Punish Chen Shui-bian, Boycott the Plebiscite!

Punish Chen Shui-bian, Boycott the Plebiscite!
United Daily News editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
March 4, 2008

While promoting the "Join the UN Plebiscite," Chen Shui-bian said: "You may not like the Democratic Progressive Party. You may hate Chen Shui-bian. You can refuse to vote for Frank Hsieh. But you must vote for Taiwan. You must allow us to join the United Nations, as we wish!"

This is one part truth and three parts lie. Even assuming the "Join the UN Plebiscite" passes, we cannot "join the United Nations, as we wish." Many voters object to being manipulated with the "Join the UN Plebiscite." That is why they detest the Democratic Progressive Party. That is why they refuse to support Frank Hsieh. That is why they hate Chen Shui-bian.

The "Join the UN Plebiscite" is classic DPP populist demagoguery. The DPP's "package dealing" of plebiscites with elections violates both the letter and spirit of the constitution. Forcibly linking plebiscites to general elections threatens to alter voting behavior, violating the public's right to free and fair elections. It drains the public treasury and squanders the time and energy of public servants mobilized to promote such plebiscites. It violates explicit provisions within the Referendum Law. It undermines mutual trust between Taipei and Washington. It divides the nation and society, inflicting irreparable damage to both. Most people do not object to joining the UN. But in order to punish Chen Shui-bian and the DPP for their lawlessness and unconstitutional conduct, they are rejecting the "Join the UN Plebiscite."

Rejecting the "Join the UN Plebiscite" is the public's way of casting a vote of non-confidence in Chen Shui-bian and the DPP. Chen Shui-bian said "Even if you hate Chen Shui-bian, you must support the plebiscite." A majority of voters disagree. Their reasoning is: "I intend to reject the Join the UN Plebiscite because I hate Chen Shui-bian!"

The "Join the UN Plebiscite" drive is a farce. Here are the latest developments in this farce:
1. Chen Shui-bian has floated a "Neutral Third Way" and a "Defensive Plebiscite" to replace the "Join the UN Plebiscite." Even Chen Shui-bian's own confidence in his "Join the UN Plebiscite" has been shaken. How can Chen Shui-bian look people in the eye and continue asking them to support his "Join the UN Plebiscite?"
2. Chen Shui-bian denounced the KMT's "Rejoin the UN Plebiscite" as a "Surrender Plebiscite," as a "Suicide Plebiscite." He said the "Join the UN/Rejoin the UN" divide would tear society apart. But today he said that "If either the Join the UN or Rejoin the UN Plebiscites pass, Taiwan's safety will be assured." This irresponsible flip-flopping has utterly discredited the "Join the UN Plebiscite."
3. Chen Shui-bian even told Wang Jin-pyng that if the KMT could accept a "Neutral Third Way," Chen Shui-bian "might find a way to make the Join the UN/Rejoin the UN proposals go away, delinking the plebiscites from the presidential election." Chen's words merely confirm that the Central Election Commission is nothing more than Chen Shui-bian's puppet. Under these circumstances, how can the people possibly support the "Join the UN Plebiscite?"

Particularly chilling is Chen Shui-bian's public declaration: "You can refuse to vote for Frank Hsieh, but you must support the Join the UN Plebiscite." Translation: "I don't care if Frank Hsieh loses the presidential election. I just want to come out the winner after the Join the UN Plebiscite vote." As everyone knows, the "Join the UN Plebiscite" was originally the lever by which Chen Shui-bian intended to hijack the presidential election and control political developments in the aftermath. On the surface the linkage of the plebiscite with the presidential election would increase support for Hsieh. But that was mere appearance. Hsieh's election prospects are dim. Chen Shui-bian now plans to delink the plebiscite from the presidential election. He wants the plebiscite to "go away," ostensibly to save Hsieh's campaign. In fact he is merely looking after himself. He could actually blurt out something as selfish as "Hsieh may lose the election, but I must not lose the plebiscite." Such callousness deserves punishment. Voters must boycott Chen's "Join the UN Plebiscite." Chen Shui-bian exploited the differences between the "Join the UN" and "Rejoin the UN" plebiscites to stir up trouble and divide society. Yet today he says that either the "Join the UN" or "Rejoin the UN" plebiscite will protect Taiwan "for years to come." Chen Shui-bian once linked his plebiscites to the presidential election, asserting that such a linkage would consolidate support for Hsieh. Yet today he is "sacrificing Hsieh to save the plebiscite." He is saying that it's okay to lose the battle over the presidency, but not the battle over the plebiscite. Chen Shui-bian once declared that no compromise was possible on the "Join the UN Plebiscite." Yet today he is promoting a "Third Way." Suddenly he wants to promote a "Defensive Plebiscite." Then, equally suddenly, he says the "Join the UN/Rejoin the UN" plebiscite can "go away."

In short, Chen's "Join the UN Plebiscite" was a margin buy. It was yet another fraudulent Chen Shui-bian transaction. That is why a majority of voters are determined to punish Chen Shui-bian. That is why they refuse to support the "Join the UN Plebiscite." That is why they will refuse to accept plebiscite ballots.

Chen Shui-bian finds himself caught in a dilemma. On the one hand, his own faith in his "Join the UN Plebiscite" has been shaken. That is why he spoke of "making it go away." On the other hand he wants to trade an endorsement of the KMT's "Rejoin the UN Plebiscite" for pubic support. By doing so he hopes to increase the rate at which voters obtain "Join the UN Plebiscite" ballots. Chen Shui-bian's back is up against the wall.

Chen Shui-bian and the Democratic Progressive Party needn't bother pressuring the KMT to take a stand on the impending boycott of the plebiscites. The results of the January Legislative Elections are crystal clear. They tell us that the majority of voters already intend to boycott the plebiscites on March 22. For most people the "Join the UN Plebiscite" is a long-awaited opportunity to cast a vote of no-confidence in both Chen Shui-bian and the DPP.

懲治陳水扁，拒領公投票！
【聯合報╱社論】
2008.03.04 02:55 am

鼓吹「入聯公投」，陳水扁說：「你可以不喜歡民進黨，你可以討厭陳水扁，你也可以不投謝長廷一票，但一定要投台灣一票，讓我們能夠如願地進到聯合國！」

這些話，有一處錯誤，三處正確。錯誤的是最後一句，因為，即使「入聯公投」通過，台灣也不能「如願進入聯合國」。正確的是，許多選民正因厭惡「入聯公投」的惡質操作，所以不喜歡民進黨；正因厭惡「入聯公投」的惡質操作，所以不支持謝長廷；亦正因厭惡「入聯公投」的惡質操作，所以討厭陳水扁。

「入聯公投」正是民進黨惡質政治操作的「典範」與「樣板」。例如，利用公投來「綁」大選，其居心動機，即根本違反了「公正選舉」的憲政精神；又如，公投「綁」住大選，藉以刺探及脅制選民的投票行為，則是侵害了「自由選舉」的神聖民權；另如，大量耗費公帑及動員政府官員來推動「入聯公投」，亦違反了「公投法」的禁制；再如，重傷了台美信任，撕裂了台灣社會，使國家社會遭受難以彌償的損傷……。因而，多數民眾不反對「入聯」，但為了懲治陳水扁及民進黨的違憲亂政，所以反對「入聯公投」。

反對「入聯公投」，正是多數選民對陳水扁及民進黨的「不信任投票」。陳水扁說，「即使討厭陳水扁，也要支持入聯公投」；然而，多數民眾的思維卻是：「正因討厭陳水扁，所以反對入聯公投！」

「入聯公投」是一場惡質操作的「政治騙局」，最新的發展是：一、陳水扁一度曾欲以「中性第三案」及「防禦性公投」，來取代「入聯公投」；可見，連陳水扁在「入聯公投」的立場也已經發生嚴重動搖，則陳水扁尚有何顏面命國人繼續支持「入聯公投」？二、陳水扁等原本稱國民黨的「返聯公投」是「投降公投」、「自殺公投」，將「入聯／返聯」作為撕裂社會、製造仇恨的手段；如今竟稱「入聯返聯皆過關，長長久久護台灣」，這種翻雲覆雨的惡質操作，更使「入聯公投」失去了正當性。三、陳水扁甚至向王金平表示，倘若國民黨能夠接受所謂「中性第三案」，陳水扁即可「想辦法使已經成案的入聯、返聯公投案『打消』，達到公投與大選『脫鉤』之目的」；此話更可證實，中選會不啻是陳水扁操控自如的政爭工具，國人豈能支持「入聯公投」？

尤其令人心寒膽戰的是，陳水扁竟然公開表示「可以不投謝長廷當總統，但要支持入聯公投」；此話不啻是說：「謝長廷的總統大選可輸，但我陳水扁的入聯公投卻要贏。」眾所皆知，「入聯公投」原本即是陳水扁欲挾持選季及選後政局的槓桿，外觀上則以「公投綁大選，為謝長廷拉票」為政治包裝；如今謝長廷選情看壞，陳水扁不圖以公投與大選脫鉤，或「打消」公投，來挽救謝的選情，反而說出「謝的大選可輸，扁的公投要贏」這種自私自利的話。光憑這一點，為了懲治無義無情的陳水扁，國人就沒有支持「入聯公投」的道理。

陳水扁曾經利用「入聯／返聯」的差異，興風作浪，撕裂社會；如今卻說，「入聯／返聯」皆可「長長久久護台灣」。陳水扁曾經大力發動「公投綁大選」，宣稱是為謝長廷固票；如今卻是「棄謝保公投」，「大選可輸，公投要贏」。陳水扁曾斬釘截鐵地宣示「入聯公投」無可動搖的立場，如今則一下子要推動「第三案」，一下子要「發動防禦性公投」，一下子又稱「入聯／返聯案」皆可「打消」……。總而言之，「入聯公投」其實正是買空賣空的「阿扁公投」；多數選民為了懲治陳水扁，因而不支持「入聯公投」，也就拒領公投票。

陳水扁已陷進退失據的危境險地。一方面，他在「入聯公投」的信心已經嚴重動搖，才有可以「打消」的說法；另一方面他又想用支持「返聯公投」，來換取國人支持「入聯公投」，以提升「入聯公投」的領票率。這已是陳水扁黔驢技窮的最後掙扎了！

是否拒領公投票，陳水扁及民進黨其實不必迫國民黨表態；因為，有了一月立委選舉的經驗及啟示，多數選民已有在三二二仍然「拒領公投票」的共識。事實上，對於多數國人來說，「入聯公投」本來就是對陳水扁及民進黨的「不信任投票」！