Why Have DPP Legislators So Disappointed the Voters?

 Why Have DPP Legislators So Disappointed the Voters?

United Daily News Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan)

September 24, 2019

 Translation of an Excerpt

According to the latest opinion poll conducted by this newspaper, in the legislative elections next January, 40% of voters are considering casting ballots for parties outside of the Blue and Green, showing that the third force has expanded its space. Among the voters who still stick to Blue or Green, 59% consider voting for Blue, and only 29% for Green. Such a huge gap is a serious caveat for the DPP. In the last general elections, the DPP won power in the central government and secured a majority of seats in parliament, fulfilling the goal of "complete control of government"; after over three years, why has the performance of Green legislators so disappointed the public?

It may be explained from three facets. First, for over three years in the past, the DPP-led legislature has become, however, a “mentally retarded parliament”, being relegated to a vassal and a rubber stamp of the executive branch, completely at the disposal of President Tsai. With regard to the many unreasonable bills proposed by the executive branch, the DPP legislative caucus has hardly ever expressed different views, much less blocking them.

Second, the Legislative Yuan is the constitutional organ elected by the people to enact laws; the DPP’s control, however, has made it lose its voice and lose its functions to reflect public opinion and revise the direction of national policies. Green legislators, however, have been trained to be a troop with only one voice and one action; the railroading of amendment bills to the Labor Standard Act, which were not in conformity with the needs of both labor and management, the quick ramming of the amendment bill to the Plebiscite Act, which was a violation of the democratic spirit, the obstinacy in spearheading a cross-Strait policy not conforming to people’s interests, in all these instances, Green legislators aided and abetted the executive branch. All this is the crux that turned off the vox populi.

Third, as the DPP caucus forfeited functions of parliamentary checks and balances, making Tsai Ing-wen an autocrat, the direction of national development has gradually gone further down a slanting and risky path. The stunning defeat of the DPP in last yearend’s local elections was precisely a warning of the voters. Tsai Ing-wen is using the approaches of sacrificing the people’s welfare and sacrificing the legitimacy of Green legislators to consolidate her own power and authority, easily reaping personal fame and gains. However, she could not earn the overwhelming support of the people, nor could she elevate the people’s trust or liking for DPP legislators.

Looking at the trends of current opinion polls, the DPP’s "complete control of government" will most likely come to a full stop next January. The DPP not only can't keep a parliamentary majority, it will most likely lose its status as the largest party. At that time, even if Tsai Ing-wen wins the presidential election, we are afraid she will be relegated to a lame duck. What is miserable is that the DPP originally had such an excellent opportunity for complete control of government, but has totally squandered it in the self-degradation of Green legislators, only making an autocratic president out of someone who constantly spoke of humility.

Attachment : none