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Jun 15, 2009

ECFA referendum efforts

The DPP has more or less settled on the following wording:

「你是否同意台灣與中國簽訂之經濟合作架構協議(ECFA),政府應交付台灣人民公民投票決定?」

Do you agree that the government ought to put an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) signed between Taiwan and China to a referendum before the Taiwanese people?
I think it will do, but time is short and a failure to pass the referendum would be pretty demoralizing. Expect another boycott by the KMT, which will argue a referendum is unnecessary.

8 comments:

skiingkow said...

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A referendum on a referendum.

This is so silly and will be easily be dismissed by the KMT.

Methinks it's time for the DPP to spend some money on "good" PR people.

(sigh)
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Tommy said...

I agree. A referendum on a referendum is almost a wasted effort because of the 50 percent threshhold any referendum needs to pass. I think a successful referendum would need to be, at the same time controversial and containing incentives on both sides to vote. For example, if the referendum asked if the government should sign an ECFA under the conditions proposed by the government, the KMT would have an incentive to work to get a yes vote out of it.

I fear that people won't come out to vote for this even without a KMT boycott.

Taiwan Echo said...

Not only so, STOP_Ma and Thomas. Note that the title aims at "a signed ECFA" -- DPP is holding a referendum to ask if we should have a referendum on an already-signed ECFA !

They behave like this is the first time they have ever engaged in a fight against KMT.

From the title, I feel that either DPP is infiltrated by KMT people who intend to render DPP completely useless (and they already in control), or the DPP people can't even write a logical sentence in Chinese.

Άλισον said...

Thamks to A-gu on the "Editorial" of the Libertytimes (in CH), and on the Taiwanmatters blog (in EN).

Very touched by that post, and your Chinese fluency is amazing!

The Taiwan Echo blogger is absolutely right here.

“台灣與中國簽訂之經濟合作架構協議” means that the ECFA had already been signed!

Wake up! DPP’s best minds, where are you?

I am going to write an opinion soon and post on my blog because it is going to take some space here.

China Debunked said...

How about my version?

"Do you disagree that the government should not put an economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) signed between Taiwan and China to a referendum before the Taiwanese people?"

TADA!

Robert R. said...

Sean, I think you should put in a couple more negatives for clarity. :P

For an already signed ECFA, the agreement should contain a clause that it doesn't go into effect until the referendum is passed. But the DPP's ref doesn't say that either.

Even if there is an ECFA referendum, how will that be worded? What is the default behaviour if there isn't enough turnout? "Do you believe the ECFA should be overturned/canceled?" Not enough voters, and it'll go into effect.

...But that's a later fight, I suppose.

Angry Taiwanese Guy said...

Hey Robert,

I'm only kidding. It's kind of like being in a classroom and saying, "Anyone who doesn't agree, please raise your hand". It's far less likely people will do so, and given the history of the referendum...

I completely agree however that the DPP is idiotic nowadays. It's a stupid move, kind of like how the Republican Party in the USA put up a Black chairman immediately after Barack Obama became President. Of course no one cared, too little to late. Then they parade out Bobby Jindal, maybe perhaps one of their best shots for 2012, and then have him say some rather divisive things rather than grow him.

The DPP is doing the same thing, throwing their cards away and doing stuttered executions that outwardly look utterly stupid.

Taiwan Echo said...

My post in Chinese:令人困惑的 ECFA 公投主題