It looks like the DPP is going to sweep the legislative by-elections in Taoyuan, Taichung, and Taitung. This will raise their total in the legislature high enough to take meaningful action.At first glance, it should also increase the widespread disgust with Ma Ying-jeou, Chairman of the KMT and President of the ROC, among his fellow party-members, increasing tensions within the KMT. It may even result in the ax for the widely dispised Su Chi, whom Ma may toss to the wolves in an attempt to appease party members calling for Su's resignation over the US beef debacle and other problems. It may also result in an acceleration of Ma's sovereignty-eroding foreign policy. How will it affect next year's elections in the municipalities of New Taipei City, Taichung, and elsewhere?
Good news for the DPP -- continued forward momentum and another morale booster. Great work, guys.
UPDATE: Reuters report:
Taiwan's anti-China opposition won all three legislative seats up for grabs in by-elections on Saturday, giving it more clout to propose bills in parliament and further pressuring the Beijing-friendly ruling Nationalists."Formal independence from China." Earth to Reuters: Taiwan isn't part of China. Quit ghostwriting for Xinhua.The victory for the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which seeks Taiwan's formal independence from China, will see it holding over a quarter of all seats, and increase its odds in later elections.
"We'll have to accept the results and face up to it," King Pu-tsung, secretary-general of the ruling Nationalist Kuomintang (KMT), said at a news conference after the loss.
A double whammy for Ma, since not only did he lose as Chairman, but his picked man King also blew the by-elections.
UPDATE II: Here are the numbers:
Taoyuan turnout rate: 38.42%
Taichung turnout rate: 45.09%
Taitung turnout rate: 39.44%
In Taoyuan, the DPP candidate received 53,633 votes; KMT candidate 36,989, independent 1,760.
In Taichung, the DPP candidate 63,335, KMT candidate 51,776
In Taitung, DPP candidate 23,190, KMT 21,215, independent 2,482
Note the low turnout; it seems many Blues stayed home to protest the KMT's policies.
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Daily Links
- Andrew Erickson on China's new ballistic trajectory anti-ship missile.
- 47 years ago, Taipei had a 0 Celsius day.
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4 comments:
Great news! Especially as I read the KMT expected to win at least 2 of the 3 races. Maybe people are waking up...
If US officials had balls, they would announce in advance that the deployment of an anti-ship missile would constitute an irrevocable change in the status quo and would result in an increase in support for Taipei. That is... if they had the balls to do so...
Reuters report:
"Taiwan's anti-China opposition"
So, Reuters meant to tell you, the readers, that the DPP goes about and beats up everyhing Chinese and everyone Chinese; just like the Nazis being anti-Jew, Iran being anti-Israel and KKK anti-Black.
As well, Michael, you wrote "Taiwan isn't part of China", you are also "anti-China", according to Reuters.
First, Zhongnanhai has been applying the “treatment” to President Obama. Next, the Pentagon announces a Patriot missiles package for Taiwan. Connecting the dots leads one to assume that the White House is not taking lightly to the Chinese leaders’ boorish handling of America’s head of state on the international scene.
You can whine yourself hoarse, China. All the same, thumbs up to you, for you have contrived making Obama’s South Chicago-burnished hackles rise.
And allow me to tread over the red lines of political correctness in surmising aloud that this blatant rudeness stems from stereotypical Chinese racism. These nincompoops can’t wrap their brains around the notion of an African-American US president.
They might pretend respect for cultural sensitivities in coddling corrupt African leaders. But watch them ensconced in the compounds of their many African projects. Is there plainer confirmation of Chinese racism than their long-held distaste of African manpower?
Hence, no rocket science involved in watching their nazi-pickled brains hard at work on the notion that Obama’s presidency is further proof of the waning of Anglo America’s might. But enough with this rant.
Now, picking up where Thomas’ anatomically charged comment was left off, ... if US officials had the brains to channel Teddy Roosevelt (balls and all),they would draw a Taiwan rescue mission plan and send it to Congress with appropriate news coverage, just for contingency’s sake.
It would involve the JSDF as proxy. That military action under the US-Japan Security Alliance would be code-named Kouhi (光被: こう‐ひ〔クワウ‐〕 光が広く行きわたること。また、君徳などが広く世の中に行きわたること。Translation : Light spreads widely. Also, the ruler’s code of ethics spreads through the whole nation.).
A good thing ‘’Kouhi’ is a homophone to “coffee” pronounced the Japanese way. The awed and shocked Chinese will swiftly hunker down to relieve the excruciating pangs their innards will be in the thralls of at a whiff of US-ordained Japanese-operated “Coffee Break”.
Occupying Japanese forces HQ would hold an UN-sponsored referendum over a new Taiwanese constitution. The long-delayed independence sealed under the former colonizer’s oversight would win Japan its long hoped-for seat at the Security Council.
Let me repeat that the above should only be publicized for contingency’s sake. Long before Japanese boots are put on Taiwan, the Taiwanese can be trusted to scuttle the Flying Dutchman the ROC on Taiwan is. Likewise, the Chinese populace could be relied upon to deal forthwith in old China fashion with their cocksure leaders.
If only Obama’s America would quit further wasting its dwindling resources and credit in the Middle-Eastern sands. And instead of giving them wide berth, let the Chinese on both banks smell Taiwan’s on-going undecided status brewing down to a Un-approved full-fledged statehood for the Taiwanese and by the Taiwanese, they’d quit plotting like roaches under a rotten tatami. Peace would shine universal ever after.
Now if you will, I’ll return to my coffee dregs and dream on.
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