tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post115274143482714731..comments2023-10-22T18:25:39.688+08:00Comments on The View from Taiwan: The Sinkhole that is Taiwan PoliticsMichael Turtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17974403961870976346noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-1152743443129574962006-07-13T06:30:00.000+08:002006-07-13T06:30:00.000+08:00The color division line is a reasonable one, Sun. ...The color division line is a reasonable one, Sun. It's the line between the pro- and anti-democracy sides, and the line between the pro-Taiwan and the pro-China sides. This scandal is a very bad thing for the people of Taiwan, and their future as an independent and democratic society. As my wife observed the other day, the DPP spent years building itself, and so much was thrown away because Chao Chien-ming just couldn't be satisfied with a great job and a bright career.<BR/><BR/>Personally I've never believed Ma to be invincible. I think Su can take him. But it doesn't matter much with the KMT's grip on the local level. The amendments passed today, though, are a reminder of the remarkable immaturity of the KMT, and a clue as to what kind of governance we can expect from a Ma-led Blue government.<BR/><BR/>Yes, I thought Lin's comments on the contrast with the US were important. But I can't put the whole article in....:)<BR/><BR/>MichaelMichael Turtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17974403961870976346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-1152743192716337272006-07-13T06:26:00.000+08:002006-07-13T06:26:00.000+08:00btw, the more important messages from Lin's essay ...btw, the more important messages from Lin's essay is this<BR/><BR/>The amendment is poles apart from the US' approach to providing retired presidents with preferential treatment, due to the nasty partisan politics behind it. The US' presidential retirement package is derived from an era in which presidents were expected to show self-restraint and be upstanding. <BR/><BR/>Many retired presidents had to become lawyers or judges after their terms in order to avoid destitution -- an embarrassing phenomenon for the nation. <BR/><BR/>For example, presiding over cases litigated by an attorney who was once the country's president was a sticky situation for judges. Former presidents becoming chairmen of companies also proved to be problematic. <BR/><BR/>So, the US established a system that allowed former presidents to live out their remaining years in relative comfort and safety. To that end, the content of such preferential treatment is more or less as follows:<BR/>.....Sun Binhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08093210384069958083noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-1152742858392684862006-07-13T06:20:00.000+08:002006-07-13T06:20:00.000+08:00when reason wins over the simple color-division-li...when reason wins over the simple color-division-line, i see hope in DPP, and serious challenge to 'invincible' Ma.<BR/><BR/>That is a good sign for the people in Taiwan. More competition to serve you, good for you, bad for them.<BR/><BR/>The question is, what % of the DPP supporters/members agree with you and Lin?Sun Binhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08093210384069958083noreply@blogger.com