Comments on: Taiwan’s true Greens http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/11/taiwans-true-greens/ commentary on all things Taiwanese — Taiwan Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:43:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: links for 2007-11-16 | bent http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/11/taiwans-true-greens/comment-page-1/#comment-67672 links for 2007-11-16 | bent Fri, 16 Nov 2007 08:26:41 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/11/taiwans-true-greens/#comment-67672 [...] David on Formosa » Taiwan’s true Greens David writes about Taiwan’s true Green party, which is associated with the international Green movement (as opposed to the local pan-green coalition dominated by the DPP). (tags: Politics) [...] [...] David on Formosa » Taiwan’s true Greens David writes about Taiwan’s true Green party, which is associated with the international Green movement (as opposed to the local pan-green coalition dominated by the DPP). (tags: Politics) [...]

]]> By: Mark http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/11/taiwans-true-greens/comment-page-1/#comment-62633 Mark Wed, 07 Nov 2007 06:36:14 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/11/taiwans-true-greens/#comment-62633 I also used to be a fairly active environmentalist. I went for five years using a bicycle as my primary mode of transportation. That ended after I moved here, since the traffic is a bit more intimidating than in Boulder, CO. or in Jiayi. Still, I'm a big fan of the MRT. The problem is, these sorts of actions taken as individuals don't have much impact compared to choices made by industry. Similarly, while I was a supporter of the Kyoto protocol, it would have excluded the two most populous countries in the world. Ultimately, environmental problems are thorny, and true greens have a rough path ahead. Nostolgiaphile, I'm a little surprised you're so behind Hsieh on the whole independence front considering his record in Gaoxiong. He greatly angered the DPP by attempting to reach out to the mayor of Xiamen and forge between "the two great Chinese cities". Hsieh has also reacted to Hu's peace offer (that carries a 1-China assumption) with much more interest than Ma has. I also used to be a fairly active environmentalist. I went for five years using a bicycle as my primary mode of transportation. That ended after I moved here, since the traffic is a bit more intimidating than in Boulder, CO. or in Jiayi. Still, I’m a big fan of the MRT.

The problem is, these sorts of actions taken as individuals don’t have much impact compared to choices made by industry. Similarly, while I was a supporter of the Kyoto protocol, it would have excluded the two most populous countries in the world. Ultimately, environmental problems are thorny, and true greens have a rough path ahead.

Nostolgiaphile, I’m a little surprised you’re so behind Hsieh on the whole independence front considering his record in Gaoxiong. He greatly angered the DPP by attempting to reach out to the mayor of Xiamen and forge between “the two great Chinese cities”. Hsieh has also reacted to Hu’s peace offer (that carries a 1-China assumption) with much more interest than Ma has.

]]> By: Poagao http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/11/taiwans-true-greens/comment-page-1/#comment-62451 Poagao Tue, 06 Nov 2007 18:15:56 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/11/taiwans-true-greens/#comment-62451 Maybe the government's thinking that if we screw Taiwan's environment completely enough China won't want it anymore. Maybe the government’s thinking that if we screw Taiwan’s environment completely enough China won’t want it anymore.

]]> By: cfimages http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/11/taiwans-true-greens/comment-page-1/#comment-62426 cfimages Tue, 06 Nov 2007 14:18:44 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/11/taiwans-true-greens/#comment-62426 Couldn't agree more. As a green voter in Australia (well, before I took myself off the electoral rolls), I truly believe that a democracy is only healthy when it has minor parties capable of gaining seats and causing the odd upset come election time. Couldn’t agree more. As a green voter in Australia (well, before I took myself off the electoral rolls), I truly believe that a democracy is only healthy when it has minor parties capable of gaining seats and causing the odd upset come election time.

]]> By: nostalgiphile http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/11/taiwans-true-greens/comment-page-1/#comment-62415 nostalgiphile Tue, 06 Nov 2007 12:40:22 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2007/11/taiwans-true-greens/#comment-62415 I too am a Green in my home country, David, however the political stakes are a bit skewed here in Taiwan. Here, the overriding issue is Taiwanese independence/unification--and to some extent it determines and blocks out all other considerations. I strongly support environmental, labor, and health issues, but I'm not going to pretend that these are important above and beyond the issue of whether Taiwan is forced to unify with China or become a (recognized) independent nation. Let me explain what I mean by way of analogy. In the US, the war is the ultimate issue that (perhaps unfairly) has the country by the balls. So, Ralph Nader, the Green candidate, has said that if a conservative democrat who will <b>not</b> get us out of the war receives the nomination he will run against her. However, if someone like Edwards wins the nomination I strongly doubt Nader would run against him. In fact, he'll probably endorse his campaign. Point is, I see no problem with supporting two parties at once. Also, Frank Hsieh is famous for cleaning up polluted Kaohsiung as mayor, but the most important thing is that he's opposed to unification and can be swayed to listen to Green issues more easily than could Ma Ying-jeou (who . In short, I think it's possible to support more than one party, and this case it has to be Green all the way to the core. I too am a Green in my home country, David, however the political stakes are a bit skewed here in Taiwan. Here, the overriding issue is Taiwanese independence/unification–and to some extent it determines and blocks out all other considerations. I strongly support environmental, labor, and health issues, but I’m not going to pretend that these are important above and beyond the issue of whether Taiwan is forced to unify with China or become a (recognized) independent nation.

Let me explain what I mean by way of analogy. In the US, the war is the ultimate issue that (perhaps unfairly) has the country by the balls. So, Ralph Nader, the Green candidate, has said that if a conservative democrat who will not get us out of the war receives the nomination he will run against her. However, if someone like Edwards wins the nomination I strongly doubt Nader would run against him. In fact, he’ll probably endorse his campaign.

Point is, I see no problem with supporting two parties at once. Also, Frank Hsieh is famous for cleaning up polluted Kaohsiung as mayor, but the most important thing is that he’s opposed to unification and can be swayed to listen to Green issues more easily than could Ma Ying-jeou (who . In short, I think it’s possible to support more than one party, and this case it has to be Green all the way to the core.

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