Will the DPP Listen to the "Atypical" Tsai Ing-wen?

Will the DPP Listen to the "Atypical" Tsai Ing-wen?
United Daily News editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
July 7, 2008

Summary: Tsai Ing-wen has proposed "an end to poor-mouthing, and the beginning of constructive criticism." One cannot help being impressed. She said that in the face of the current political and economic quagmire, the DPP "ought to blunt its somewhat sharp criticism, and exercise greater restraint." She said "If the KMT's policies are correct, they should be encouraged. If they are bad, they should be subjected to rational criticism. We must immediately adjust our behavior." She said the people must feel that the DPP wants to help the government survive its financial difficulties. The DPP must demonstrate its willingness to weather the storm alongside the people. No opposition party chairperson has ever said anything like this. The DPP has never said any such thing like this. Nor has the KMT. That Tsai Ing-wen would make such an extraordinary proposal, suggests that she may have a unique way of thinking, and also that she may have a firm grasp of political reality.

Full Text below:

Tsai Ing-wen has proposed "an end to poor-mouthing, and the beginning of constructive criticism." One cannot help being impressed. She said that in the face of the current political and economic quagmire, the DPP "ought to blunt its somewhat sharp criticism, and exercise greater restraint." She said "If the KMT's policies are correct, they should be encouraged. If they are bad, they should be subjected to rational criticism. We must immediately adjust our behavior." She said the people must feel that the DPP wants to help the government survive its financial difficulties. The DPP must demonstrate its willingness to weather the storm alongside the people.

No opposition party chairperson has ever said anything like this. The DPP has never said any such thing like this. Nor has the KMT. That Tsai Ing-wen would make such an extraordinary proposal, suggests that she may have a unique way of thinking, and also that she may have a firm grasp of political reality.

Since May 20, the Ma administration's approval rating has been in decline. The DPP's approval rating however, has not increased. Several opinion polls have noted that despite the prevailing political and economic circumstances, most people still believe the KMT is better than the DPP. Such polls reveal a state of gridlock following the second change in ruling parties.

On March 22, Ma Ying-jeou was elected president. At the time, a United Daily News Editorial noted that this was a "victory with a question mark." The editorial cited the widely held conviction that "If the DPP doesn't step down, Taiwan is done for. But whether the KMT can save Taiwan remains a question mark." Today, this "victory with a giant question mark" hangs high above Taiwan, like the Sword of Damocles. But the situation is even more serious than previously imagined. Polls show that despite public dissatisfaction with the KMT, they still do not trust the DPP.

The DPP wielded power for eight years. It ripped the country into a thousand pieces. It brought the economy to its knees. Predictably, as soon as the DPP lost the election and became the opposition party, it immediately reverted to form. It immediately proclaimed itself a champion of justice. It blamed the Ma administration, which had just assumed office, for every sin under the sun, and skinned it alive. One example will suffice. Recalling the ROC Coast Guard vessel from Diaoyutai was a black box operation left over from the DPP regime's "Japanese Affairs Council." The DPP criticized the KMT government for being "too soft." But when it recalled Koh Se-kai, then ordered Coast Guard vessels to circumnavigate the island, the DPP criticized the government for being "too hard." In almost every case, the DPP found fault with the new administration. The KMT was damned if it did, and damned if it didn't. In the past we had "anti-communist thought." Now it seems we have "opposition party thought." This "opposition party thought" however, requires no thinking. All it requires is relentless bad-mouthing. All it requires is relentless negativity.

This is why even though the KMT's approval rating has fallen, the DPP's approval rating has not risen. Tsai Ing-wen probably knows that if matters continue as they have, the KMT may have not have an easy time of it, but the DPP will not benefit from the KMT's troubles. Hence, another school of thought has arisen, one that has its own handle on political reality.

President Ma and the KMT must bear a certain amount of responsibility for dropping the ball. But the main reason we are in our current mess is: 1. The DPP created this political and economic mess, and left it for its successor. 2. The global economic situation has deteriorated dramatically. As Chairman of the opposition political party, Tsai Ing-wen noted that "external factors, including international oil and raw material price increases are among the factors responsible for the current instability." She added that "the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, having been in office, "feels the pain" of the current administration. These words were compelling. They had finesse, transcended "opposition party thought," and left people nearly incredulous.

The current political and economic predicament constitutes a grave national crisis. The ruling Kuomintang must be cautious and guarded. The opposition Democratic Progressive Party, as Tsai Ing-wen noted, must eschew Schadenfreude. It must not make matters be worse. It must not pour gasoline on the fire. It must not demagogue a national disaster for partisan advantage. Because if the opposition DPP attempts to make political hay out of our political and economic crisis, the ruling party won't be the only one that is embarrassed. The entire nation could collapse. Tsai Ing-wen has issued a timely call to "end the bad-mouthing and refrain from gloating." On the one hand, she is well aware of the severe crisis facing the nation. On the other hand, she hopes the DPP will heed the warning. She hopes it will not destroy itself and the nation by indulging in Schadenfreude and rubbing salt in the nation's wounds.

Was Tsai Ing-wen's proposal a passing whim, or a heartfelt conviction? Did she promise too much, too soon? Can Tsai Ing-wen lead the DPP out of its "opposition party thought?" Can the DPP really do what Tsai Ing-wen urges, and "help the Government survive its financial crisis?"

Lin Cho-shui called Tsai Ing-wen "atypical." Did Tsai Ing-wen's remarks overestimate her own influence? Did they misjudge the DPP's potential? Did they underestimate the DPP's destiny?

非典型：民進黨聽蔡英文的？
【聯合報╱社論】
2008.07.07 03:55 am

蔡英文主張「停止唱衰／積極建言」，令人刮目相看。面對當前政經困局，她說，民進黨「要稍微收斂尖銳批評，留意言論尺度」，「國民黨對的政策不吝鼓勵，壞的政策理性批判，協助其及時調整」。她說：要讓人民感覺到民進黨有心協助政府度過經濟難關，要展現民進黨和全民共體時艱的用心。

沒有一位反對黨主席說過這樣的話。過去民進黨在野沒說過，過去國民黨在野也沒說過。蔡英文能有這般「不同凡響」的主張，一方面顯示她可能有別樹一幟的政治思維，另一方面也顯示她對政治現實利害的拿捏或許已有一定的火候。

五二○以來，馬政府的滿意度下降，但民進黨的支持度卻未上升。若干民調更指出，即使政經出現如此困局，但多數民眾依然認為，國民黨主政仍較民進黨好。這類的民調，呈現了二次政黨輪替後的民主僵局。

三月二十二日，馬英九當選總統，本報社論當即指出這是「帶著問號的勝利」。社論引據民間流傳的說法：「民進黨若不下台，台灣死定了；但國民黨上台能否救得了台灣，卻是一個問號。」如今，這個「勝利的大問號」正高懸在台灣的上空，只是比當時想像的更加嚴重。然而，民調顯示：民眾雖不滿國民黨，但也仍然不信任民進黨。

民進黨執政八年，將國家撕裂得七零八落，將經濟體質摧殘得氣息奄奄；詎料，民進黨一朝敗選成為反對黨，突然老臉一抹，竟搖身一變以正義的化身自居，將甫上任的馬政府數落得罪孽萬端，體無完膚。僅舉一例已足：召回釣魚台海巡艦的是民進黨留下的黑機關「日本事務會」，民進黨卻批評國民黨政府「太軟」；待召回許世楷，且海巡艦又繞島一周，又指為「太硬」。幾乎對每一事件，皆用「父子騎驢」的手法來批評。過去有所謂的「反共八股」，如今則儼然有「反對黨八股」；這樣的反對黨根本不必經過大腦，「唱衰」到底就是了，「反對」到底就是了。

正因如此，國民黨的滿意度下滑，民進黨的支持度卻未上升。蔡英文大概知道：像這樣搞下去，國民黨當然不好過，民進黨也佔不到便宜。因此，就有了別樹一幟的政治思維，也對政治現實利害的拿捏另有斟酌。

當前的政經困局，馬總統與國民黨的操作失當，自應負相當責任，但最主要原因仍在：一、民進黨執政留下的政經災難；二、國際經濟情勢快速巨幅惡化。蔡英文以反對黨主席的地位，能指出「造成當前不安局勢，外在因素是國際石油、原物料上漲」，並謂「曾經執政的民進黨感同身受」，因此以「體諒的心情」來看目前的政府；這些話說得真有氣魄，也真有手腕，跳脫了「反對黨八股」，甚至有令人難以置信之感。

當前的政經困局是一個非同小可的國家危機。執政的國民黨必須臨深履薄，戰戰兢兢；在野的民進黨亦須有蔡英文所稱「哀矜勿喜」的認知，不能雪上加霜、火上加油，以玩弄國家災難為能事。因為，在野黨若在如此嚴峻的政經危機中落井下石，那不只是教執政黨出醜而已，而是可能令整個國家無法翻身；蔡英文及時發出「停止唱衰／哀矜勿喜」的主張，一方面自然是察覺了國家危機的嚴峻，另一方面也是希望民進黨勿因「幸災樂禍／落井下石」以致自毀毀國而發出警訊。

蔡英文的主張，究竟只是突發奇想，還是肺腑之言？是否把話說得太早也說得太滿了？蔡英文能否帶動民進黨跳出「反對黨八股」？民進黨又能否如蔡英文所說「有心協助政府度過經濟難關」？

林濁水稱蔡英文是「非典型」。蔡英文的一席話，會不會高估了她自己的影響力，錯估了民進黨的可能性，也輕估了民進黨的宿命？