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Making the most of
the national right to vote
By Ku Chung-hwa ÅU©¾µØ
In the final televised presidential debate, the contending parties¡¦ nomination
lists for legislators-at-large sparked much discussion. Parties have
deliberately nominated figures who have a good public image to help win support
and also to attack their opponents. Voters have the right and responsibility to
monitor those in government and they welcome competition between parties that
helps disadvantaged people and experts in certain subject fields get into the
legislature.
However, parties need to be reminded that, although they have nominated these
¡§squeaky clean¡¨ people, they also need to make sure that if they are elected,
they turn their party¡¦s political views into laws and carry through on major
policies.
According to the Central Election Commission, 11 political parties have
registered to take part in next month¡¦s legislative and presidential elections.
These parties display some common patterns in their nominations.
First, the list of nominations for legislators-at-large is a way of managing
what kind of impression the public receives about each party. Nominees from
disadvantaged groups and those who have a good social standing are normally
placed high up on the ¡§safe list.¡¨
Second, party lists for legislators-at-large also function as a way to foster
political talent. For example, the Democratic Progressive Party is using the
concept of a ¡§new generation¡¨ to signal a changing of the guard.
Third, the at-large nomination lists reflect the personal aspirations and
election concerns of the three presidential candidates.
Fourth, the processes by which the parties have drawn up these lists show that
they all lack an internal democratic mechanism for doing so. The timing of each
party¡¦s nominations shows their varying methods of political calculation, their
attempts to pacify internal dissent and the way in which they have sat on the
fence and tried to out-wait election variables. They also show that the parties
have not yet reached a consensus on what qualifications legislators-at-large
should have.
So how should voters go about casting their second vote ¡X the one cast for a
party as opposed to a candidate? Hopefully the following suggestions can be of
some help for those who want to make a rational decision and avoid voting for
certain candidates, but then regretting it later.
First, voters should carefully read the information provided on the election
notice sent to them before polling time, including the stated political views of
each party, and then think about whether the various parties¡¦ at-large nominees
are capable of effectively putting their parties¡¦ political views into action.
Second, voters should consider whether the legislator-at-large nominees are
capable of speaking up as representatives of public opinion. In the case of
incumbent legislators, people can refer to legislative reports released by
Citizen Congress Watch, which will tell them at a glance whether those nominees
are worthy and competent candidates for the legislature.
The final point to be made is that smart voters know that even after an election
they should not stop monitoring the government.
Keeping an eye on elected leaders is the only way to ensure that democracy is
really in the hands of the public, rather than just being a system for handing
power over to elected representatives, only for them to become the ¡§masters¡¨ of
democracy and trample on the rights of their supposed bosses ¡X the public.
Ku Chung-hwa is chairman of Citizen¡¦s Congress Watch.
Translated by Drew Cameron
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