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Editorial: Waiting for the implosion

On Thursday, KMT Secretary-General Lin Fong-cheng (林豐正) listed three preconditions for a KMT-DPP post-election alliance: President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) must respect what the KMT claims is a "co-habitation" system of government, he must let the majority party or majority alliance head the Cabinet and he must give the KMT a chance to salvage Taiwan's economy. DPP Secretary-General Wu Nai-jen (吳乃仁) was quick to rebuke Lin by asking what right would the KMT have to bargain if it makes a poor showing in the December elections?

The hubris of the KMT's suggestion shows the party not only can't spell the word "humility," but is also clueless about the weight it carries -- and the political baggage.

Rumor has it that several KMT lawmakers and high-ranking party officials will defect after the elections. The People First Party estimates the KMT will lose about 20 lawmakers. Talk of the party imploding can be heard everywhere -- except perhaps within KMT Chairman Lien Chan's (連戰) hearing.

At a time like this, if Lin's statement was intended to secure party harmony for the sake of the elections by easing external pressure for an alliance, it is understandable -- even though it appears likely to fail. However, if the KMT truly thinks it has leverage to carry through on such an alliance, the century-old party is not only old, it's senile. If it continues act in such a ridiculous manner, its disintegration is truly inevitable.

Fifty years ago, the KMT parachuted into Taiwan. The fact that this alien regime managed to maintain its rule for so long is more miraculous than Taiwan's oft-touted economic miracle. Its regime was a prime example of rule by force. Virtually all political observers who visited Taiwan during that time were amazed at the the people's obedience to their foreign masters.

The fact that the KMT did not hand over its power until last year shows the forgiving and tolerant nature of the Taiwanese. The KMT also has its former chairman Lee Teng-hui's (李登輝) "localization" path to thank for the fact that it survived 11 years longer than the communist regimes of Eastern Europe. Nevertheless, many KMT politicians remain bitter about their loss of power and prestige and daydream about a return to glory. Many of those who opposed Lee's efforts to turn the KMT into a "localized" party were quick to jump aboard the Beijing express in the wake of last year's presidential election defeat. The KMT was just as quick to jettison the "localization" path and internal democratization implemented during Lee's 12-year term.

The identity crisis that has plagued the KMT for the last year appears to have been resolved in favor of its Chinese identity, rather than its roots in Taiwan. It is enough to make one wonder why the KMT ever came to Taiwan in the first place if the Beijing regime is so good -- until, of course, one remembers that Beijing doesn't believe in the existence of any political organization except the Chinese Communist Party. Amazing how all the pro-China mouthpieces who fill the media seem to forget that little fact.

In the end, it doesn't matter whether KMT party members turned to China because they opposed Lee or his localization movement. They have lost any claim to political power in Taiwan. The party has betrayed the popular will in Taiwan in pursuit of a mirage of political Never-never Land where it could continue to rule.
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