Putting Partisan Interests in the Middle and Leaving National Objectives on the Side

  Putting Partisan Interests in the Middle and Leaving National Objectives on the Side

United Daily News Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan)

December 18, 2017

 Translation of an Excerpt

After setbacks one after the other in amending again the "Labor Standards Act" and in the "minesweepers case," the DPP introduced a series of political bills and railroaded them in parliament with lightning speed. They included the bill entitled the “Statute Governing the Promotion of Transformational Justice” which had been tabled for over a year, completing the legislative action in one evening, and the amendment bill to the “Plebiscite Act,” lowering the bars in a great hurry. In addition, regarding the amendment bill to the "Statute Governing the Organization of Farm Irrigation Associations" and the amendment bill to the "Income Tax Act," the DPP bypassed the committee review procedures, and sent the bills to the plenary session for the second reading. These approaches, besides trampling on the pursuit of democracy that the DPP pursued while in opposition, only proved that the DPP does not have much feelings and ideals in ruling Taiwan; all it had was only a strong desire for control.

The legislative work of parliament decides the legal framework for operations in the country; it must of course seek a consensus of various circles as much as possible so as to conform to the maximum national interests and long-term development. Although the DPP has an overwhelming majority in the Legislative Yuan, it still must listen to public opinion outside of the parliament and consider the different opinions of the opposition parties in order to enact more well-rounded legislation for implementation. In its early years, the DPP accused the KMT of being an oligarchy ruling party; who knew that it would become even more barbarian than the KMT after taking power; the enactment of bills and amendment bills are often tailor-made for the interests of the party, while the legislative procedures are even more autocratic and erratic, restraining citizens’ opportunities for making their voices heard.

We believe that the Tsai government lacks a genuine heart for treasuring Taiwan, and the reason is precisely here. The DPP only cares about what political harvests it can reap today, but never asks itself what it will build or leave behind for Taiwan. For this reason, the DPP describes the achievements of its antecessors as deprivations, and then blatantly appropriates these assets as its own in the name of "transformational justice." And when the DPP couldn’t hand in a passable report card on the economy, it engages in political struggles for the people to see.

The DPP’s most recent legislative performance is indeed unbearable beyond description. If it is believed that the "majority party in the parliament" has the right to be so highhanded, the DPP would soon squander all the assets that its democratic antecessors have left behind. Let us ask, a political party that has its own interests in its eyes, with no national objectives, how in the world, and with what, is it "loving Taiwan,"?

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