Don't Underestimate the Wisdom of ROC Voters

Don't Underestimate the Wisdom of ROC Voters
China Times editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
March 5, 2008

Those who believe that Ma Ying-jeou's wife Chow Mei-ching stole newspapers while studying in the United States, and believe therefore Ma Ying-jeou is unqualified to be president, please raise your hands. Those who believe that the Ma Ying-jeou camp would be clueless enough to openly dispatch a former ambassador to the American Institute in Taiwan to negotiate the cancellation of green card, please raise your hands. Those who believe that Ma Ying-jeou leaked details of the 2004 Chung Hsing Bills Finance scandal, and authored the anonymous 2004 letter demanding that Lien Chan step down, please raise your hands. And last but not least, those who believe that if Vincent Siew's eldest daughter works for a US company and owns real estate in the US, that disqualifies Siew from running for vice president, please raise your hands.

For the past few days, these have been the hottest issues under the media spotlight. What does the issue of whether Chow Mei-ching stole newspapers have to do with the 2008 Presidential Election on Taiwan? Vice Chairman Jin-Heng Wei of the Northern Society says he got his information straight from the horse's mouth, from Chinese Language Department Director Wu Kui of Harvard University's Yenching Library. For the record, Jin's information is incorrect. Wu Ying, not Wu Kui, was former director of the Yenching Library, and he has publicly refuted Jin's allegation. Forget Ma Ying-jeou's green card. Anyone with any campaign experience knows unless you've suddenly lost your mind, you're not going to discuss such a senstive matter with the AIT at such a sensitive moment. Besides, the Hsieh camp merely "suspects" that the Ma camp "might have," or "probably" discussed Ma's green card. The Hsieh camp made no effort whatsoever to seek additional evidence before going public with such a serious accusation. If some day Frank Hsieh pays a visit to such and such a person, and his political opponent publicly announces that he "suspects" Hsieh "might have," or "probably" went to discuss shameful secrets that must never see the light of day, how will Hsieh respond then?

Whether Ma Ying-jeou had inside knowledge of, or took an active part in the 2004 election intrigues, is frankly, a KMT family affair. No matter how things went down, it's really none of Hsieh's business. Hsieh took exception when the Blue camp criticized Hsieh and Su for their lack of cooperation. He said it was unprincipled of the Blue camp to sow the seeds of conflict within the Hsieh/Su ticket. Whether Frank Hsieh and Su Tseng-chang still hold grudges against each other is one thing. But Su Tseng-chang placed an ad in the newspapers blasting Hsieh. That is a fact. Does Frank Hsieh feel that the Ma camp is attempting to sow seeds of conflict within the Hsieh/Su ticket? Does he consider such attempts unconscionable? Does he consider them dirty tricks? If so, how does he feel about his own unfounded allegations that Ma Ying-jeou conspired to "exterminate Soong and destroy Lien?" Hsieh denies responsibility. He says he has "confidential information that cannot be disclosed." Does Hsieh feel his allegations are ethical, conscionable, and in good taste?

The presidential election is rapidly approaching. The fighting in the trenches is increasingly bloody. Elections are a form of competition. Some form of tit for tat is normal, even necessary. But this campaign has been reduced to digging up the past; to endless quibbles over whether a family member was ever a "hired gun" (a paid test taker) decades ago; or whether someone ever stole newspapers. This can only leave the public disappointed and angry. Who hasn't been guilty of youthful indiscretions? Is it really necessary to dig up such matters decades later and blow them out of proportion? Besides, much of the "inside information" has proven to be dead wrong, an embarrassment to the individuals who made it public. Politicians are repeat offenders guilty of wasting public resources. Taiwan faces an array of urgent practical problems. These problems affect the economy, culture, education, foreign affairs, and society. There really is no need to burden people with pointless quibbles irrelevant to peoples' lives.

Let's step back for a moment. Politicians are of course not doing any of this for the Public Welfare. They are doing it solely to win votes. But one can't help asking: Is this really going to win them votes? Do they really not see what concerns the public the most? Do they really not see what society needs the most? Do they really think voters will change their vote if they believe Ma Ying-jeou's wife stole newspapers? Or will indignant voters vote for the opponents of those who harp on such irrelevancies?

The DPP has long given people the impression that they are adept at "selling the sizzle, and not the steak." They know how to make gut appeals, how to seeking out what moves people emotionally. So what if Chen Shui-bian's strategy of linking the plebiscite to the presidential election provokes endless controversies? The "Taiwanese people's" demand for dignity and a "Taiwanese ethnic and national identity" is at stake! That takes precedence over all else, doesn't it? But look at the Hsieh camp's campaign tactics. Is this how Frank Hsieh plans to use his street smarts? His mental agility? His responsiveness? Pan Blue voters aren't the only ones who can't accept such campaign tactics. Even Pan Green voters feel more than a little uncomfortable.

When political candidates attack the pecadillos of their opponent's family members, it is tantamount to harassment. Harassment not just of the opponent, but of the opponent's family. Even worse, it insults the intelligence of ROC voters. Do politicians really think so little of the electorate? Will hysteria win votes, or will reason? We'll know the answer in 20 days.

中時電子報
中國時報 　2008.03.05
別低估台灣選民的智慧
中時社論

　認為周美青在美國念書時有沒有偷過報紙跟馬英九夠不夠格做總統有很大的關係的人，請舉手；認為在目前的綠卡風暴下，馬英九陣營還會白目到堂而皇之地派出曾經當過大使的外交官去美國在台協會談綠卡註銷問題的人，請舉手；認為馬英九有參與二○○○年興票案爆料、二○○四年連戰下台黑函的人，請舉手；當然，認為蕭萬長任職外商公司的長女在美置產，所以蕭不夠格做副總統的人也請舉手！

　這幾天，台灣選舉最熱的新聞就這幾樁。然而，周美青有沒有偷報紙，到底關台灣二○○八年需要什麼樣的總統什麼事？更何況，被北社副社長金恆煒言之鑿鑿說知道此事的哈佛大學燕京圖書館前中文部主任吳文津（金資料有誤，吳應為燕京圖書館前館長）已公開出面否認有此事；其次，不論馬英九綠卡問題究竟如何，任何一個有點選戰經驗的人都知道除非是腦袋壞了，否則怎麼會這個時候去ＡＩＴ談這個事？更何況，謝陣營只是「質疑」、「懷疑」馬營的人「很可能」、「應該是」是去談馬的綠卡，在公開談論如此重大的事情之前，完全沒有進一步的證據。如果哪天謝長廷去見了某某人後，對手也透過媒體公開「質疑」、「懷疑」謝長廷「很可能」、「應該是」去談什麼見不得人的醜事，謝長廷以為如何呢？

　馬英九知不知曉、有沒有參與二○○○年、○四年的選舉事端？老實講，不論事情原委如何，這都是國民黨家務事，真的不勞謝長廷跨刀打抱不平。謝長廷不也曾對藍營炮打謝、蘇不合的事很不以為然，認為這是分化人家，很不道德嗎？不論謝長廷跟蘇貞昌之間究竟有沒有心結，蘇曾白紙黑字登報罵謝，這是事實，如果謝長廷認為馬營「以子之矛攻子之盾」是選舉奧步、是沒有良心，那麼在根本提不出明確事證、只推說是「不能說的祕密」之前，就公開表示馬英九曾參與「滅宋毀連」計畫的做法，謝長廷覺得是有道德、有良心、有品味嗎？

　距總統投票日愈來愈近，近身肉搏戰也打得愈來愈激烈。選舉是一種競爭，有來有往很正常也很必要。不過，如果選戰打來打去只是出考古題，對幾十年前家人有沒有做槍手、有沒有偷報紙之類的事吵個不休，那麼人民不只是失望，還會憤怒。人的一生幾十年，誰沒有在年輕時有過一些擦槍走火的行為、甚至出點小差錯？有必要在幾十年後翻出來「拿著雞毛當令箭」一樣地猛打嗎？更何況不少「內幕消息」已被證明是「烏龍爆料」，政治人物一而再、再而三如此，實在很浪費社會資源，畢竟台灣目前不論在經濟、文化、教育、外交、社會等，各個領域都有很多亟待處理的現實問題，真的沒有必要一直兜著這些與人民生活無關的無聊議題打轉。

　再退一步想，即使不為「天下蒼生計」，就純粹只為勝選、只想搶選票，這麼做，真的有用嗎？為什麼看不出當下台灣人民最關切的是什麼、台灣社會最需要的又是什麼呢？政治人物真的認為選民會因為「馬英九的太太曾經偷過報紙」這種事情就改變投票意向嗎？還是，其實更值得注意的是，有多少選民會因為不齒、不屑候選人整天抓著這種無關宏旨、甚至事證不明的小辮子不放，反而有了不同的選擇？

　民進黨向來給人很會選舉的印象，特別是很擅長運用「情感行銷」，尋找感動人民的力量，就算陳水扁用公投綁大選這種策略引起很多爭議，但畢竟訴求的還是台灣人的尊嚴與自我認同的價值，總有一定的高度和格局，但是看看謝陣營現在用的選舉招數是什麼？難道謝長廷的聰明、伶俐、反應快，是用在這些地方嗎？這種選法，不只是泛藍選民不能認同，或許就連泛綠選民也不一定覺得舒服吧。

　候選人猛打對手家人的雜瑣小事，不單單對候選人、候選人的家人形同騷擾，其實，也是對台灣選民的一種羞辱，難道在政治人物的眼中，選民的智慧就只有如此嗎？選舉是要抓狂，還是務實才有票，廿天之後即可見分曉。