The presidential election is just a few days away. All five candidates are gearing up for a big final push, while the broadcast and print media are churning out extensive election coverage. It would be nearly impossible for anyone in Taiwan to insulate himself from the talking heads, campaign coverage, and mudslinging. The atmosphere keeps heating up, and people can hardly be faulted for showing intense interest in who will lead them through the challenging years ahead. Unfortunately, it's been a dirty campaign. An ancient sage once said: "In a contest between gentlemen, the two parties exchange assurances of respect before the contest begins." Have we forgotten those wise words? Amidst endless mutual recrimination, the most talented in our society are made to look like a bunch of scoundrels. Pity the man in serious contention for the presidency! How in the world are we supposed to accept the leadership of whoever emerges victorious from the fray? While it is true that there are no saints in a democratic society, must we stop believing in idealism and human decency?
Maybe what has happened since the lifting of martial law has been a reaction to the previous restrictions on our freedom of speech. Maybe it's because there are more media organizations, and maybe it's the fact that we all have less time. Whatever the reason, the fact is that shocking pronouncements receive the most attention. Political commentators and talk show participants all tend to feel like "the show ain't over 'til I've said something shocking." The speakers just want to get in their licks. The listeners just want their titillation. Maybe we've become totally focused on "a level playing field" and forgotten about "the rules of the game." People compete to see who can put the most "oomph" and cleverness into their indignation against public figures, and the media make no bones about their partisanship. They all put their own spin on the news. The public has come to an easy acceptance of this state of affairs, and political figures now pay less and less attention to the press. Looking on the bright side, this may be the inevitable result of the shift to a democratic and pluralistic society. But hasn't this atmosphere carried our society slowly toward the negative mindset that now places the shortcomings of our presidential candidates under a microscope? We are asked to select our president through a process of elimination, and a very negative process it is turning out to be. This man is too "scary." That guy's too "dangerous." That man is "the worst of the bunch." This is the tragedy of democratic society. Without ideals, where are we supposed to place our hopes for the future?
But take a close look at the candidates. Aren't they all the cream of the crop? Aren't they an all-star cast of people whose talents and abilities have been maturing over a period of decades? Just look at the eloquence of Lien Chan before the media. He's every bit a match for the leaders of the West. Look at how James Soong pays attention to details, especially to the problems of the man on the street. Look at the ability and decisiveness of Chen Shui-bian. Look at Li Ao's erudition and insight, and Hsu Hsin-liang's idealism and vision. Each candidate has his own unique strengths and, more importantly, a strong sense of mission. It is this sense of mission that has led each to struggle day after day, traveling from town to town to win voter support. They want Taiwan's next four years to be better than what we've known. They want to change what's wrong with our society, and to build on our newly won prosperity and democracy by reaching for a better way of life. With the general election just around the corner, Sinorama has decided to interview the candidates and seek the views of academics, senior political reporters, and leaders from every walk of life. It's the one small thing we can do as a member of the media to inform the public and help guide the election back toward what it should be-a selection of the most talented and capable people in the land.
This month's Sinorama also looks past the election to other political issues. In "Will the Election Weaken Political Parties" we examine the possible impact of the election on the future course of democracy in Taiwan. In "A Tale of Strong Presidents with Weak Constitutions" we examine how the various constitutions of the Republic of China have treated the presidency, and the power struggles of past presidents and legislatures. We hope this information will give you a clearer view of the big picture. After all, this month's election is not only about who will be our president for the next four years. It is a confirmation that once every four years, anyone who intends to lead this land of 22.5 million will have to gain the consent of the people to do it. Your vote matters!
Errata: We erroneously reported last month in our article on "Educating Taiwanese Kids in the PRC" that the Little Oxford bilingual elementary school charges a tuition fee of RMB 38,000 per semester. The actual figure is RMB 32,000. We wish to extend our sincerest apologies to Little Oxford and its students' families for any inconvenience caused by our failure to discover this error during the fact checking process. We pledge to redouble our efforts in this area.
