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Editorial: Seven years on, what has changed?

One thing that has contributed to friction among the nation's ethnic groups is the unbalanced distribution of welfare funds, an issue that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration has failed to address, despite its repeated calls for "transitional justice."

A glance at the Executive Yuan's annual budgets for next year reveals the reason for growing criticism among pan-green supporters frustrated with the DPP government for not acting to implement fair welfare policies.

How can the DPP depict itself as a knight in shining armor, here to bring us social justice, but content itself with continuing the policies of the former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) regime -- policies that pander to the interests of specific groups.

According to the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics, the central government's proposed spending for the next fiscal year is NT$1.7 trillion.

Defense spending accounts for the largest share, at some NT$340 billion, or one-fifth of the total. The budget for the Ministry of National Defense is followed by funding for the Ministry of Education at NT$150 billion.

Most people can agree it's reasonable to prioritize our defense and education. But how about this mind-boggling tidbit: The agency with the third-highest budget is the Veteran Affairs Commission (VAC). This, despite the fact that there are only 500,000 veterans, according to the commission. But the central government is allotting the commission NT$130 billion -- or 8.2 percent -- of total spending.

Farmers and laborers account for a large proportion of our workforce, yet the Council of Agricultural Affairs (COA) has been allocated only NT$96 billion -- or 5.7 percent -- of next year's budget. The Council of Labor Affairs (CLA), meanwhile, will get NT$66 billion -- or 3.9 percent -- of the total.

There is no doubt that veterans have contributed to the nation, but is the contribution of farmers and laborers so small? What is the explanation for the unreasonably high appropriation of funds for the VAC compared with those allotted to the COA and CLA?

The government is continuing a policy begun under the KMT regime that gives a disproportionate amount of welfare to veterans -- mostly soldiers who accompanied Chiang Kai-shek's (蔣介石) army from China in 1949 -- at the cost of other groups.

They not only enjoy housing that is almost free, purchased by the government, but they receive housing subsidies and monthly subsidies of NT$13,550 or more -- benefits that are passed on from generation to generation.

It is no secret that the majority of DPP supporters are blue-collar workers, including farmers and laborers. But what has the DPP in the last seven years done to improve their living standards?

For one, President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) promise to lower the 18 percent preferential interest rate on savings for retired teachers, public servants and soldiers is still just that: a promise.

If the DPP administration can't remember what it is working for and show some progress toward goals that helped it win the last two presidential elections, it is unfit to call itself a friend of social justice.
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