Opposition lawmakers yesterday expressed concern that the lack of a common viewpoint is the main factor that has weakened the pan-blue camp.
"We don't have a common viewpoint in the pro-blue camp. Originally we all agreed that if we weren't able to gain power together through the presidential elections, we `brother' parties would work individually and encourage each other," Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hung Hsiu-chu (
"But now the brothers are fighting among themselves and aren't willing to work together," Hung said.
Speakers at the forum included vocal critics of the Chen Shui-bian (
The politicians discussed why factions in the pan-blue camp have been unable to cooperate and take decisive action. The speakers mixed self-reflection with tirades against Chen Shui-bian, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the pan-blue leadership.
"Part of the reason that opposition forces have been unable to act is that the structure of the pan-blue camp is one that promotes stability. We have historically played the stabilizing force in society," Hung said.
"For example, during the pan-blue protests after the election, we often got calls from blue-camp supporters telling us to keep things quiet, even though we all agreed that the pro-green camp was being dishonorable," she said.
"There is a serious problem of direction in the pan-blue camp, from its leaders, administrators and supporters," Sisy Chen (
Sisy Chen, who defected from the DPP in 2000, said the situation of the pan-blue camp was worse than that of the pan-green camp before it gained power.
She said that although the pan-green camp members had a wide variety of opinions and viewpoints, they were able to resolve those differences through a mutual understanding that a spoils system would reward everyone eventually.
The pan-blues, on the other hand, she said, had more inherent differences among its ethnic voter groups, and its leadership is more segmented. Factions supporting political heavyweights such as Taipei City Ma Ying-jeou (
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