Editorial: Taiwan's absurd campaign culture

With less than three weeks until the Dec. 1 elections, almost all the candidates and parties have released campaign ads. However, the exaggerations and often flat-out lies in these ads often seem to do the candidates a disservice.

The DPP released a series of TV ads that named opposition lawmakers who, it claimed, had slashed the budgets for some very important social welfare and educational programs. Naturally, the release of the ads triggered major protests from opposition parties and the named legislators.

The funny thing is, the opposition parties had brought this onto themselves. Several opposition lawmakers had boasted in their campaign ads how much money they had managed to slash from budgets. Of course, such ads are inherently misleading, if not deceiving, as budget reviews are typically conducted jointly by all parties. It would seem extremely arrogant for anyone to claim personal credit for any particular adjustment. It is, however, nicely ironic to see the DPP turn the tables on the opposition.

Looking the bright side, at least these ads focus on what the incumbent lawmakers have actually accomplished during their terms. Based on these accomplishments, or lack of them, voters can rationally decide whether these individuals should be elected for another term. The opposition lawmakers named in the DPP ads really have no need to overreact. If they feel that they had good reason to slash these budgets, they are free to defend themselves and the voters can judge whether their reasons are acceptable.

Actually is high time that Taiwan's legislators were held accountable to their constituents for what they have done in the legislature. Tell the voters what bills they have helped enact and which budgets they have slashed. Voters need to know what their lawmakers do in the Legislative Yuan, besides deliberately making fools out of themselves in front of the TV cameras to get some air time.

But a lot of ads are just plain stupid. For example, New Party candidate Yok Mu-ming's (郁慕明) campaign poster contains a picture of him holding his hands together as if he is begging for mercy. The campaign slogan on the poster is: "A-bian, please, we still want to live (拜託阿扁,我們還要活下去)." What is that supposed to mean? Why doesn't he beg for mercy from China's President Jiang Zemin (江澤民). After all, the PRC is the one aiming hundreds of missiles at Taiwan.

Then is the campaign ad of independent candidate Wei Yi-lung (魏憶龍), in which Wei states: "I made A-bian cry (我把阿扁弄哭了!)." If this is Wei's only "accomplishment" in his political career, he should be ashamed of himself and summarily booted out of the legislature.

Amazingly, New Party lawmaker and Beijing's chief Taiwan-based apologist Elmer Feng (馮滬祥) is one of a few candidates stating substantive policy proposals in their ads. Unfortunately, Feng's slogan is: "Save Taiwan with `One country, two systems' (一國兩制救台灣)." One can hardly believe this is the campaign slogan of a man who got on his knees and wailed during the funeral of his former master, Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國), who masterminded the old "three nos" policy -- no contact, no compromise, and no negotiation -- for relations with China. Chiang is probably rolling over in his grave right now.

To be fair, Taiwan's media must bear some responsibility for this absurd campaign culture. The media hardly ever report the performance of lawmakers in their jobs, neither review it at election time or report on it regularly while the legislature is in session. They are only interested in stealing the attention of readers with coverage of sensational speeches and the boorish conduct of some lawmakers. Make a fresh start, starting with this election.