Taiwan's lackluster economy will cut into election campaign contributions and is driving joint-campaign efforts, candidates said yesterday.
A decision by five DPP legislative candidates to run together in Taipei City's southern district calling themselves the "five tigers" may be a good way of drawing attention and, of course, votes.
But the joint effort also signifies that times are tough and the sagging economy is going to cut into campaign contributions as much as it does consumer spending, candidates said.
The "five tigers" are: incumbent legislator Shen Fu-hsiung (沈富雄), the "big tiger" (大老虎); Taipei City councilors Lan Mei-chin (藍美津), the "beautiful tiger" (美美虎), and Tuan Yi-kang (段宜康), the "powerful tiger" (威力虎); Chou Po-ya (周柏雅), the "refined tiger" (雅虎); and professor of political science Julian Kuo (郭正亮), the "bright tiger" (亮亮虎).
Holding joint campaigns is commonly used as an election strategy as candidates draw upon their collective effort to secure votes. However, Shen said yesterday the purpose was to cut costs.
"If I run my own campaign separately, the total cost will be lower [than that of joining the group]. However, the per person cost [for the group of five] should be lower yet," Shen said yesterday at a press conference.
Lan, the group's treasurer, said that so far each candidate has already submitted NT$3 million to the group's pot, making a total budget of NT$15 million for their joint campaign. The group also expects to hold two fund-raising banquets in October and November with a pledge of NT$500 per head.
Tuan said that, with the economy in a downturn, he had encountered many occasions when supporters were more unwilling to make donations than they had been in the past.
Looking back on just how dramatically things have changed, Tuan said that during the last elections he only needed to sit down with one major campaign contributor for a few minutes before the supporter handed him a red envelope and sent him on his way. This time around he sat down with the same contributor for two hours and left frustrated, with only a handshake and a few words of advice: "Do your best."
Chou and Kuo, nevertheless, said that they have each raised approximately NT$3 million a piece while the others said that they haven't started fund-raising yet.
It's not all about cutting costs, Kuo said.
Their strategy to get all five elected is based on the fact that "the DPP had obtained a total of 250,000 votes with a turnout rate of 80 percent in the district in the 1998 legislative election."
"Even if the turnout rate declines by five percent this year, the party should still be able to gain 220,000 votes. Therefore, if [the votes] are well distributed, all five of us should be able to obtain at least 40,000 votes and get elected," Kuo told reporters at the same press conference, while Shen added that 32,000 votes would be enough for each to get elected.
Shen said the group would probably ask DPP supporters to vote in accordance with their ID number so as to distribute votes evenly for each DPP candidate in Taipei's southern district.
CELEBRATION: The PRC turned 75 on Oct. 1, but the Republic of China is older. The PRC could never be the homeland of the people of the ROC, Lai said The People’s Republic of China (PRC) could not be the “motherland” of the people of the Republic of China (ROC), President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks in a speech at a Double Ten National Day gala in Taipei, which is part of National Day celebrations that are to culminate in a fireworks display in Yunlin County on Thursday night next week. Lai wished the country a happy birthday and called on attendees to enjoy the performances and activities while keeping in mind that the ROC is a sovereign and independent nation. He appealed for everyone to always love their
‘EXTREME PRESSURE’: Beijing’s goal is to ‘force Taiwan to make mistakes,’ Admiral Tang Hua said, adding that mishaps could serve as ‘excuses’ for launching a blockade China’s authoritarian expansionism threatens not only Taiwan, but the rules-based international order, the navy said yesterday, after its top commander said in an interview that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) could blockade the nation at will. The object of Beijing’s expansionist activities is not limited to Taiwan and its use of pressure is not confined to specific political groups or people, the navy said in a statement. China utilizes a mixture of cognitive warfare and “gray zone” military activities to pressure Taiwan, the navy said, adding that PLA sea and air forces are compressing the nation’s defensive depth. The navy continues to
MAKING PROGRESS: Officials and industry leaders who participated in a defense forum last month agreed that Taiwan has the capabilities to work with the US, the report said Taiwan’s high-tech defense industry is to enhance collaboration with the US to produce weapons needed for self-defense, the Ministry of National Defense said in a report to the Legislative Yuan. Deputy Minister of National Defense Hsu Yen-pu (徐衍璞) discussed building regional and global industry alliances with US partners at the US-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference in Philadelphia held from Sept. 22 to Tuesday last week, the ministry said in the declassified portion of the report. The visit contributed to maintaining bilateral ties, facilitated Taiwan’s efforts to acquire weapons and equipment, and strengthened the resilience of the two nation’s defense industries, it said. Taiwan-US ties
CONCERNS: Allowing the government, political parties or the military to own up to 10 percent of a large media firm is a risk Taiwan cannot afford to take, a lawyer said A Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislator has proposed amendments to allow the government, political parties and the military to indirectly invest in broadcast media, prompting concerns of potential political interference. Under Article 1 of the Satellite Broadcasting Act (衛星廣播電視法), the government and political parties — as well as foundations established with their endowments, and those commissioned by them — cannot directly or indirectly invest in satellite broadcasting businesses. A similar regulation is in the Cable Radio and Television Act (有線廣播電視法). “The purpose of banning the government, political parties and the military from investing in the media is to prevent them from interfering
RSS