Hey all,
I just read this article, taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/ … 2003614900 , about Mr. Robin Winkler who’s making a bid for a legislative seat. I’m just beginning to learn about Taiwanese politics, so do y’all who know more than me think this guy stands a chance just based on his race? Are there many/any practicing non-native-born Taiwanese politicians? Does anyone who knows more about Robin Winkler think he stands a chance based on his merit?
Everything I’ve heard about Robin Winkler has been very positive (serious environmentalist, honest person, well-respected by Taiwanese and foreign lawyers). I guess he started a company (Winkler & Partners), and then the partners voted him out of his own company! Don’t know what that was all about or how that could even happen. I sent him my resume years ago and although his firm was practicing in areas unrelated to what I do (patent stuff), he wrote me back and in a long letter explained the situation and how we should still meet sometime, etc. I would vote for him if I could.
Guess he will need to do a lot to convince the voters that he’s a true Taiwanese. I would vote for him, if only to see what he can do in parliament.
anyone see anything strange in this article…
m.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/2015/0 … rn-ROC.htm
‘Winkler, who gave up his U.S. citizenship to become a naturalized Republic of China citizen in 2003, became the first-ever foreign-born individual in Taiwan Tuesday to throw his hat into the legislative election of 2016.’
what a fucking rag…
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I had a long conversation with him a while back and found him very hard to talk to (I believe he went away with the same opinion of me). Personality clash, I guess. My impression is that, being a lawyer, he sees the world through the prism of The Law. He is clearly an extremely smart guy, but I’m not convinced he’d be any good at the schmoozing and alliance-building demanded of the Taiwanese politician.
Wasn’t Ma born in HK? 
I guess what they mean is “the first bignose”.
I’ve seen him on the street handing out flyers for environmental causes, he seems very genuine.
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I would TOTALLY vote for him but I think his chance is really slim.
[quote=“finley”]
Wasn’t Ma born in HK?
I guess what they mean is “the first bignose”.[/quote]
The description in the video below got it right. Well, sort of. It says Winker is the first legislature candidate “with a western face.” (第1位有著西方臉孔的立委參選人).
However, the video description also states that he acquired ROC citizenship in 2015 (在2015年取得中華民國國籍), but everything else I read–and the video itself–says this happened in 2003 (http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%96%87%E9%AD%AF%E5%BD%AC)
Ah, the media.
Must have been 2003, as I think you have to be a citizen for a number of years before you can run for office. I would have been able to run for president in 2004 if I hadn’t been under 40, as the rule is 10 years for that office. Not sure if it’s the same for legislators. People keep pestering me about running for something, but I’ve managed to deflect them with the easy excuse that I’d just piss off too many voters to last even if I were electable.
I know Robin, though the last time we met he’d completely forgotten me and asked me if I was visiting Taiwan for long. Someone at Amcham mentioned that he’s been having some trouble with U.S. tax issues or something, but I don’t know the details. He seems nice enough, dunno if I’d vote for him, but as I’m in Xinbei I wouldn’t have the choice anyway.
[quote=“headhonchoII”]anyone see anything strange in this article…
m.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/2015/0 … rn-ROC.htm
‘Winkler, who gave up his U.S. citizenship to become a naturalized Republic of China citizen in 2003, became the first-ever foreign-born individual in Taiwan Tuesday to throw his hat into the legislative election of 2016.’
what a fucking rag…
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Not, Ma Ying-jeou was born in Kwong Wah Hospital in Kowloon, Hong Kong on 13 July 1950. He is of Hakka ancestry … according to Wikipedia.
And lot’s of legislators are not really native Taiwanese … they claim to be Chinese!
I hope Mr. Wanker will give us foreigner workers Taiwanese retirement funds…
If you pay laobao you will have a pension fund, won’t be much though.
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[quote=“headhonchoII”]If you pay laobao you will have a pension fund, won’t be much though.
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My understanding is that you have to get citizenship for being eligible
No, everyone who pays laobao gets back. It is a pittance, though. If you expect 100% or even 80% of current salary, no way. Look at elderly locals driving taxis and busing tables at 80 years old. That’s why. They my get 5 to 10k a month. Tops. Atogas may get a million or so in bulk sum. Now live with that 20 years.
I’ve never met the man, although I know two Forumosans who work for Winkler Partners. This page makes it sound like Robin Winkler still officially works there, even if he may not handle many cases. winklerpartners.com/?page_id=39
I wish him well in the election, although I fear his chances of winning may not be great.
He is not the only “new citizen” participating in the elections. A Vietnamese TV star is also running, with a platform based on pushing for more modern policies regarding “new immigrant” families.
Yuo can not pay laobao if you are not a citizen. You have to get married, wait for about 5 years, and then you can apply for it. Or that’s what i was told.
If you are not paying laobao right now, that is a problem. It is deducted from your salary as NHI is.
Do not rely on what I have been told, especially if it is a foreigner issue as told by Taiwanese people. Go to the nearest laobao office and find out for sure from the horse mouth.
Waiting 5 years after marriage sounds like the requisite for nationality, not laobao.
Everybody who works full time pays laobao, employer copays, and you are entitled to it no matter local or not, may need to wait until 60 or so to get the cash though.
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[quote=“headhonchoII”]Everybody who works full time pays laobao, employer copays, and you are entitled to it no matter local or not, may need to wait until 60 or so to get the cash though.
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How do you know it? were you told so at the government office?
I don’t want to hijack the thread, btw…