Taiwan Politics - Now

Photos- Chen (left) and Shih (right)
So tomorrow is National Day (like July 4). There is a guy named Shih Ming-teh who some call the "Nelson Mandela of Taiwan" because he spent 25 years in jail under Chiang for protesting for democracy. In the last few months he has been running a campaign against President Chen (DPP) for charges of corruption. Now Shih used to be a DPP member but now he is attacking it. He says he is not on either side but he has major backers in the KMT (not surprisingly since he is trying to take down their enemy). Shih is using his name to rally the people against Chen. He has been holding nonstop rallies of thousands of people outside the Presidential palace. He accuses Chen of corruption. Chen's son was found to have made an insider trading deal worth a lot of money, and his wife was accused (but recently cleared) of using influence to get thousands of dollars in coupons for a department store. Chen himself is accused of no crime, only of allowing these things to happen on his watch. The problem is for the KMT to call Chen corrupt is really the pot calling the kettle black. The KMT is probably one of the most corrupt parties to ever exist in government. When Chiang needed to get control of Shanghai during the war, he made a deal with the largest drug and arms dealer gangster in Shanghai to harass and drive out the commies. Chiang recieved $2 billion in US gold bullion during the war. The US commanders called him "cash my check". Then in Taiwan the KMT simply took whatever they wanted under the martial law period. Ma, the KMT mayor of Taipei, and likely the next presdient, was recently charged with using his personal sluch fund for his dog. His reply was that he only had to show receipts for half of it. This is true of all government officials in Taiwan. Talk about corruption! It doesn't matter who rules, the problem is 1) that officials even have slush funds (outside of the regular salary) in the first place, 2) that they only have to show receipts for half od this money. As long as this system continues, corruption will continue, whoever rules.
Anyway Shih's protest is supposed to have a big show for National day. They have been wearing red to show their anger at Chen, but this is scary because red means the commies, and that was not allowed in Taiwan for a long time. It seems that Shih and his KMT backers may have Mainlander money and support. This is bad news if the KMT wins because then China can have a soft power takeover like they have long wanted. Anyways what really gets me is the idea of comparing this to the situation in the US. I mean what Chen did (or may have allowed) is so minor compared to George Bush who has lied, maipulated the media, stripped citizens of their freedom, spyed, tortured, invaded two countries, stole the 2000 election, probably committed what would be condired war crimes according to the Hague and the Geneva convention, continues to let a moron named Rumsfeld run the war, allowed millions of African babies to die by forcing US aid money to be tied to an abstinence only program (not condoms) increased American babies rate of autism tenfold by allowing big Pharma to put mercury in innoculations, etc ect etc etc I'm sure you all can add to the list. Where are the protestors? Where is the Shih of America? Now Shih is saying that he wants Chen recalled. He wants the DPP legislators recalled becuase they will protect Chen, and he may be able to pull this off (maybe not) but he is trying. Now the thing is Chen won two elections, so he is the choice of the people, but so was Bush, and Bush manipulated the hell out of those elections, partly by controlling the press. The KMT controls the press here. Now I only wish that someone with power in the US had the balls to say that 2 million people need to come out on July 4 and tell Bush he has to go, and if he won't step down we will have recall elections to recall every Republican because we know that they will protect your sorry ass. Can you even comprehend someone saying that in America, let alone doing it? Imagine.