I was talking with a couple of prosecutors at the Ministry of Justice on Friday about the various informant programs they have here in Taiwan. For example in another thread I posted the little brochure on the Rat Out Your Employer for Fake Software Program (which is actually funded by the Business Software Alliance—not by the taxpayers).
But—the taxpayers (including me and probably you) are funding the Election Fraud/Vote Buying Informant Program. The guy was telling me that last fiscal year the program paid out over $100,000,000NT (one hundred million NT) to people who called in with information about various forms of election fraud.
It is completely unknown how many convictions have resulted, the cases that start with informants are not tracked to see how well the program works. But let me ask, just to see what people say:
As a Forumosian taxpayer is that money well spent? Is it a good way to end election fraud?
Brian the taxpayer says no because we really do not know how effective the program is or is not. And Brian the taxpayer strongly suspects it is just political b.s. hype. But I would be curious to see what others thought. {I realize a cynics answer might be; “well, compared to all the other dick brained ways the ROC government fucks off the taxpayers money, one hundred million on this bullshit program is chump change—don’t worry about it Brian”.}
Take care,
Brian the Tax Rebel
