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Editorial: Overcoming legislative partisanship

If there was any clear message the Legislative Yuan sent to President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) as it wrapped up its recent session, it was: "The election campaign has begun, there won't be any reforms." The lawmakers' behavior during this session not only angered Chen and caused Premier Yu Shyi-kun to lose sleep, but also prompted the American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei to complain over the failure to pass important bills -- such as the regulations governing the Financial Reconstruction Fund, the establishment of free-trade ports and cross-strait relations.

A referendum bill was also nipped in the bud thanks to the opposition's blockade. Draft amendments to the Organic Law of the Judicial Yuan (司法院組織法), crucial to judicial reforms, must wait to be reviewed until the next session. Draft amendments to the Election and Recall Law (選舉罷免法) were shelved and amendments to three media laws were also shot down.

The legislature has not only dashed hopes for legislative and political reforms, it has jeopardized the drive for economic recovery. Budgets for the expansion of public construction projects and public services did not pass. Chen's bold proposal for a NT$330 billion budget for public construction projects was stillborn because the opposition did not agree to raise the government's debt ceiling.

The opposition parties have made it very clear: they are going all out to stop Chen from achieving his two major policy goals -- reforms and economic recovery. Without a good report card in these two areas, Chen's dreams of re-election will become a nightmare. The interests of the people have been sacrificed in this partisan wrangling. The DPP could continue to exploit its position as underdog in the legislature during next year's campaign, but that refrain has grown stale. The electorate expects strong leadership from a president. Playing the underdog card could backfire.

As long as the balance of power remains unchanged in the legislature, Chen will have to fight tooth and nail for his economic and reform plans. However, some of the opposition to the Executive Yuan's proposed amendments came from within the pan-green camp itself. If the DPP cannot keep its own Central Standing Committee members in line with the party's policies, it cannot possibly get the TSU to cooperate -- much less the independent lawmakers.

Shave your own beard before you shave someone else's, the old saying goes. Only after reforming oneself can one reform others. At a recent meeting of the DPP's Central Standing Committee, Chen demanded that all party members holding government positions must give up their media jobs or posts by Sept. 5. This is a very basic job of cleaning up your own house.

The DPP also needs to communicate and coordinate with the TSU more frequently, and to seek support from independent legislators as well as pan-blue legislators. Only by creating a legislative majority can the DPP overcome the hurdles it faces in the legislature.

On the other hand, the opposition parties can't just rely on obstructionism to win public support, much less win back power next year. The opposition is now playing with fire by blindly creating negative sentiments in society. Such negative campaigning can easily backfire. The opposition needs to come up with its own constructive platforms and compete with the ruling party on that basis. Only this will be in the real spirit of partisan competition.
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