DPP Must Jettison Its Opposition Party Mindset and Reclaim Its Progressive Values

DPP Must Jettison Its Opposition Party Mindset and Reclaim Its Progressive Values
China Times Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC) 
A Translation 
September 24, 2016

Executive Summary: The DPP is a political party that is 30 years old, that now enjoys “total rule”. Nevertheless it remains frozen in the stage of a perpetual opposition party. It governs the nation by inciting protests and waging attack campaigns. It has taken people back to the Chen Shui-bian era of eight years ago. The DPP is a political party that has turned its back on progressive values. It is a 30-year-old political party that is not content to rule responsibly. How can the people possibly be happy under such a party?

Full Text Below:

As an editorial published by the China Times on the 28th noted, the Democratic Progressive Party is now 30 years old. Despite the fact that it now enjoys “total rule”, it has experienced unprecedented setbacks. The leadership of the DPP must engage in soul-searching, and submit to the judgment of people as a whole. Has the self-styled “Democratic Progressive Party” in fact promoted democracy? Has it in fact been progressive? Has it in fact made Taiwan more democratic, and society more progressive?

The DPP was preparing to hold the first anniversary celebration since assuming “total rule”. But lo and behold, Typhoon Meiji chose to strike Taiwan that very day. The festivities had to be canceled. But even more embarrassingly, two pro-green polling organizations chose this very day to announce their latest findings. A poll conducted by the Taiwan Public Opinion Foundation found that Tsai Ying-wen's approval rating had plummeted 25% since taking office. Yau Yung-lung, the person in charge of the poll, described it as an "avalanche". Another pro-Tsai organization, the Taiwan Think Tank, revealed that Tsai's approval rating had fallen below 50%. This meant that six months after its sweeping victory last autumn, the festivities are already over. The party has been denied even the briefest of honeymoon periods.

So what happened? The DPP does not lack governing experience. Nor does it lack governing ideals and a governing team. During the election campaign, it made glowing promises to the public. Many young people were moved to participate in the political process. Now that it has seized power, why is it behaving like a complete novice?

What's worse, the DPP has reneged on its long reiterated promises of “humility” and “reconciliation”. The result has been cross-Strait crises, ruling vs. opposition party clashes, and wave after wave of public protests by civic groups and the general public. Tsai Ing-wen's favorite catch phrase is "problem-solving". But so far, not one problem has been solved. Instead, her administration has created one problem after another. All that the people have experienced is a Taiwan that is regressing and reverting to poverty.

This is a political party that has just turned 30. Yet it seems unaccustomed to acting like an adult. It already enjoys “total rule”. Yet it clings to the mindset of a perpetual opposition party. It clings to the posture of an opposition party. It relentlessly finds fault, seeks enemies, and deals with policy disputes by launching protest movements. It deals with the annuity controversy by attacking military personnel, civil servants, and public school teachers. It deals the dispute over legal holidays by clashing with labor. It deals with the Kuomintang's party assets by conducting a political purge. A few short months later, the entire nation finds itself in chaos and conflict.

Externally, Tsai Ing-wen's campaign pledge to "maintain the status quo" has instead "changed the status quo", because she has stubbornly refused to acknowledge the 1992 Consensus. As a result cross-Strait relations are frozen. Mainland tourists have ceased arriving. Mainland students have fallen in number. Once smooth diplomatic relations are suddenly riddled with difficulties. Opportunities to participate in international activities have dwindled. Three years ago, Ma Ying-jeou's diplomatic strategy enabled him to attend the ICAO conference as a “chairman” and “VIP”. Tsai Ing-wen mocked him, calling him a “poodle”. Now Tsai Ing-wen cannot even obtain an invitation to the event. She knows how to flap her lips and curse Beijing. But does she know how to solve problems? No she does not. She has not solved a single problem. On the contrary, she has made solutions totally impossible.

Eight years ago, the “Southern Strategy” was impracticable. It has now been trotted out once more, with the prefix “New”. It has once again come to prominence. It has once again become the panacea that will solve all problems. In fact the Mainland implemented its own "Southern Strategy" some time ago. Its political and economic measures have already been in place for some time. The Mainland has enjoyed far greater resources and strength than Taiwan for some time. Will the ASEAN nations suddenly side with Taiwan merely because they hear Tsai Ing-wen utter the words, “New Southern Strategy”? We will find out soon enough.

Close long-term relations with political pressure groups has unquestionably enabled the ruling administration to “solve” some problems, but only by abusing its executive authority. For example, motivated by political considerations, it has gotten all criminal charges against 126 Sunflower Student Movement members who occupied the Executive Yuan dropped. It has bought off striking China Airlines workers. It subsidized protesting national highway system toll collectors by dipping into the national treasury. The new government's magic formula for problem solving is, “Trouble-makers will be rewarded, the taxpayers will foot the bill”. In short, “The squeaky wheel gets the grease”. What about the rule of law? Why, that's not important. After all, political considerations are all that matter. So what if rewarding those who make trouble encourages more of the same? So what if it leads to universal protests and administrative exhaustion?

The DPP is a political party that is 30 years old, that now enjoys “total rule”. Nevertheless it remains frozen in the stage of a perpetual opposition party. It governs the nation by inciting protests and waging attack campaigns. It has taken people back to the Chen Shui-bian era of eight years ago. The DPP is a political party that has turned its back on progressive values. It is a 30-year-old political party that is not content to rule responsibly. How can the people possibly be happy under such a party?

改變在野黨心態 找回進步價值
2016/9/29 中國時報

正如28日《中國時報》社論所指出，進入「而立之年」的民進黨，終於獲得首次全面執政的完美機遇，卻遭遇前所未見的執政挫折。當此時刻，民進黨領導階層應自我檢視，更該接受全民的檢驗，民主進步黨執政後是否遵循了「民主」與「進步」的創黨價值，是否真正讓台灣更民主、社會更進步。

諷刺的是，當民進黨準備盛大慶祝首次全面執政後的第一次黨慶，梅姬颱風卻刻意選在這個日子襲台，黨慶活動被迫取消。更難堪的是，兩個親綠的民調機構選在此刻公布了讓執政團隊難堪的民調最新數據。台灣民意基金會調查顯示，民眾對蔡英文的評價較之就職時大跌了25%，被主持民調的游盈隆形容成是「雪崩式下跌」；而另一家被視為「親蔡英文」的台灣世代智庫所公布的數據，也顯示蔡英文的滿意度已跌至5成以下。這意味，半年多前才以秋風掃落葉之姿大勝的民進黨，連最起碼的短暫蜜月都沒經歷！

這是怎麼回事？民進黨不是沒有執政經驗，也不是沒有施政的理念與團隊，競選期間許給人民的「進步」承諾，曾是何等華麗飽滿！曾經激起多少青年的政治參與熱情！為什麼待到真正掌握了權柄，卻像個完全抓不住方向盤的生手？

更糟的是，就任初始念念有詞的「謙卑」、「和解」，實踐出的結果卻是兩岸急凍、朝野衝突、社會對立，一波接一波社運團體及一般民眾湧上凱道抗議。蔡英文本人最喜歡掛在嘴上的「解決問題」，尚未見到解決過任一樁，她的執政團隊卻不斷地「製造問題」！全民真實體驗到的是一個向後退的台灣，走向貧窮的社會！

說到底，這個剛滿30歲的政黨，似乎還沒習慣轉大人！都完全執政了，心態上還死守在「在野」階段，成天擺著反對黨的臉孔在批判，還在尋找敵人搞鬥爭，還在藉抗爭運動的方式處理政策爭議。以羞辱軍公教的手段處理年金爭議，以煽起勞資對立的方式處理例休議題，以近乎抄家的手法處理國民黨黨產等，才短短幾個月，整個國家都陷入不安與對立的氛圍中！

對外呢？蔡英文競選時念茲在茲的「維持現狀」，只因為堅拒「那4個字」，演成了「改變現狀」，好不容易和緩的兩岸關係瞬間急凍，陸客不來了，陸生減少了；原本順暢的活路外交，突然不再靈活了，已經打開的國際參與空間，逐步關閉了，3年前嘲諷馬英九參與ICAO的外交戰略（主席貴賓）宛若貴賓狗，如今連邀請函都拿不到，只會出一張嘴罵北京打壓，解決了什麼問題呢？沒有！不過就是將原本已解決的問題，重新倒回到「無解」而已！

8年前就推不動的南向政策，如今再度翻紅，冠上了個「新」字，再度成為全新顯學，更彷彿成為解決一切問題的萬靈丹！殊不知，大陸的「南向政策」早就啟動，相關政經布局已早大致就緒，比資源、比實力，相較8年前兩岸早就不可同日而語，而本來就現實的東協國家，會因為聽到新南向，就馬上轉向「親台」嗎？且讓我們繼續看下去吧！

由於與社運團體長期親近的關係，執政團隊藉由行政資源某種形式「解決」了某些問題！例如在政治考量下將126名在太陽花學運時攻占行政院的民眾撤告，對華航空服員罷工訴求全數買單，對國道收費員抗爭「專案補貼全民買單」等，這些事例確立了新政府解決問題的法寶：造反有理、全民買單，用簡單的說法就是「有吵就有糖吃」！至於法治的程序正義呢？不重要，反正一切全以政治考量為上，但送糖策略的示範效應遍地開花，造成抗爭活動烽煙四起，行政團隊疲於奔命。

年屆30的政黨，一個已享有完全執政機會的政黨，心靈上還凍結於「在野期」，還習於用搞運動、玩批鬥的方式治國，讓人民喚回了8年前陳水扁執政時期的記憶，人民的回報，就是雪崩式下跌的聲望了！一個背離進步價值的政黨，一個30歲生日並不快樂的執政黨，人民怎麼可能快樂呢？