You’re actually surprised by this?
While it is possible that Lien Chan is batty enough to run again, I suspect this is all just jockeying for position. Wang knows that he needs Lien’s support to have a chance, so he (and his supporters) are busy praising Lien, saying what a wonderful chairman he is and how he should run again, all the while hoping that Lien will stand down and actively support Wang as chairman.
A real contest for the leadership - where the party members get the ultimate say - has got to be good hasn’t it?
David, I think you’re right, but the recent news is scary. Lian Zhan actually consdering staying on. Would anyone in the KMT be insane enough to let this happen. It’s starting to get my hopes up. A 2008 fight to see which of the two time losers gets to represent the blues for the presidency? One can only hope
Is it my imagination, or is the KMT leadership race descending into a farce? First there was the mess about whether Lien Chan would actually run, then they changed the date of the election, then there’s been this argument about who is actually allowed to vote (which they still haven’t resolved have they?).
In parallel with this, Wang Jin-pyng has chosen a rather unfortunate outdoor activity today for his initial event (didn’t read any weather forecasts?):
Oh, and it seems both candidates have chosen almost exactly the same slogan:
[quote]The Ma campaign slogan said a Kuomintang chairman has “No honor and wealth to enjoy; Only 1,000-catty heavy burden to bear.”
“My epigram has always been that of the late President Chiang Ching-kuo,” Wang said. As a Kuomintang chairman, Chiang used to say, he had “1,000-catty heavy burden on shoulders; and (an unwavering) loyalty to the party and the country.”[/quote]
What on earth is a 1,000-catty heavy burden? Sounds painful.
Well, at least it’s a real competition this time … hopefully. And regardless of who wins, I think the KMT will be the better for it in the end. Both Ma and Wang are far better choices to change the direction of the KMT than Lien Chan … although personally I wouldn’t mind seeing Ma leaving and forming his own party, something between the pan-Blues and pan-Greens.
[quote=“LittleBuddhaTW”]Both Ma and Wang are far better choices to change the direction of the KMT than Lien Chan [/quote]Do you think Wang is just paying lip service to the CCK legacy, or is he serious with this old-guard stuff?
Hmm. Maybe a new thread is in order…
Most of the KMT central standing committee members are under Wang Jin-ping’s control. It was intriguing to see the committee put Ma on top of the list of candidates for the upcoming National Assembly election. That assembly is an ad hoc body and is going to dissolve after making the constitutional amendments that they are elected to make. Basically, the KMT central commitee was trying to kick Ma out of the ring. It must be quite a humiliation for Ma.
Another intriguing factor is James Soong. He and his PFP (at least some of the legislators) are backing Wang, who is native Taiwanese and a typical faction leader produced in the Lee Teng-hui era, instead of Ma, who is essentially a pro-unification mainlander and therefore ideologically closer to Soong Inc. My guess is that by supporting Wang, Soong is helping to squeeze the KMT’s mainlander-unification faction out of the party so that they may seek refuge under his wing. Looks like he’d rather his fellow true-blues lose out in the KMT’s internal struggle so that he can be the uncontested big brother of the true-blue camp. This year looks like a year of sell-outs like no other in Taiwan.
[/quote]They think he’s cute, but the cheesy act of speaking (such poor) Taiwanese and appearing in his various costumes doesn’t cut it with the great unwashed public. Sorry, no sale.
).