[quote=“Omniloquacious”]Ah, but Chewycorns, I’ve worked for KMT and DPP administrations, have been treated very well by both, and know senior people in both parties for whom I have the highest regard.
I judge people on their individual merits, not their political affiliation or where they were born. That is why I am hoping for Ma to become the next president, and would be especially pleased if he had Siew as his vice president, but would also give the thumbs-up to Su as president, particularly if he had an outstanding VP like Tsai Ing-wen. On the other side of the coin, I thoroughly disapprove of Chen (notwithstanding that he was by far the best candidate in the last election), and would be horrified if Lien, Soong, Wang, Lu or any of their ilk were to worm their way into the presidency.
I want to see the best people running this country, and I don’t care whether they are green, blue, or any other colour, as long as I can trust them to act with Taiwan’s best interests at heart.[/quote]
The name dropping doesn’t impress me much Omni. Like Thomas Jefferson said a few centuries ago, I would rather be sitting in a cabin with a few close friends and some bourbon than being around city politicians, royalty, or other pretensious folk.
However, to match your flamboyant name-dropping style, I too have worked with senior people in both parties, met every foreign minister appointed by the DPP etc.—I even have a letter of recommendation from the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs (who had such high esteem for my work during my two years of service under his leadership [before the Tainan people came in], he allowed me to write my own letter of recommendation before becoming Taiwan’s de-facto Ambassador in Paris and then Deputy Foreign Minister 
).
In the past I’ve agreed with you on many things and probably still do (truth be told). However, (and this is just my humble opinion), I think you are prone to flattery. In other words, have you worked with these senior KMT and DPP members up close and on a daily basis for many years? Or have you just rubbed shoulders at cocktail parties and/or official functions and seen them at their best? Furthermore, have you worked in a high-stress big-budget ministry (such as international development) where peoples’ true natures may be revealed during the long hours of work for all to see?
I, too, judge people by their individual merits, not their political affiliation. I still value friendships formed in my government years with people from all shades on the political spectrum. However, when foreigners are routinely exploited year after year in a particular ministry, when they are not offered the same job security as other officials, when verbal assurances are given and then reneged upon in direct contradiction to offical evaluations, when good people remain silent, when long-time “Chinese” workers are not punished for making big mistakes because of sexual ties and “guanxi”, I don’t think the best people are running the country. The simple fact is that in Chinese, Taiwanese, and other Asian cultures, the “best” people often do not enter politics. In fact, it is usually the opposite. This is especially true for Chen Shui-bian and his crony Tainan BSR appointments.
Even the good people you mention do not care too much about the “average workers” and are not new players on Taiwan’s political scene. Tsai Ing-Wen? With her LSE graduate degree in Law and her millions of dollars in personal stock, I don’t think she is too interested in helping out the grassroots of Taiwan.
Again, Lee Teng-hui is correct with his assessment of many people in the DPP don’t you think (with the exception of Tsai and a few others)? Racist facists. I am sure that some of the people you mingle with at the very top are great people. I, too, think there are some great people (the Deputy Foreign Minister being one) currently in government. However, till the end of my days, I will remain disappointed in the unprofessionalism, racism, and lack of honor evident in 90 percent of people in government in Taiwan. [u] It is the responsibility of those at the top to protect people, especially foreigners who produced results.
[color=blue]That is why I think Yu Shy-kun should be added to any DPP ticket in 2008. Because that is the accurate representation of what most Taiwanese actually are[/color]. I would say a Ma or Tsai is what they want to be.
Although you do seem to have your own repetitive posts and hatreds (your hatred of John Howard for one 
). 