Sunday, May 31, 2015

Could the KMT really go with Hung? + Linkfest

Found this glorious beetle decked out in aboriginal colors.

Solidarity translated two reports from the local news today. First, an Apple Daily piece saying that the KMT is courting destruction following its rules and going with Hung.
Visit the countryside and ask a KMT legislative candidate, still straining to keep a wisp of a smile on his face, how he feels right now. Having heard that for the sake of its system the party will nominate a “systemic” presidential candidate, he shakes his head and waves his hands and says, “We’ll fight our campaign on our own. I can’t possibly put up a campaign ad where I’m pictured with Hung Hsiu-chu 洪秀柱. As soon as my voters saw that picture, I’d lose their votes!”

This view is especially strong in the central and southern regions. Hung is clearly and colorfully a waishengren 外省人, and she can’t understand a word of Taiwanese. How can she establish a connection with voters there? Outside Taipei’s city limits, the fear is already spreading.
A Hung candidacy will be a train wreck for the KMT. I'm still stunned that it is even under discussion. Are wiser heads are prevailing inside the KMT? From Solidarity again:
The two sides have not reached a consensus on whether to have a “comparative poll” (placing Hung head-to-head against Tsai) or a “support poll” (simply asking whether one supports Hung’s nomination). Hung is calling for a support poll, while the party is leaning toward a comparative poll. Hau said that as the convener of the party’s nomination review committee, he does not have the standing to determine the issue, but he will communicate Hung’s position to the committee to discuss.
Solidarity has translated a couple of articles in that second post, which indicate that the consensus on how Hung's nominating process will be carried out was trashed by the Sec-Gen of the KMT. Confusion and disarray within the KMT, and hard to tell who is charge, with people acting independently. Hung's complaints are rounded up in Frozen Garlic's post...

The economy is not getting better. Articles below discuss the NT, which the central bank is frantically trying to shove down in order to keep pace with the yen, whose fall is hurting exports in both Taiwan and S Korea. For ordinary people the economy is totally stagnant, with three-fourths of the working class not getting a raise this year, and seven years of Ma Administration failure is going to punish the KMT candidate hard. Our trade surplus with China will also fall this year.

KMT legislators, put into power by local factions, have repeatedly indicated they want either Wang Jin-pyng, long the informal leader of the KMT factions in the Legislature, or KMT Chairman Chu. Every day that the party dithers over Hung is another day that the factions will consider making a deal with the DPP or running candidates against the KMT.
________________
Daily Links:
_______________________
Don't miss the comments below! And check out my blog and its sidebars for events, links to previous posts and picture posts, and scores of links to other Taiwan blogs and forums!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Comparative poll = Tsai crushes Hung, Hung can't get 30%, KMT nominates Chu/Wang, Tsai ekes out a narrow victory in 2016.


Support poll = Hung easily gets more than 30%, KMT nominates Hung, Tsai cruises to a crushing victory in 2016.

an angry taiwanese said...

breaking news. Chu takes a three-week 'vacation' from his KMT chairman position. Effective immediately. (source: Chinatimes, so is it a real news or faked one to ask Chu to step aside?)

Anonymous said...

Taiwan’s election could be essentially be decided in the next two weeks.

corey said...

In regards to your picture, you probably already know it, but the bug is a Giant Lychee Stink Bug.

Carlos said...

I don’t know anything about Hung (how well known is she?) – is there anything that makes her particularly unpalatable to Hoklo Taiwanese voters? It’s not like being waishengren makes it impossible to be elected president.

Either way, this is amusing to watch. I don't think it'll last, but I'll enjoy every minute of it.

les said...

Even Matong can speak the three lines he knows in Taiwanese once every four years in an attempt to pretend he's local. I think Hung Shiu-chu would have an allergic reaction and reject her own tongue if a word in Taiwanese came out of her mouth.

Unknown said...

"If only Taiwan was mentioned on the Left as often as it is on the Right...."
If only the Right would stop saying that Taiwan shows that "Chinese democracy" is viable.