tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post5778908054420168675..comments2023-10-22T18:25:39.688+08:00Comments on The View from Taiwan: Ma picks SiewMichael Turtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17974403961870976346noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-36283463599420412712007-06-28T06:43:00.000+08:002007-06-28T06:43:00.000+08:00I agree totally, but unfortunately for Ma, given t...I agree totally, but unfortunately for Ma, <B>given the constraints</B> that are on him, Siew was the best he could do. A younger Taiwanese might look better than he does, and it would be a reminder to his Deep Blue base that Taiwan is for the Taiwanese, eventually. Ma has to keep that base happpy....Michael Turtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17974403961870976346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-632223209019930212007-06-28T05:18:00.000+08:002007-06-28T05:18:00.000+08:00Overall, Siew is an excellent choice, given the co...<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<BR/>Overall, Siew is an excellent choice, given the constraints that Ma operates under, and given that the best choice, Wang Jin-pyng, refused to be second to Ma.... Even his age has its positives: the fact that Siew is a decade older than Ma will help reinforce Ma's own "youthful" image by comparison. Ma did well with this pick.<BR/>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><BR/><BR/><BR/>I think picking an older Taiwanese runninbg mate hurts Ma much more than it helps him.<BR/><BR/>In a society with Confucian characteristics, veneration of age is a deeply held virtue. For Ma to pick a Taiwanese over 10 years older then he is signals to the Hoklos that they have limited prospects in a KMT-led society, that even a respected figure such as Siew has to carry the water pail for a younger mainlainder.<BR/><BR/>Ma would have been much better off picking a Taiwanese Dan Quayle---a young and inexperienced, but charming young Hoklo with a sheepish grin---to serve as his running mate. That would at the very least preserve the facade that the regard for age and tradition has been maintained, and that Hoklos do have a chance in a KMT-run nation.<BR/><BR/>Though they may not voice it outwardly, the older-generation Hoklos who have followed the KMT all their lives, are going to view this as yet another slight and slap in their faces.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-63934237730419032932007-06-27T08:37:00.000+08:002007-06-27T08:37:00.000+08:00"Unfortunately, American nature citizenship is awa..."Unfortunately, American nature citizenship is awarded based on birthplace not parents' nationality. Am I right?"<BR/><BR/>Natural-born citizenship is derived from one being either physically born on US soil, or from having at least one parent who is an American citizen at the time of birth. Thus, even though my daughter was born in Taiwan, she is an American citizen from birth because I carry a US passport. She could, therefore, run for president someday.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-20972608218328218422007-06-26T15:29:00.000+08:002007-06-26T15:29:00.000+08:00it doesn't matter if he (or she) is born outside o...<B>it doesn't matter if he (or she) is born outside of the USA, as long as that person is an American citizen from the time of their birth, they are eligible for the presidency.</B><BR/><BR/>Unfortunately, American nature citizenship is awarded based on birthplace not parents' nationality. Am I right?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-11479033007821819562007-06-26T14:47:00.000+08:002007-06-26T14:47:00.000+08:00Andres wrote:"...the candidate must be born in tai...Andres wrote:<BR/>"...the candidate must be born in taiwan and not in foreign soil. isn't that the case in the usa..."<BR/><BR/>According to the US constitution, a president must be a "natural-born citizen". In other words, it doesn't matter if he (or she) is born outside of the USA, as long as that person is an American citizen from the time of their birth, they are eligible for the presidency.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-60456983627548030662007-06-26T00:45:00.000+08:002007-06-26T00:45:00.000+08:00The ROC has only been on Taiwan since 1949. I thi...The ROC has only been on Taiwan since 1949. I think it's normal for a centuries-old country to require a presidential candidate to be natural-born, but maybe for Taiwan we'll have to wait awhile to see that legislated.<BR/><BR/>On the other hand, one could debate the criteria for that legislation. Should we talk about the age of the ROC on Taiwan, or that of Taiwan as a geographical entity? Or should Taiwan only allow aborigines to run because even the Hoklo majority are of Chinese ancestry?channinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06386334271601532591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-58491144504647599492007-06-25T16:48:00.000+08:002007-06-25T16:48:00.000+08:00Is 蕭登標 out and running again, in Taipao, where the...Is 蕭登標 out and running again, in Taipao, where the HSR station is?<BR/><BR/><BR/>MichaelMichael Turtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17974403961870976346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-43651334150079635752007-06-25T16:19:00.000+08:002007-06-25T16:19:00.000+08:00Aarrgh! I was searching under the wrong names.Than...Aarrgh! I was searching under the wrong names.<BR/><BR/>Thanks, man. Even still, it's not like the Siew faction can deliver Chiayi. They are not exactly Yen Ching-piao....<BR/><BR/>MichaelMichael Turtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17974403961870976346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-54385939307805909512007-06-25T16:06:00.000+08:002007-06-25T16:06:00.000+08:00Maybe, but I couldn't turn up any evidence that Si...Maybe, but I couldn't turn up any evidence that Siew/Hsiao is connected to that family. I ran some searches, but found nothing on any of the major Chiayi factions, the Huangs, Hsu-s, or Lins. But I'll correct that if you have something. I'd love to see how the local transmogrifies into the national....<BR/><BR/>Feiren, I think a woman would have been a better pick too -- and had I been running, I would have picked a femme, but I think an attractive, educated woman in her 40s would simply blow Ma away, on personality. Plus, there is always the problem of her building an independent power base, being young and smart than Ma. Ever notice how tough and smart women in politics here are? Anyway, who could Ma pick with political experience and the right credentials? He's hamstrung by the inability of the KMT to develop talent. <BR/><BR/>I agree with your assessment of Siew's expertise. Ma's economic thinking is simply to go back into the developmentalist past. But again -- where are the forward thinking KMT politicians who are willing to say that those tools worked in those days, but now we need new tools? There are plenty of people with the right attitude in academia, but they are not politicians with campaign experience.<BR/><BR/>And then somehow Ma has to solve his problem with Lien and the Party Machine. I've been predicting for two years that the might hamstring Ma come election time. We'll see.<BR/><BR/>All in all, Siew looks in hindsight like one of those "oh, yeah" choices. <BR/><BR/>And I am glad he picked him. He won't get much help from him, and it simply shows how backward looking and unprogressive the KMT is. Hsieh looks better all the time, and the idea of Yeh Chu-lan contrasting with Siew....makes me salivate. <BR/><BR/>MichaelMichael Turtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17974403961870976346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-20207427681968861912007-06-25T15:29:00.000+08:002007-06-25T15:29:00.000+08:00Michael,I thought Siew was at least nominally conn...Michael,<BR/><BR/>I thought Siew was at least nominally connected with the Hsiao family faction (蕭家班) who I believe play an important role in Chiayi City and County farmer association politics. One Hsiao family politician Hsiao Teng-piao (蕭登標) a former county council speaker <A HREF="http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2002/new/oct/29/today-c7.htm" REL="nofollow">went to jail</A> on corruption charges.<BR/><BR/>You seem to be arguing that Siew is the best choice Ma could have made given his constraints. I disagree. Surely Ma could have found a bright ambitious highly educated Taiwanese woman in her late thirties to early 40s with a background in economics or finance. How hard could it have been to choose something resembling a fresh face?<BR/><BR/>The point about Siew's never having served as Minister of Finance raises an interesting point. Just exactly what is Siew's supposed expertise?<BR/><BR/>Essentially, Siew is an expert on state-sponsored development--naptha crackers, freeways, high speed rails and that sort of thing. The kind of politician who believes that what Taiwan economy needs is even more mindless development regardless of the costs. This may well gain Ma points in some quarters, but I don't think it bodes well for Taiwan's economy under Ma, because what we're getting is an old-school technocrat who simply doesn't understand that the main problem with Taiwan's economy is that it has long since outgrown the model Siew is familiar with.Michael Faheyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11057491107522344042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-68187077561009358532007-06-25T13:23:00.001+08:002007-06-25T13:23:00.001+08:00Andres, I agree!Andres, I agree!Michael Turtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17974403961870976346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-13701680844443336512007-06-25T13:23:00.000+08:002007-06-25T13:23:00.000+08:00Thanks, Wulingren. I knew you'd like it. The Taipe...Thanks, Wulingren. I knew you'd like it. The Taipei Times has an analysis today focusing on the KMT's lack of next generation candidates. Who does Ma pick for the putative second term? Hau?<BR/><BR/>MichaelMichael Turtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17974403961870976346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-18230217204647476842007-06-25T13:12:00.000+08:002007-06-25T13:12:00.000+08:00"Ma being a mainlander born in Hong Kong"i still s..."<I>Ma being a mainlander born in Hong Kong</I>"<BR/>i still strongly object that. personally, i feel that to run for president or vice-president, the candidate must be born in taiwan and not in foreign soil. isn't that the case in the usa and most countries around the world?Andrehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09262913117330754448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-16431183372819229782007-06-25T11:59:00.000+08:002007-06-25T11:59:00.000+08:00Fascinating! Thanks for the background. I thought ...Fascinating! Thanks for the background. I thought the Taipei Times editorial was weak. While it is perhaps the case that the KMT has no future stars, the idea that Ma should have picked someone younger and charismatic seems to me to be politically naive. That would only steal Ma's thunder. Ma is running a cult of personality campaign. You saw it all the time when he was Mayor. I also heard him talk last year at Fu-jen University. Before he entered, the audience was told what to do when he entered. When he finished, he walk from the stage down the center through the audience. Several female students swarmed him as he walked out the back. This made it difficult for the reporters waiting outside to interview him. If that isn't a cult of personality candidate, then who is? Would such a candidate pick a charismatic running mate?<BR/><BR/>My feeling is that Frank Hsieh is more of a movement-builder.Elihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03648566751513055517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-54793786055385725282007-06-25T08:48:00.000+08:002007-06-25T08:48:00.000+08:00to my ear, it sounds like all that has to happen i...to my ear, it sounds like all that has to happen is for time to go on and the KMT issue will solve itself.MJ Kleinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16859263977094071677noreply@blogger.com