Election thread No 37b (was: The speaker trucks are here!)

Who would/will you vote for?

  • Chen Shui-Bian/Annette Lu (DPP)
  • Lien Chan/James Soong (KMT,PFP)

0 voters

Political season has finally arived! I saw the first speaker truck (pan-blue) going down the street yesterday and another (DPP) today. The first obnoxious one came with the garbage truck today (I think that’s what it was, I didn’t get up). Here or home, something in politics always gets my blood up, sorry game that it is. Brings back memories of home. Wish I could jump in!
Bill

[color=indigo]What IS the point of teh referendum? I’ve heard president Chen’s explanation a few times but still makes no sense to me…[/color] :shock:

hmm… This poll looks like it’s going the same way the real poll is expected to in March. Anyone care to say why they feel one way or the other about the candidates?

Note that the majority of people responding to this poll (56% at the time of this post) would cast their votes for A-bian and partner. Presumably most of the respondents are foreigners, which strengthens the already distinct impression that laowai are more likely to favour Chen-Lu over Lien-Soong. So if A-bian had had the good sense to enfranchise foreign residents (or at least those with PR status), he might have had a chance of picking up enough extra votes to swing the election in his favour. Too bad he missed the chance.

I fly a Chen-Lu flag from my Vespa.
Sandman calls it an invitation for people to scratch my bike, but if I can’t vote, I can at least campaign.

I told my wife that if she votes blue I’ll divorce her. If blue should win I’ll leave Taiwan.

If we posted our true feeling about one or more of the candidates, would we end up on someone’s black list? Do any of the candidates actually care what we think?

I do sometimes worry about that. There’s one side that I’m certain would never sink to such a level, but the other side I’m not so sure about. Given the past record of some of their leaders, anyone who dares say a word against them could well be putting himself in some jeopardy if and when they come to power.

I don’t think a foreigner would have any problems, we are sort of novelty items, but anyone can be a pest. I saw a group of taxi drivers in Hsimenting this afternoon rallying for the pan-blues…very hayseed-ish these guys. A bottle of Hsiaoshing wine, a pack of Long Lifes and a baggie full of betelnut and the world is their oyster. I cannot imagine even trying to argue politics with these gentlemen…

Enfranchising foreigners would kill what popularity he may have.

I do sometimes worry about that. There’s one side that I’m certain would never sink to such a level, but the other side I’m not so sure about. Given the past record of some of their leaders, anyone who dares say a word against them could well be putting himself in some jeopardy if and when they come to power.[/quote]

That’s a comfort. I was going to write that, ideology aside, I simply can’t support a team of candidates so lacking in personal dignity. Think rubber spacesuits, “I love my wife and my haircut,” and “AIDS is a curse from God.” At least the silver spoon boys have the ability to act presidential. I can’t remember any names, so I could be writing about anyone, really.

Ideology aside, I fail to discern anything presidential about any of the people on either of the tickets, though I’ll let you draw your own conclusions as to which of the candidates I’m referring to.

Given such a dismal situation, my vote would have to go to the pair of candidates that possesses the greater honor, decency, integrity and sincerity. That makes the choice very easy, because one of the teams possesses absolutely none of those qualities at all – but I’m keeping mum about who I have in mind when I say that.

Whatever gave you the impression that I was running?

Running a book on the outcome, perhaps? In which case, put a tenner for me on the pair that’s bereft of almost any redeeming quality.

[quote=“Omniloquacious”]Ideology aside, I fail to discern anything presidential about any of the people on either of the tickets, though I’ll let you draw your own conclusions as to which of the candidates I’m referring to.

Given such a dismal situation, my vote would have to go to the pair of candidates that possesses the greater honor, decency, integrity and sincerity. That makes the choice very easy, because one of the teams possesses absolutely none of those qualities at all – but I’m keeping mum about who I have in mind when I say that.[/quote]So that leaves a racist who would, given his war, would get Taiwan forceably reunified after a way. Ironic that a forienger would vote for a party that is doing what it can to make foreigners unwelcome here. Take Taipei County for example, refusing to give foriengers The ARC that the law says they are allowed. Seems most of their policies are based on hate and fear of foreigners.

All the candidates are tits, in different ways. No different from politicians in other countries I suppose.

Interlocutor wrote:

You are being over-alarmist (if there is such a term). I have been here for 18 years and have supported openly whoever I wished (if there was a choice). I have not been threatened or harmed or anything. Martial law is long over.
In any country you will find hotheads, so you could find some here too. If you know a fanatic political radical, sure, be careful. But I have found everyone I have discussed politics with to be reasonable.

Omni wrote:

I hope you lose that bet. Are you thinking of Orwell’s “At 50, everyone has the face he deserves” in the sense that the Taiwanese will get ‘stuck’ with the leaders they deserve?

I sympathize with the few people who are unfortunate in living close to the hive of sound trucks, but these are the exceptions, not the rule.

[quote=“wolf_reinhold”]Omni wrote:

I hope you lose that bet. [/quote]

I, too, would love to lose the bet. I’d gladly lose a far larger sum if the result could be otherwise than I fear it’s inevitably going to be.

[quote]wolf_reinhold wrote:

You are being over-alarmist (if there is such a term). I have been here for 18 years and have supported openly whoever I wished (if there was a choice). I have not been threatened or harmed or anything. Martial law is long over.
In any country you will find hotheads, so you could find some here too. If you know a fanatic political radical, sure, be careful. But I have found everyone I have discussed politics with to be reasonable.[/quote]

Again, don’t kid yourself. I am talking about personal retribution, not governmental. The government is not going to bother keeping tabs of who foreigners support but individuals will and on election night when their candidate has lost and they are jacked up on Gouliang (sp?) they are not likely to drag you into the streets but a screwdriver across your car door or crazy glue in your doorlock are not out of the realm of possibility. And as for the office, political feelings can get you backstabbed in no time or it could take years to manifest. I am not a newbie here, I am pushing a decade myself. I know people who have been thrown out of cabs for admitting their true political leanings to beatle nut jawing, whisbie swilling cabbies. My advice is to keep it to yourself.

Well sure, that’s what I said. I steer clear of those types completely, much less talk politics with them.
People are different, and while I have never had any problem discussing politics with the locals, we must swim with a different set of people.
Clearly, if you voice support in any way for the pan-blues at the offices of the Liberty Times or the Taipei Times, you face dismissal. So yes, there are places where any “incorrect” political views will not be tolerated.

I am getting the creeping feeling that Chen may just pull it off, Omni. I don’t know if that makes you feel good or bad, but it looks increasingly like the pan-blues are their own worst enemy.

Here’s an article from Foreign Affairs entitled Trouble In Taiwan

foreignaffairs.org/20040301f … mode=print