Today Lin Cho-shui (via View from Taiwan) echoed my view.
The amendment is poles apart from the US' approach to providing retired presidents with preferential treatment, due to the nasty partisan politics behind it. The US' presidential retirement package is derived from an era in which presidents were expected to show self-restraint and be upstanding.
Many retired presidents had to become lawyers or judges after their terms in order to avoid destitution -- an embarrassing phenomenon for the nation.
For example, presiding over cases litigated by an attorney who was once the country's president was a sticky situation for judges. Former presidents becoming chairmen of companies also proved to be problematic.
So, the US established a system that allowed former presidents to live out their remaining years in relative comfort and safety.
Wake up Ma Ying-Jeou, the secret to success is by heeding the cirticism your opponent place on you. Let reason, not part politics, determine your action.
5 comments:
Politics at its most petty. A few months ago all the talk on this was of making any new regulation apply to Lien & Lee as well - that it isn't makes it very obviously a direct dig at Chen.
However, do you reckon this is Ma's doing? My impression is that it's the pan-Blue legislators pushing it themselves ... and Ma is just letting them run with it (I've yet to see an instance where Ma has made a real attempt to moderate his legislators - maybe the no-confidence vote in the Autumn though). I remember Ma publicly supporting a cut in pension - but that was more a "as future president I'm willing to cut my pension" sort of move ...
"How can you blame his wife for planning for the future?"
Chen did not stand for election under duress, did he?
LfC,
Yes, I agree with you. There is no excuse for corruption. I was just making a point that if we want a capable leader, he should be appropriately rewarded. With a dismal compensation, you are only able to attract dismal personalities.
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david,
perhaps I was being too harsh on Ma. In fact, as a potential candidate for president, it is hard for him to take position on this issue.
i actually think Lin Cho-Shui's rant about Lee/Lien vs Chen is a very insignificant and minor issue, and it is partisan rant as well. Otherwise his essay would be a great one.
Let politics hurt some individual who may or may not deserve it, but do not damage the structure in order to achieve a short term objective.
The key issue here is that the amendment encourages (or forces) future president to plan for his retirement while in power. That would be very bad.
Along this line of thought I would argue for a significant hike in compensation for high level officers in mainland China as well, otherwise there would be no end to the corruption cases.
Interesting development:
http://news.chinatimes.com/Chinatimes/Moment/newfocus-index/0,3687,9507140411+0+0+142208+0,00.html
yes, the news already leaked 24 hours ago......would be interesting to watch.
i believe now it is likely that chen will have no choice but stepping down, DPP would force him to do so in order to survive.
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