3/29    So I just got back from Taiwan.  You know nearly all TV news stations
        are controlled by the opposition party (the same coverage being beamed
        into the Bay Area)?  It's no wonder you have all these people
        frothing at the mouth.  I'm ashamed to think that most Taiwanese
        people are stupid enough to believe the faked assassination theory.
        They just can't believe that their party lost, and they're annoyed
        at their stock holdings taking hits during Chen's presidency.  Lien
        beat his wife in grad school, his wife lies about it on TV, the
        opposition party has suggested that Chen's wife's accident in 1985
        was staged as well, and the opposition party is synonymous with
        corruption, vote buying, and organized crime.
        \_ huh? Lien is bad so Chen must be good?  What is your superior
           source of information?  I'm an American, trying to follow this
           in the English-speaking international press and I'm curious why
           you're so sure that the conspiracy theories about Chen are
           false, even if Lien is totally evil.
           \_ Dude, where do I say "Lien is bad so Chen must be good"?
              Re the assassination attempt, obGoogle for details, and think
              about how it could have been staged, and everything necessary
              for that.   Anyway, obGoogle for these keywords in various
              combinations:  KMT controlled television stations vote-buying
              organized crime 2/28.  You will find links to books too.
              Also, if you go to http://news.yahoo.com and search for
              Taiwan, you will see a story on a U.S. investigation into the
              shooting and the preliminary opinion.
        \_ So I just got back from America.  You know nearly all TV news
           stations are controlled by the Democratic Party?  It's no wonder
           you have all these people frothing at the mouth.  I'm ashamed to
           think that most American people are stupid enough to believe the
           Florida vote fixing theory.  They just can't believe that their
           party lost, and they're annoyed at their stock holdings taking
           hits during the Dot Boom.
           \_ People love a conspiracy.  The most ridiculous the better and
              more frothy the better.
           \_ The KMT has controlled Taiwan ever since it was transferred
              from Japanese control in 1945, until in 2000 when Chen won.
              The KMT has > 50% ownership in the three major TV news stations.
              As for Florida vote-fixing, it was decided by the Supreme Court,
              which was a first for a Presidential election.
        \_ I'm sure there'd be just as much outrage if the "opposition" party
           (isn't that a nice name) won, given the number of pro-independent
           Taiwan people around.  People just hate any sense of impropriety
           in important things like presidential elections
           \_ If the KMT had won, the DPP would be complaining about KMT vote-
              buying, which would be a respectable position.  Now that the
              DPP has won, the pro-KMT are complaining about a faked
              assassination, which is pretty damned dumb position to take.
              Like I said, it's the effect of KMT control of TV news, and
              people being upset about their stock holdings and their candidate
              suddenly losing when they thought they would win.
              \_ it's not *only* the faked assassination, from what I've been
                 reading.  I could care less about that part.
                 \_ So what do you care about?
              \_ The KMT is now (inexplicably) for reunification with the PRC.
                 How is this strange reversal in their position being viewed,
                 and are they getting any help/support from the PRC?
                 \_ The KMT has *not* been for reunification with the PRC
                    as of the 2004 election year.  This equals political
                    suicide.
                    \_ Okay, so the KMT has just been Independence-neutral?
                       Is that why the PRC has been favoring them?
                       \_ The KMT is for direct trade links / better business
                          with China, and has indicated more flexibility
                          on the independence issue than the DPP.
        \_ Taiwan President Chen is like Chavez of Venezuela.  He is a
           demagogue.  Very dangerous person.  He likes to play divisive
           politics pitching taiwanese against people who came from mainland
           China in 1949 with the KMT.              - tainan taiwanese
           \_ The KMT is just plain bad.  Refresh your memory on the 2/28
              incident, and more recent stuff on vote-buying and organized
              crime links.  You may be watching too much KMT-controlled TV.
              As for China, China is bad too, in case you need reminding.
        \_ If Lien can't even out smart and out maneuver Chen in this election,
           how can the public trust him in representing taiwan in negotiations
           with PRC?  Lien is responsible for the downfall of KMT.
           A bian, A bian, Go Go Go.