As the presidential campaign reaches its climax, it becomes more and more difficult for candidates not to make irresponsible promises in order to win the support of voters.
In the last crucial moments of the campaign, it is important it is that voters keep a clear head when analyzing the candidates' promises so they can decide which of these promises are castles in the air and which are truly innovative and visionary.
Presidential candidates and their parties have issued many big promises, turning voters into toys. The Ministry of Transportation and Communication, for example, seems to have had voters in mind when it rushed to open Chingchuankang International Airport, which has led to a basketful of problems.
President Chen Shui-bian (
These policies have not been exposed to wide debate, and some people in environmental protection circles and even in the arts have raised strong objections. A majority consensus on these projects, which would involve hundreds of billions of NT dollars, is still lacking.
It is not appropriate for the Democratic Progressive Party, which has always advocated clean and conscientious government, to use these projects to attract votes.
On the other hand, the pan-blue camp candidate, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (
Moreover, the pan-blue camp last week proposed adjusting the salaries of military officers, civil servants and school teachers, vowing to raise their annual salaries to almost NT$1 million (US$30,000). This would increase central and local government expenditures by about NT$190 billion annually. Not long ago, the pan-blue camp also proposed offering a preferential 18-percent interest rate on deposits made by retired farmers, fishermen and laborers.
According to rough estimates by Ministry of Finance officials, the pan-blue camp's campaign platform, if enacted, would require forking out an extra NT$400 billion from state coffers annually. This means that each household would have to pay an average of NT$80,000 in additional taxes every year.
The pan-blue camp's campaign promises would drive up government spending. And even if the government does not pile up additional debt, how will the pan-blue camp fulfill its election pledge to wipe out the deficit of NT$2.7 trillion within three years? Does the pan-blue camp plan to raise taxes if it wins the election?
In the last crucial moments of the campaign, voters should scrutinize the words and deeds of both presidential hopefuls.
Candidates sometimes make a wide array of election pledges without proper consideration. But there is no such thing as a free lunch, and each policy will carry a price tag.
Voters must realize that the decision they make on Saturday will decide the nation's political and economic development. This is closely related to the welfare of the people. The people must not be cheated by politicians and their wanton campaign promises.
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