The Blue and Green Camps Should Talk Vision

The Blue and Green Camps Should Talk Vision
China Times editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
December 27, 2011

Summary: Polling day is approaching. Blue vs. Green electioneering has turned to street fighting and hand to hand combat. The Two Yings can no longer maintain their former decorum. The debate now calls for relentlessly hitting the enemy where it hurts. The two camps are constantly testing out new election ploys. Attacks are being directed at the heart of the enemy camp with unprecedented frequency. The election campaign has everyone's nerves on edge.

Full Text Below:

Polling day is approaching. Blue vs. Green electioneering has turned to street fighting and hand to hand combat. The Two Yings can no longer maintain their former decorum. The debate now calls for relentlessly hitting the enemy where it hurts. The two camps are constantly testing out new election ploys. Attacks are being directed at the heart of the enemy camp with unprecedented frequency. The election campaign has everyone's nerves on edge.
Ma Ying-jeou, Tsai Ing-wen, and James Soong have participated in two presidential debates, one policy presentation, and one cultural issues Q&A. Wu Den-yih, Su Jia-chyuan, and Lin Ruey-shiung, the three vice presidential candidates, have participated in one vice presidential debate. Two more presidential policy presentations are planned. One more vice presidential policy presentation is planned.

The Taiwan Region of the Republic of China is geographically limited. The three campaigns have had plenty of opportunities to work the streets and the countryside, to hold rallies, and to speak their peace to voters. The president and vice president do not have much more to say. As a result, they merely present the same material, over and over again. It sometimes looks as if TaiMed and Fubon were running for Republic of China president. Voters want neither TaiMed nor Fubon. Nor do they want fortune tellers predicting the outcome of the election. They are deeply frustrated.

The Blue and Green camps are expending much effort gaining or maintaining the support of local bosses. Whenever they can, they pay visits to various and sundry elders, big shots, and professional organizations, beseeching them to step forward and support them. But really, what is the point? The Republic of China has undergone countless elections. The central government has undergone two ruling party changes. Local governments have gone from Blue to Green and back again. Voters are shrewder than ever. They are clearer than ever about what they want. Just how much influence do these "elders" still have? Just how much difference will gaining or maintaining their support make? What do voters really want? Isn't what they really want a ruling administration able to take care of them? Isn't what they really want a political leader who actually cares about them? What they don't want is politicians and political parties who work the crowds and spread money around only at election time.

Who are the politicians' most dependable, most powerful "local bosses?" Not the ward heelers who wine and dine them for a quid pro quo, but the people, ordinary men in the street. These are the politicians' real "local bosses." Politicians and political parties able to provide people with a better life will be the ones who win new voter support. Politicians and political parties able to bring peace and prosperity will be the ones who consolidate existing voter support.

The three presidential and vice presidential candidates have had many opportunities to address the public. Unfortunately, they used up most of that time denouncing each other, smearing each other. For supporters with firm convictions, "believers remain believers, unbelievers remain unbelievers." It is difficult to convert them to a different perspective.

Therefore searching for evidence and buying advertising is a waste of resources. During an election too many complex emotions are involved. Why not wait until the election is over, then allow the justice system to sort out the merits of their arguments? After all, it is less than 20 days before the election, No matter what conclusions one might reach, they are unlikely to quell the feelings of the masses.

Society on Taiwan is ruled by law. Why not allow scandals to be investigated by the justice system? Why must we fight over them tooth and nail, just before the general election? Who in the Blue and Green camps is willing to make the first concession, for the sake of the people? Who is willing to shelve past grievances, for the sake of the future? Only through sacrifices can one make gains.

Tsai Ing-wen once cast herself in the role of the real mother in the parable of King Solomon and the infant child. This provoked a wave of Blue Camp disdain. For both the KMT and the DPP, the real mother must be the hearts and minds of the people. They must care about social harmony and peace. They must be willing to allow controversial issues to die down. They must be willing to take a step back for the greater good.

The office of the president is responsible for the nation's economic development. Yet presidential candidates run around all day, wasting their time and energy. Their words and deeds should set an example for society. Yet all they do is denounce each other. Where leaders go, the public follows. No wonder society is increasingly cynical and violent. If the presidential and vice presidential candidates were more constructive in their choice of language, if they avoided naked intimidation and wild accusations, they might promote greater harmony within society.

If the candidates would sling a little less mud over the next ten days, if they would eschew empty rhetoric and ignorant rants, they might be able to enhance everyone's well-being. If so, would they still need to seek wisdom from sacred texts in Bhutan?

The election countdown has begun. Politicians are preparing to celebrate New Year's Eve. But have they thought about what kind of future we face?

If the Blue and Green camp presidential candidates are truly ready to fulfill the role of national leader, they should contemplate the challenge the future poses. They should already be in a compassionate state. Mere discretion is not enough. Where do they get the time and energy to make irresponsible remarks all day long?

Neither the TaiMed nor Fubon cases are Taiwan's most serious problem. There is no need to engage in shouting and name calling over them. Only 18 days remain til election day. Let the Blue and Green camps put the past behind them. Make room for the future. Get past petty grievances. Make room for greater possibilities.

別再罵了 藍綠應多談願景
2011-12-27中國時報

隨著投票日的接近，藍綠相關競選活動也進入了巷戰和肉搏戰，不但雙英都已經忍不住卸下一直以來勉力維持的溫和與禮儀，言談間直搗黃龍，辛辣、挑釁頻頻出招；兩個陣營也不斷嘗試「開發新市場」，深入敵營的行動之激烈、頻繁，前所未見，選情已陷入膠著、緊繃狀態。

馬英九、蔡英文與宋楚瑜三位總統候選人已經歷了兩次辯論會與一次公辦政見發表會，一次文化界提問會，吳敦義、蘇嘉全和林瑞雄三位副總統選人也已進行過一次辯論會，預計未來總統候選人還有兩次政見發表會，副總統候選人有一場政見發表會。

台灣幅員不算太大，三組人馬不停蹄地掃街、下鄉、造勢，直接面對選民發表政見、政策的機會實在太多了，總統和副總統似乎也沒有那麼多話可以說，結果，一百句不過就是五十雙，翻來覆去總是那些話題，看來好像這次是「宇昌」跟「富邦」在選中華民國總統；就算不想選「宇昌」也不想選「富邦」，但是，難道人民會想選「推背圖」嗎？真教人為難啊。

藍綠陣營花那麼多功夫拔樁、固樁，一有空就去拜訪這大老、那個重量級大人物，要各式各樣的專業團體出面相挺，到底意義何在？台灣已經歷了許多次選舉，中央都已政黨輪替過兩次，地方藍天綠地也翻過盤，人民愈來愈精明、愈來愈清楚自己要的是什麼，這些所謂的大老還有多少影響力？拔椿、固椿到底有多少的功效？到底人民要的是什麼？是能照顧民生的執政者，要的是真正在乎人民的政治領導人，不是那些到了選舉才去走透透、撒錢的政黨和政治人物。

所以，政治人物最紮實有力的「樁腳」是誰？不是那些藉著選舉吃香的、喝辣的、「待價而沽」的「選棍們」，而是人民，一個一個真實平凡的小市民，才是政治人物的樁腳，能提供人民更好生活的政黨、政治人物就可以拔樁，能夠帶來國泰民安的政黨與政治人物就能夠固樁。

這段時間以來，三組總統和副總統候選人有很多公開發言的機會，可惜的是，他們卻花了大部分的時間彼此指責、互相抹黑，這些議題對心中早有定見的支持者來說，的確是「信者恆信、不信者恆不信」，怎麼樣都很難被說服去相信「另一套版本」。

因此，政黨花再多力氣去找證據、登廣告，都是浪費資源；選舉摻雜了太多複雜的情緒，是非曲直何不在選後交由司法單位處理，畢竟，選前這一、二十天，不論得出個什麼結論來，都難以平息群眾的情緒。

台灣是個法治社會，有弊案疑慮，交由司法處理有何不可，何必一定要趕在大選時刻爭個你死我活？藍綠陣營，誰願意為台灣人民先放下心中委屈、誰願意為了台灣的未來暫時擱置過去的恩怨？要有捨才有得。

之前蔡英文曾以「所羅門王前真正的母親」自居，引起藍營一陣不屑。不論國民黨還是民進黨，真正的母親是以百姓的心為心，顧念的是社會和諧與安寧，因此會願意在這麼有爭議的議題上暫時偃旗息鼓，為百姓的福祉先退一步。

身為國家經濟建設最高首長，終日奔波翻查資料，人才浪費莫此為甚；總統級候選人一言一行本該為社會表率，卻總是互相指責，風行草偃，難怪社會風氣日益乖戾暴力；如果總統、副總統候選人在選舉用語和議題選擇上能更正面、積極，而不是尖酸刻薄、臆測恐嚇、信口開河，當可為社會增加不少溫暖的力量。

如果候選人在接下來的十幾天裡能少噴一點口水和墨汁，少講一點沒有營養、沒有知識又兼不衛生的話，台灣的幸福指數應該就可以增加不少了，又何須千里迢迢去不丹取經？

選舉已進入倒數計時，政治人物在熱鬧準備跨年活動的同時，是否認真想過我們將要面對的是一個什麼樣的未來？

如果藍綠總統候選人真的是準備好要做一個國家領導人，那麼，想到未來的挑戰，心情應該早已如同臨淵履薄，戰戰兢兢都不夠，怎麼還有那麼多工夫和心情整天說三道四？

宇昌也好、富邦也罷，這些都不是台灣的「國仇家恨」，沒必要讓人民因此整天對峙、叫囂、對罵。還有十八天，藍綠請快跟往事告別，留點時間給未來；擺脫怨懟，留點空間給願景。