During every presidential election campaign, candidates make policy proposals and campaign promises in response to the expectations of different voter groups. However, from the
national pension program, student loans and the elimination of bad bank loans to regional development, these promises and policies are considered to be little more than the candidates' views.
Saying that they aren't offering any beef is, in fact, not quite fair. The voters seem to wish that the president were a magician capable of fulfilling their every wish. Promise upon promise is made, because the budget is in any case not allocated by the Presidential Office, nor does the president have to answer to the legislature for his or her policies. That's nothing to worry about; campaign promises don't have to be delivered on.
A presidential candidate is a reflection of the electorate. Most voters may not be at all clear on the president's role, or the powers and responsibilities he or she should have under the Constitution. Anyway, a popularly elected president is the same as a popularly elected emperor -- once elected, he or she should be given unrestricted power, and should be in control of all executive and legislative power. Regardless of what the Constitution stipulates, the president should be an executive leader who does not have to answer to the legislature. If that isn't the case, then isn't the presidential election fake?
Taiwan does not have a presidential system. Even the election platform of the US president will not encroach on the jurisdiction of the different states, because that does not fall within the president's constitutional powers. But in Taiwan, presidential candidates must function as premier as well as county commissioner and city mayor. They must have a political opinion on every issue concerning the daily lives of voters, economic development, social welfare and regional development; otherwise voters will feel that they have not been offered any beef. The fact is that our candidates have a hard time of it.
So, what kind of political views should our candidates propose? They should propose concrete and clear views and opinions on major policies relating to national security. The strange thing is that our candidates equivocate on the issues on which they are most expected to express an opinion. Fortunately, our voters don't care -- or do they?
Wang Yeh-lih is a professor of political science at Tunghai University.
Translated by Perry Svensson
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