Public Dissatisfaction with the Ma Administration should Inspire Reflection

Public Dissatisfaction with the Ma Administration should Inspire Reflection
China Times editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
February 1, 2010

President Ma Ying-jeou has ended his long journey and returned home. DPP Chairman Tsai Ing-wen quipped that seeing Ma's triumphant return to Taiwan made her "very sad." She was of course being ironic. Compare this to eight years under Chen Shui-bian. Whenever things went badly at thome, he used state visits to allies as pretexts to go abroad. When abroad he would comment on political controversies back home, using them to increase his prestige. Ma Ying-jeou's "lame" visit truly was sad.
People's memories are not that short. Just before Ma Ying-jeou left to visit allies, he racked up the worst ratings numbers since taking office. The Global News survey research center's latest data shows that Ma Ying-jeou's disapproval rating has increased to 66%. His approval rating has plummeted to 23%, below what it was during the 8/8 Floods. A variety of polls all point to an alarming reality, one the Blue Camp is unwilling to face. Ma Ying-jeou's popularity has fallen faster than people ever imagined. Unless Ma Ying-jeou makes some ground-breaking move, and demonstrates extraordinary courage and leadership, it will difficult for him to increase his support during the next two years and win re-election.

Ma Ying-jeou is aware of this crisis. During the two or three weeks before his state visits, he was in constant communication with the KMT legislative caucus. He used both the carrot and the stick to induce the Legislative Yuan pass a provisional amendment to the Local Government Act. He affirmed a sense of solidarity within the KMT. He also met with community leaders who previously disparaged him. Nor did he overlook "diehard Ma fans." One Ma fan said he "no longer felt anything." During his trip he was determined to find time to chat with grassroots Ma fans.

Immediately afterwards, he conferred over US beef imports and US arms sales to Taipei. He was in effect standing on the front lines. He forestalled the impending crisis between Taipei and Washington during the Legislative Yuan's previous session.

Three weeks have passed. Has Ma Ying-jeou's leadership crisis been resolved? We need not mince words. The situation has not improved. Community leaders' criticisms have not diminished merely because he stooped to hear what they had to say. It is impossible to detect any change in Ma Ying-jeou's leadership style or policies in such a short period of time. Ma Ying-jeou's notebook is now filled with a variety of views and suggestions. But he has yet to clearly and publicly respond to these suggestions. What exactly are community leaders dissatisfied with? What exactly did Ma Ying-jeou do in response to these elites demanding reform? Ma Ying-jeou has yet to account to these elite opinion leaders, let alone to the general public.

What about diehard Ma fans? Some grassroots supporters were lucky enough to meet with Ma personally. These grassroots supporters conveyed their views and their distress though blogs. This group of Ma fans are a small and powerless minority amidst over seven million Ma Ying-jeou supporters. They feel distress. But they also say "feeling is returning." In their eyes, Ma Ying-jeou is "the good guy." They blame the media for distorted coverage. Such feelings however, are unpredictable. Because from start to finish, Ma Ying-jeou remains that "perpetual good guy." But his role has changed. His responsibility has increased. Merely being a "good guy" may be enough for mayor or opposition party leader. But clearly it is not enough for the role of national leader.

In the dictionaries of most national leaders, being a "good guy" does not conflict with being a "capable leader." They can even mutually reinforcing. Being a "good guy" definitely does not mean being weak. Still less does it mean being indecisive when faced with crises. United States President Barack Obama's poll numbers have also explored new lows. The Democrats in Congress command far fewer seats than the KMT in the Legislative Yuan. But Obama stood up in Congress and clenched his fists, confidently calling on all Americans not to allow themselves to fall into second place! This is not simply a matter of public speaking skills. The problem is that Ma Ying-jeou does not feel the same sense of urgency in leading the country. Does he feel the same passion? Does he have the same desire to ensure better lives for his countrymen? Does he have the same conviction? Does he have the same faith that he can lead his countrymen to the "promised land?"

Even the most trusting and naive grass-roots Ma fan is not going to relate to Ma Ying-jeou the way a music or sports fan relates to his idol. When Ma Ying-jeou places his notebook on his knee and dutifully jots down every suggestion, just like an elementary school student, at that moment, Ma fans are genuinely moved. But what next? Will a Ma Ying-jeou incapable of taking decisive action still touch people's hearts? A "good guy" president's notes must be transformed into policy and even achievements. A major exam comes once every four years. Opporunites for make-up exams are rare.

Ma Ying-jeou spoke with community leaders. He visited friends. Ma Ying-jeou has been like a whirling dervish. He is anxious about his problems. He wants to deal with them. But has he really thought about them? If not, we sincerely appeal to the leaders of our nation, thinking about policy is the most critical factor for successful governance. Please give yourselves time to think. Consider everyones' suggestions. Engage in thorough self-examination. Ask yourselves why you have failed to meet their expectations. Think hard about how to come up with your own vision, with your own way to inspire the nation. Do that, and the next time it will be a whole new Ma Ying-jeou who stands before the people.

中時電子報 新聞
中國時報 　2010.02.01
民意到底不滿什麼 馬應省思建言
本報訊

結束久博之旅，馬英九總統返國，民進黨主席蔡英文一句，看馬返台得意洋洋「很心酸」，言下當然是反諷之意。對比陳水扁執政八年期間，遇有國內不順遂之事，即藉出訪友邦，遠赴海外大談國內政治爭議，出口轉內銷操作新聞，兼拉抬聲望，馬英九此行委實「遜色」的很讓人心酸。

民眾的記憶不可能這麼快淡忘，就在馬英九出訪友邦前，他遭遇就任以來最低迷的聲望危機，根據遠見長期民調的最新數據顯示，馬英九的不滿意度已高達六成六以上，滿意度則跌到二成三，跌破八八風災時的水準。坊間各類民調所調查出的結果，都指向一個讓藍營心驚、卻不得不面對的事實：馬英九的民意聲望滑落速度超乎想像，除非馬英九有石破天驚之舉，展現過人的領導魄力，未來兩年欲期強勢拉抬馬的支持度以順利連任，確實艱難！

馬英九自己都看到這個重大危機，在出訪前二、三周時間中，先是與立院黨團頻繁溝通，軟硬兼施讓立法院召開臨時會通過地制法修正案，以久未上場的「打架拚法案」，拚出國民黨的團結意識；他更約談曾經對他提出針貶的社會各界人士，密度之高，甚至連部落格上的「鐵桿馬迷」都不放過，只因為馬迷一句，「沒感覺了。」他硬是在訪視基層的行程中，加上一段與婆婆媽媽級馬迷聊天的時間。

緊接著，就是出訪談美牛、談台美軍售，形同站在第一線，化解立法院上個會期議事不若預期，所可能引起的台美關係風波。

三個星期過去了，馬英九的領導危機解除了嗎？不必避諱，情況差別不大。社會人士對他的批評未因他彎腰聆聽而有改變，因為在這麼短的時間內，還看不到馬英九在領導風格或具體政策上有任何轉變；馬英九的筆記本密密麻麻地紀錄了各種不同的意見和建言，迄未明確且公開地回應這些建言，到底社會意見領袖不滿意之處何在？到底馬英九做不做得到這些菁英人士要求的改革？馬英九既未對社會意見領袖有所交代，遑論一般民眾。

鐵桿馬迷呢？這群有幸得見馬本尊的婆婆媽媽們，靠著部落格傳達了她們的意見和心疼，這群馬迷在七百多萬馬英九支持者中，終究是這麼薄弱的一小群人，她們心疼之餘說「感覺回來了。」因為馬英九還是她們心目中的「好人」，最後把責任歸咎於媒體報導失真。這樣的「感覺」風險實在很高，因為從頭到尾，馬英九就是那個「不變的好人」，但是，他的職務變了，他肩上的責任無限加重了，「好人」容或足堪做為一市之長，或在野一黨之領袖，但顯然不足以擔當國家治理的大任。

在多數國家領袖的字典裡，「好人」與「治理能力」不應該是衝突的，甚至應該是相輔相成的；「好人」絕對不是軟弱、更不是遇事無決無斷的代名詞。美國總統歐巴馬同樣遭逢民調低迷的危機，民主黨在國會的席次遠不若國民黨在立法院的優勢，然而，站上國會，歐巴馬握緊雙拳，依舊信心堅定地呼喚全體美國人：不要做第二！這已經不是演講技巧這麼簡單的問題，最重要的，馬英九心中有沒有相同的急切，要帶領國家向「領先」邁進？有沒有相同的熱情，要讓最大多數國民生活得比以前更好？有沒有相同的信念，相信自己可以帶領國人到達「應許之地」？

即使最單純的基層馬迷，對馬英九的期待都不可能僅止於粉絲對偶像的崇拜，當馬英九像個小學生般，膝蓋擱著筆記本，一句一字記下婆婆媽媽們的意見，那一刻，馬迷是感動的，接下來呢？一個沒有行動力與執行力的馬英九，還能感動人心嗎？好總統的筆記，得極有效率地轉化為政策、甚至政績，四年一次的大考，不會給人補考的機會。

從約談社會賢達到出訪友邦，馬英九在這段時間像陀螺般，沒有停下腳步，他著急又認真地看到自己的問題，不知道他開始思考這些問題了沒有？如果沒有，我們懇切呼籲國家領導人，思考是決策成功的最關鍵因素，請給自己一段足堪深思的時間：完整地看一遍各界建言、徹底反省為什麼自己不符他們的期待、深切思考自已還能拿出什麼願景與具體作為激勵國民？下一次，站在國人面前，才會是煥然一新的馬英九！