does anyone like James Soong? i despise him and see him as a power hungry politician who should be sent to exile. he’s a big asshole who should have retired long ago.
Be careful what you post, he could track you down and send his goonies to do what ever to you you really don’t like.
I have known Dr. Soong and his wife for over 20 years. Sometimes during his political campaigns, or related promotional activities for his organizations, we get together to discuss English language materials, correct speech drafts, or to write some English language promotional materials.
To my way of thinking, he is easy to talk to and communicate with, but I suppose my relationship with him and his wife is somewhat out of the ordinary.
During the period of time when he was Director-General of the GIO, I always behaved myself, so we never had any conflicts or anything. In that era, he often invited me to international events which the GIO sponsored in Taipei.
No, I don’t like him. And I don’t like his funny clothes also.
I think he’s scum. Too much black-gold politics, not enough leadership.
I haven’t been around here as long as you, but after reading this post… gracious, am I hallucinating?
Are you at all aware of what this man has done over the years? Whatever you do know, it obviously hasn’t stopped you from helping him with his political work
Soon is as normal as other politicians. Except his extraoridnary stupidity, of course!
Tell me which politicians that we see everyday on TV have not a connection with black-gold, a history of funny attire, or a thirst for power? New KMT chairman may be one rare exception, though he’s also known of his narcissism and has grown a taste for power and fationing different outfits. Some idealist DPP ex-politicians are also extremely honourable, but unfortunately, they are either sidelined to irrelevance like former legislator Dr Shen Fu-xioun or relegated to protesting in the street like former DPP chairman Lin Yi-xioun.
The problem of Soon is his EQ. He is the maybe the only one political figure that has been cought with a dirty hand and reacted with a farce. President Lee switched camps in 2000 and no one seems to mind his past criticism of Taiwan indepedence, his past service and participation in the repressing KMT as a senior official or his inability to stop Soon when he was the national leader in a way he got rid of military strong Hou Bou-chung. All the ills blong to the KMT and its mianlander leaders, not the chairman who had led the party for 12 years. My mother-in-law once told me that Taiwanese were good and pure people untill the mainlanders come. CCK and his son were bad dictators, but they had given Taiwan security and prosperity. Junior Chiang also started the process, no matter under what consideration, of democratisation. We should be as zealous to give him these credits as to fault him.
Soon is loathed by many, I pity him more so.
oh oh oh I have a question. Did you ever witness Dr. Soong give his victims the “kiss of death.” 
The guy is a high-ranking politician of course he can be charismatic when he wants to be.
Very interesting. No, I haven’t see Soon giving his victims a kiss of death, nor have I even seen him in person. But by all means I woulnd not consider him charismatic. He was charming when he worked for President Chinag as a more progressive U.S.-trained techocrate. He turned into a power-lusty undergod under President Lee, however. That is his choice of course. And see what he has made himself into.
The 2nd ROC political leader to visit the PRC?
For what? Soon should just retire when he still has some reputation and supporters. The way I see it, pan-blue leaders are not that differnet in their political disigns for Taiwan. They conflict with each other in a struggle of domestic support. For this, Soon is gradually fading out. If Ma is supposedly to be the future leader of pro-unification forces in Taiwan, do you honestly think there is a slightest possibility that ROC citizens, most of whom are Taiwanese, can tolerate a second mainlander at the top? No wonder Chiang Xiao-yian and Soon came out to support Wang Jin-pin in the final stage of KMT election. Both have been general secratary of the KMT and both think they are senior to or at least for Chinag, on par with Ma. I have no intention to demean Soon. He was once a powerful politician, just as Lee was and just as Chen is. Their difference is that Soon has proven to be not a great stateman and Chen has yet to prove that. As long as they cannot produce something lasting, they are trivial in history. I despise President LTH a lot. But who can deny his effort in Taiwan’s democratisation? The democracy he built is bad and lousy. But he dared to go on the poll when most KMT members, including Ma, hoped for indirect presidential elections in a bid to maintain the myth of one China. No political figures are perfect. Soon has had his time. It’s time for him to reconsider the future of PFP and himself. I think retirement is a good choice. This goes for LTH, Lien, and Chen in 2008. Old timers should stop meddleing with the life of new generations.
By the way, here are some recent opinions polls that clearly demonstrate the fact how ROC citizens has viewed Soon. He is generally placed at a popularity level similar to Chen and LTH, his two sworn enemies, with ups and downs. he moved up a little bit but he is still in the same class with Chen and LTH. Don’t forget the 2004 end-of-the-year election when PFP was reduced significantly. Given the constitutional revision just pasted, no one could expect Soon to gain much in future national elections. My idea is that the longer he hangs on to power, the more he will loose.
gclub.com.tw/FILE_DB/DL_DB/r … 154109.pdf
gclub.com.tw/FILE_DB/DL_DB/r … 154109.pdf
huaxia.com/xw/tw/2005/00292215.html
Believe it or not folks, but Soong used to be Ma Ying Jeou for the ladies in Taiwan when he served as the official govt. liar for the GIO. Now he’s just a loser who parades around in funny caps and teflon jackets (to show he’s an ordinary working bloke?) and in serious need of a dermatologist.
Funny, both “handsome” Soong and Ma served as Chiang Ching-Kuo’s secretaries. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say no more.
Could you pease explain this to me, how he is charismatic? Regardless of what you think of Soong’s political career, I am always flabbergasted at descriptions of him as being charismatic. Never ever since I first came here in 89 have I even thought of the idea of possibly describing this piece of wood as charismatic. Sure, he likes to kneel down and beg for stuff occassionally, but he has no charisma at all. If he is charismatic, then so is Lien Chan and anyone else you could possibly think of.
Having only seen him in public roles - speeches and shit - I find Soong to be possibly the least charismatic politician in the history of humanity. Even Lien Zhan has a modicum of charisma. Shit, even Chen Shuibian has that sort of “common schmuck” charisma. Annette Lu comes pretty close to Soong in terms of lack of charisma.
But that said, maybe in person he’s different?
The key words are “when he wants to be.”
So if you’re a somebody and he wants something he’s probably the nicest man in the whole wide world. But if you a nobody with nothing to offer, be ready to be treated like a doormat.
I think too many foreigners here view the political arena through a simple blue=bad, green=good lense. While, like 90 percent of foreigners, I am sympthetic to the pro-greens (LTH over Chen although I admire both), politics is politics. I’ve seen enough poor administrators on both sides – especially in the DPP. Of course, they haven’t had five decades to become skilled technocrats have they? Politics is a blood sport – it is about survival and loyalty. And as foreigners – we are always expendable. In politics, individual needs, egos, personal connections, and narcissism far outweigh idealism and other factors. I had a DPP politico (Chen’s former Japanese interpreter and my Director before I left my job) lecture me on “Asian values” a month ago!!! He actually used the “when in Rome do as the Romans” analogy on me. I couldn’t believe it. I felt like telling him he was sounding like Lee Kuan Yew, Hu Jintao, and Mattahir Mohammed all rolled into one 
In my three years of communicating with the public sector here, pro-blue people never lectured me on “Asian values”. There was value in diversity. I knew their position: they knew mine. However, we never questioned each others professionalism, competency, or dedication. Again, although I am a “deep green” supporter, I am concerned by the Hoklo chauvinism displayed in certain factions of the DPP: this doesn’t play well to an international audience.
When local grassroots Taiwanese tell me they feel betrayed by the ruling elite – blue or green — I tend to be even more sympathetic. In other words, there is a lot of ignorance in both the pan-greens and pan-blues. There are also great people on both sides.
Soong, Lee Teng Hui, Ma, etc. were all educated overseas – they are internationalists, technocrats, and progressive in many areas. I may disagree with the blues on the “China” issue, but from my experience they were the actual “reformers” on administrative things. Some of the most rigid, “it’s the way we do things in Taiwan” stubborness is espoused by mid-level pan-green administrators. The pan-blues are much more sensitive on how “international” people view them – and of course they have to money to “grease the wheels” in this regard. The DPP wants to internationalize Taiwan further, improve the government’s English speaking capabilities, but they are unable and unwilling to make the structural changes needed for these to be implemented successfully. In my situation, they treated me like a “used condom.” They sucked all of the juice out of me (7 days holidays in three years) and disgarded me 
I remember Thomas Jefferson’s address where he states “we are all Republicans…we are all Federalists…” Politicians on both sides should both come together and make Taiwan more international, democratic, and more foreigner-friendly, while solving various domestic problems. I will always support the pan-greens, but I think sometimes foreigners are far too easy on the greens. For a party to be truly dynamic, there must be a “big tent” atmosphere that allows and encourages “criticism” and “honesty.” LTH criticized “Confucianism” but many Greens still use it to achieve their own ends. 
Furthermore, the talent pool in the DPP needs to be deepened. Too many “average people” are being put in positions that are frankly “out of their league.”
For Soong — he was LTH’s “hatchet man” in the 1990s. When he was head of the GIO in the 80s, he ran a tight ship. I don’t agree with his “strong arm tactics,” the cultural relativism of many PFP supporters, nor his views on “China,” but I’m sure socially he is a charming, interesting, and well-read fellow.
I think he is a terrific person and I really like him.
I think he is a great role model for any young man to aspire to emulate.
I think any right-minded young woman should look for the qualities of Dr. James Soong (He earned a Ph.D. in political science from Georgetown University in 1974) in any prospective husband.
OOC
[quote=“OutofChaos”]I think any right-minded young woman should look for the qualities of Dr. James Soong (He earned a Ph.D. in political science from Georgetown University in 1974) in any prospective husband.[/quote]Opportunism, megalomania, and being a sore loser?
[quote=“OutofChaos”]
I think he is a great role model for any young man to aspire to emulate. [/quote]Hmm, well we see now what kind of moral standards you seem to hold to. Thanks for clearing that up.
Your buddy James Soong during his tenure at the GIO was personally responsible for the revocation of Tina Chou’s (Associated Press) press licence for publishing the autopsy results of professor Chen Wen-cheng killed on the National Taiwan University campus in 1981 in violation of GIO orders.
The GIO banned the replication and distribution of a 1988 videotape showing police assaulting peaceful and unarmed protesters in Taipei (the DCA later produced a heavily edited version to attempt to rebut the video evidence).
The repressive licensing policies under the Publications Law which was not repealed until 1999.
The ban on satellite and cable television which was in place until 1993, and was only lifted then because it was already too widespread to ignore.
The ban on call-in radio shows which was only lifted in 1994.
This isn’t even starting on the consistent denial of permission to publish any books on the Taiwanese language, import of any books critical of the KMT or any of his dirty deeds as Provincial Governor where he dispersed cash for vote buying all over the country and was up to his neck in pork barrel project allocation on a daily basis.
Disgusting. Shameful.