Hao, Chu, and Hu: Jockeying for Position?

Hao, Chu, and Hu: Jockeying for Position?
China Times editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
August 29, 2012

Summary: Society on Taiwan is highly politicized. Everyone has his own agenda. Everyone sings his own tune. No issue escapes being politically pigeonholed. This political curse keeps Taiwan trapped in a Blue vs. Green political quagmire. Reconciliation has become a castle in the air, a mirage, a charade. There are 23 million people on Taiwan besides Ah-Bian. There are things more important than politics. If we cannot get beyond even this, then Taiwan has no future.

Full Text below:

Society on Taiwan is highly politicized. Everyone has his own agenda. Everyone sings his own tune. No issue escapes being politically pigeonholed. This political curse keeps Taiwan trapped in a Blue vs. Green political quagmire. Reconciliation has become a castle in the air, a mirage, a charade.

Recently Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin suggested that former President Chen Shui-bian, who is currently in prison, be released on medical parole. People immediately assumed he was laying the groundwork for a presidential bid. Supporters of Jason Hu announced their support for Jason Hu as party chairman. Not to be outdone, Supporters of Eric Chu proposed that Eric Chu run for president and that Minister of the Interior Lee Hong-yuan run for mayor of Xinbei City. These are matters that should be dealt with two to four years from now. Was it really necessary to lay the groundwork and even jockey for position so early?

Hao, Chu, and Hu are KMT mayors of directly administered municipalities. They are not part of the central government. They are three party princes who have helped the KMT consolidate its power. These three men have minds of their own. They take no pleasure in attacking the central government. The public on Taiwan knows this. Less a month ago, the Ma administration's reputation probed new lows following Lin Yi-shi's indictment for extortion. When rumors emerged that party members wanted President Ma to resign as party chairman, these three men simultaneously expressed support for Ma Ying-jeou. They said they wanted him to stay on as party chairman. They are not jockeying for position. They know Taiwan faces a tough test as the global economy reaches new lows. They know there are more important things than changes in the ruling party. They know there are more important things than competing for power within the party. They know that if the ruling party invests its energy in jockeying for position, its economic initiatives will fail, and it will lose its hold on political power. Therefore scrambling for power within the party is pointless.

The slogan "Hao, Chu, and Hu" rings in our ears. Many people are urging them to run for party chairman or president. These people may be current or former staffers or aides. But they all confirm one thing: "You always hurt the one you love." One. All three of them still have two years left in their term. Hao is not eligible for another term. Hu and Chu are. But the KMT primary system has a timetable. The earliest it can go into operation is the end of next year or the beginning of the year after that. The political situation on Taiwan changes quickly. The variables are too many to be predictable. Who knows how matters will stand two years from now? Two. Cabinet heads cannot nominate whomever they wish for president. Even less can aides. Sean Chen's cabinet is only six months old. It is too early to start proposing new candidates for premier. It is also disrespectful to the current premier. Three. Hao, Chu, and Hu are currently serving mayors. Their top priority is governing their cities. If they do a good job, their futures are assured. If they do a poor job, declaring their candidacies early will do them no good.

When Hau Lung-bin inaugurated "Freedom Lane," he suggested that the Ministry of Justice form a team of medical professionals to determine whether Chen Shui-bian should be granted medical parole. This led to middle-aged candidates jockeying for position. It was probably not what he expected. But it shows that Blue vs. Green opposition on Taiwan remains a Gordian Knot. The Chen family corruption scandal erupted. Chen has already gone to prison. But some Chen supporters still refuse to believe Chen engaged in corruption. They still claim that a former head of state being imprisoned amounts to political persecution. They wonder how long Chen should remain in prison, when he should be granted a pardon, and whether he should be granted medical parole? Society on Taiwan is polarized. This problem has legal, political, and human rights implications. But it has little to do with jockeying for position among middle-aged political candidates. Hau Lung-bin's proposal was applauded by the Green camp. But many more Blue camp members looked askance at Hau's proposal. Clearly Hau was not motivated by a desire to jockey for position.

Hau Lung-bin majored in the hard sciences. His thinking differs from politicians who majored in the social sciences. He seldom makes any rash moves. He consistently tries to do the right thing, and say what's on his mind. He seldom makes political calculations. Hau is the son of military veteran and former premier Hau Pei-tsun, who vigorously opposed Taiwan independence. After Hau entered politics, he had no problem cooperating with the DPP on public policy. He incurred the wrath of the Blue camp. He served as head of the Chen regime Environmental Protection Department. He accomplished much in the gap between the Blue and Green camps. Ruling vs. opposition party relations prevents Taiwan from moving forward. Hau's personal and political experiences are inspiring. But is Hau Lung-bin the only one who feels this way? Blue vs. Green battles persist. They prevent the Ma administration from implementing its policies. Is the ruling KMT truly indifferent to this?

Everyone wants Blue Green reconciliation. Hau Lung-bin's proposal may not be feasible. But can ruling and opposition political leaders ignore Hau's aspirations? Must frigid relations between the ruling and opposition parties lead to Taiwan's collapse? Should Chen be granted medical parole? That question requires a professional medical opinion. Leave aside whether Ah-Bian should be granted medical parole. Is it really not possible to organize a team of medical experts able to offer a credible opinion? Conversely, how long does the Green Camp intend to remain stuck to the Ah-Bian tar baby? Must Blue/Green reconciliation be linked to Ah-Bien? Chen Shui-bian was in power for eight years. He controlled vast resources. He wielded immense power. No one owes him anything. There are 23 million people on Taiwan besides Ah-Bian. There are things more important than politics. If we cannot get beyond even this, then Taiwan has no future.

真的只能用「卡位戰」看郝立強嗎
    2012-08-29 01:16
    中國時報

　台灣果然是高度政治化的社會，人人一把號，各吹政治的調，任何議題都逃脫不出政治考量的框限，這個政治魔咒幾成詛咒，讓台灣陷入藍綠壁壘不可自拔，和解之議從空中樓閣漸漸演變成海市蜃樓，全然只是虛幻一場。

　近日，台北市長郝龍斌拋出應讓在監服刑的前總統陳水扁保外就醫的議題，立刻遭人聯想他準備走自己的路；接著，挺胡人士放出支持胡志強競選黨主席之議；挺朱人士一不做二不休，直接倡議朱立倫選總統、內政部長李鴻源競選新北市長，這些二年、四年後的事，有必要這麼早舖陳布局、甚至卡位嗎？

　無可諱言，「郝立強」都是國民黨內直轄市長，中央執政之外，就是三大諸侯為國民黨鞏固政權；然這三人都不是沒有自己意見的人，也不是以炮打中央為樂之人，台灣民眾不可能這麼健忘，才在一個多月前，當馬政府為林益世涉嫌索賄案聲望一路下滑到新低，黨內傳出建議馬英九總統辭兼黨主席之聲的時候，就是他們同步公開表達支持馬英九續任黨主席。他們為的不是卡位，而是深刻理解台灣面臨全球經濟低盪的嚴苛考驗，有比更換執政黨主席、競逐黨內權力更重要的事，執政黨若把心力都擺在權力布局，執政政府任何拚經濟的舉措都將落空，執政權若因此不保，爭逐黨內權力還有何意義？

　「郝立強」言猶在耳，所有倡議他們競選黨主席和總統之人，不論是現幕僚或者前幕僚，都坐實一句話：愛之適足以害之。第一，他們三人的任期還有兩年，郝不能連任，胡朱可連任，但不論如何，國民黨有初選機制產生候選人，根據這個機制的時程，最快也得明年底後年初才開始作業，以台灣政治節奏之快，變數橫陳之不可測，誰能預估兩年後的事？第二，閣揆提名權在總統，非其個人意願可以主導，遑論幕僚之見，陳?組閣才半年，此刻建議閣揆人選，言之過早也是對現任閣揆不尊重；第三，他們都是現任市長，當然清楚做好市政才是他們的當務之急，做得好就有未來，做不好藍圖設計得再早都無用！

　郝龍斌在「自由巷」揭牌活動中，拋出應由法務部組成專業醫療團隊評估陳水扁保外就醫的必要，無端燒起一把「中生代卡位」之火，容或出乎其意料之外，但也由此看出台灣藍綠對立這個難解的死結。扁家弊案爆發迄今，即使扁已入監，但是對扁究竟是否貪汙、卸任元首應否在入監之外還有其他懲治形式、以至於扁到底還要服刑多久、何時特赦乃至能否保外就醫？俱有不同見解，台灣社會還是處於兩極狀態，這個問題有法律面、有政治面、也有人權面向可以討論，但不論如何討論，與所謂的中生代卡位距離遠矣；郝龍斌的主張，即使能得到泛綠叫好，泛藍陣營的負面評價肯定超過正面意見，哪裡有機會因此卡位？

　郝龍斌是自然學科出身的人，與法政社會科系出身的政治人物思維有異，他甚少做突如其來的即興之舉，做對的事，說自己相信的話，是他一貫主張，政治算計的利害得失，很少在他的盤算之中，就是因為這樣，做為民進黨與獨派人士曾經全力抗衡的軍人院長郝柏村之子，他在進入政治場域後，與民進黨在公共政策上的合作卻從來不是問題，甘冒泛藍陣營之大不韙，出任扁政府的環保署長，在藍綠夾縫中還是做了不少事，以他的個人經驗和政治歷練，面對如此朝野關係無法改善因而耗蝕台灣前進的動力，很難心無所感。問題是：這個感慨難道只是郝龍斌個人之嘆嗎？藍綠無止盡的惡鬥，讓馬政府的政策舉步維艱，執政黨能無所感嗎？

　藍綠和解是全民期望，郝龍斌一句話，或許跨不出這一步，但朝野政治領袖豈能無視全民心聲，放任冰凝的朝野關係永遠成為拖垮台灣的主要因素？扁能否保外就醫需要各種專業評估，先不論能否讓扁保外就醫，組成具有社會公信力的醫療評估團隊再一次檢驗真的不可行嗎？同樣的，綠營難道不能想想還要陷在「阿扁困局」中多久？藍綠和解非扁不可嗎？陳水扁執政八年，擁有過最多資源、最大權力，沒有人虧欠他一絲一毫，台灣除了扁還有二千三百萬人民，除了政治還有更重要的事，這一步跨不出去，台灣不會有未來。