Thursday, June 02, 2005
The Beginning of a Totalitarian State
NA begins new session today amid high hopes
As the assembly prepares to vote on the president's first wave of constitutional reforms, Chen yesterday called on his ruling Democratic Progressive Party National Assembly delegates to toe party line and vote in support of constitutional amendment package.
"There can be no dissenting or miscast votes," the president said, rallying the troops.
Chen said the constitutional amendments in the package, such as halving the nation's legislature and setting up a two vote system within a single seat electoral district, would have an impact on the DPP and there would be a period of adjustment.
"But everyone must cast aside their individual interests and the interests of political parties for the sake of long term national security and Taiwan's everlasting development," Chen said.
DPP chairman Su Tseng-chang also urged the delegates to toe the party line when voting on the constitutional amendments.
"No people should be absent from the voting, not one single vote should be in dissent," Su said.
Chen asked the delegates several times if anyone disagreed with the reforms.
When they all answered: "No", the president asked them to raise their right hands and pledge to vote in support of the reforms.
Doesn’t these scenes remind a person of a similar one in the movie, Star Wars Episode III, where the chancellor declares for the sake of security he must be anointed Emperor. In response Natalie Portman states, “This is how liberty dies. In thunderous applause.”
So is Taiwan Independence a movement about individual liberty and interest, or is a movement to consolidate power for the minority interest group, namely Taiwan Independence movement.
If the DPP party line was so self evident, so compelling, what is the point of going through this indoctrination process akin to the Nazi of Germany? Why would the president of ROC ask party members to give up their individual freedom to choose?
DPP threatens to sue as candidate makes allegations
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) officials yesterday warned that the party would take legal action against members who make false accusations about the DPP's primary race.
"We can understand that candidates are highly concerned about their polls, but the DPP will take the necessary action to deal with libel," Wu said.
"We will not allow a specific person's irresponsible remarks to hurt the primary system which the DPP has used for decades, and which has won credibility," Lee said.
Taipei councilor found guilty of libeling president
Taipei City Councilor Lee Ching-yuan (李慶元) of the New Party was found guilty on appeal of libeling President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) by the Taiwan High Court on Tuesday.
In addition to the six-month prison sentence given to him by a lower court last July, the Taiwan High Court also suspended his civil rights for two years.
The prison time can be converted into a fine, according to the court. The case stemmed from a book co-authored in 2000 by Lee and former New Party candidate for president Li Ao (李敖). In the book, Lee claimed that Chen Shui-bian, who was running for president on the ticket of the Democratic Progressive Party, had had an extramarital affair.
The Taiwan High Court based its sentence on the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Law rather than the Criminal Code because the case took place during the lead-up to the 2000 presidential election and the plaintiff was a presidential candidate.
I find these two articles even more disturbing about the nature of how the DPP uses ROC legal system to shut down dissent and critism. DDP party member are threatened with legal action when questioning DDP polling methods. If the party members allegation is correct that malfunctioning monitor skewd the polls against him, shouldn't the DPP just launch an investigation to confirm or refute said party members claims. But to threaten the party member with legal action seems somewhat unwarranted and over zealous.
In the second article, an author (who was also a political opponent of CSB) is jail for writing about CSB possible sex life. The guy’s wife been in a wheel chair for almost 30 years, people would understand if he had a mistress on the side. But instead he silences his critics with harsh legal actions. As a public figure CSB will come under attack for political cartoonist as well, should they be jail and their civil liberties suspended too?
Not only that the law which is enforced is a law which is not normally enforced. I'm just wondering what would happen to Michael Moore if he did a documentary against CSB in 2000.
Is CSB sex life so sensitive it warrants going to jail for anyone brash enough to make a comment on it.
Okay so I guess I will have a gander. CSB wife has been in a wheel chair for a few decades. I too am curious to where a healthy male like CSB gets his sexual release. Many powerful and rich men have mistresses. I too suspect CSB keeps mistress as do half the politicains on Taiwan.
Please feel free to sue blogger.com President CSB.
AC_Dropout
# posted by ac_droppout @ 6:33 AM 
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Hi there. Found your blog.
"Doesn’t these scenes remind a person of a similar one in the movie"
Not really - I don't see the links at all. In Star Wars III the proposal was to end rule by democracy - is the DPP planning to propose rule by President Chen for life?
Also if I'm right the KMT also asks for unity over measures it seems important. When was the last time its leaders said "although this is an important matter, if you don't like it you must oppose it for the sake of democracy"? Come on, be serious.
"Why would the president of ROC ask party members to give up their individual freedom to choose?"
He's asking them to choose in his favour, like anyone would. Why is it criminal to say "come on guys - vote in X way"?
"how the DPP uses ROC legal system to shut down dissent and critism"
All the major parties have used the legal system to manage criticism/allegations - both the DPP and KMT have done and still do it. They also use it to attack possible opponents, such as the pressure put on the courts by the KMT to deal with the DPP bigwigs and the DPP over Ma. Note that the KMT haven't asked the prosecutors to drop the investigations into the DPP heads despite the fact that they're generally on the same charges as Ma, yet they didn't want his case to be appealed. So it's ok for KMT politicians to use the expenses system as they see fit but not the DPP?
"But instead he silences his critics with harsh legal actions. As a public figure CSB will come under attack for political cartoonist as well, should they be jail and their civil liberties suspended too?"
To your latter question, no. Cartoonists can get away with most stuff. However writing un-supported allegations in such an emotionally-sensitive area as this is not acceptable. It was obviously an attempted smear. The author was off trying to damage Chen, but he did so in the worst way he could. I know you think any attack on Chen is probably justified (from reading your comments here) but the law is the law. I'm sure any other Taiwanese politician would have done the same thing in Chen's position.
So what if his wife is in a wheelchair - are you saying crippled women are incapable of being loved? If your partner was cripped would you go get a mistress?
"Is CSB sex life so sensitive it warrants going to jail for anyone brash enough to make a comment on it."
Unless you've got hard evidence that can stand up in court rather than speculation, yes - it's the same for anyone in the public eye (maybe anyone end of story).
"Please feel free to sue blogger.com President CSB."
Given few Taiwanese probably read this blog I doubt he'd waste his time. However if you want to seek employment as a newspaper columnist and do the same, it might get his attention.
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"Doesn’t these scenes remind a person of a similar one in the movie"
Not really - I don't see the links at all. In Star Wars III the proposal was to end rule by democracy - is the DPP planning to propose rule by President Chen for life?
Also if I'm right the KMT also asks for unity over measures it seems important. When was the last time its leaders said "although this is an important matter, if you don't like it you must oppose it for the sake of democracy"? Come on, be serious.
"Why would the president of ROC ask party members to give up their individual freedom to choose?"
He's asking them to choose in his favour, like anyone would. Why is it criminal to say "come on guys - vote in X way"?
"how the DPP uses ROC legal system to shut down dissent and critism"
All the major parties have used the legal system to manage criticism/allegations - both the DPP and KMT have done and still do it. They also use it to attack possible opponents, such as the pressure put on the courts by the KMT to deal with the DPP bigwigs and the DPP over Ma. Note that the KMT haven't asked the prosecutors to drop the investigations into the DPP heads despite the fact that they're generally on the same charges as Ma, yet they didn't want his case to be appealed. So it's ok for KMT politicians to use the expenses system as they see fit but not the DPP?
"But instead he silences his critics with harsh legal actions. As a public figure CSB will come under attack for political cartoonist as well, should they be jail and their civil liberties suspended too?"
To your latter question, no. Cartoonists can get away with most stuff. However writing un-supported allegations in such an emotionally-sensitive area as this is not acceptable. It was obviously an attempted smear. The author was off trying to damage Chen, but he did so in the worst way he could. I know you think any attack on Chen is probably justified (from reading your comments here) but the law is the law. I'm sure any other Taiwanese politician would have done the same thing in Chen's position.
So what if his wife is in a wheelchair - are you saying crippled women are incapable of being loved? If your partner was cripped would you go get a mistress?
"Is CSB sex life so sensitive it warrants going to jail for anyone brash enough to make a comment on it."
Unless you've got hard evidence that can stand up in court rather than speculation, yes - it's the same for anyone in the public eye (maybe anyone end of story).
"Please feel free to sue blogger.com President CSB."
Given few Taiwanese probably read this blog I doubt he'd waste his time. However if you want to seek employment as a newspaper columnist and do the same, it might get his attention.
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