The Final Step
The election is just about here. People in Taiwan should carefully examine the candidates in order to choose those who will seriously tackle problems and consider the long-term interests of our country. By now, we ought to be able to tell the difference between those who give us temporary hope and those who offer permanent solutions. I would like to get a few things off my chest, though. First, I am sick of accusations that DPP is the cause of the economic downturn and the loss of jobs. It has only been the ruling party for the past year and a half and many of the factors underlying the economic downturn were in place when the DPP took over. Should the DPP be held responsible for the economic slowdown in the US? In Japan? In Europe? Of course not. If we want to blame anyone in our country, we should look at all those Taiwanese businesspeople moving their companies to the China. And who are these people? Many of them are KMT members or are sympathetic to the KMT's pro-unification stance. Some investment in China is healthy, but wholesale relocations damage our own economy. I am also tired of listening to Lien Chan (連戰) bad-mouth President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁). Lien is only campaigning because he and his KMT are still furious about losing power. Lien is so bitter over losing the presidential election that he only knows how to spreads rumors to confuse people in the hopes of the KMT returning to power. If Lien Chan really cares for the people of Taiwan, why doesn't he help rebuild society instead of tearing it down for his own sake? It is hard to build up a new administration from scratch and to weed out corruption inherited from the past. Right now what we need to do is support the DPP in the election so that a revitalized legislature can work hand in hand with the Cabinet and the President's Office. The first transfer of power in the legislature will be the final step in our attainment of real democracy. Judy K. L. Wu
Nantou
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