Breaking News, World News and Taiwan News.

Updated Tuesday, September 15, 2009 9:13 am TWN, The China Post news staff

Sponsors
▪	Save 75% for all hotels in Shanghai, Beijing and whole China. Lowest rates for Flights in China.
▪	Get the best deals for Guangzhou Hotels or choose from more than 10,000 hotels in 499 Chinese cities.
▪	Find great real time deals on China Flights. Book flights to China or China domestic flights 24/7.
▪	Buy china wholesale products from reliable chinese wholesalers on DHgate.com!

Lessons of the Obama heckling for Taiwan

The impetus for protecting lawmakers remains valid and the Constitution should not be amended. But nothing should stop the Legislative Yuan from enacting and enforcing better internal rules of decorum, similar to those in the U.S. House of Representatives, against its own members.

Enacting better rules would help improve the reputation of the Legislative Yuan after years of public disdain. The Obama heckling is also a reminder that following reforms to our system of government enacted several years ago, our president remains unobliged to appear before lawmakers and answer their questions.

Before reforms implemented in 2000 effectively abolished the National Assembly, the president was required to present a working report to members of the National Assembly at least once a year. After the report was given, the president had to stand up at a podium and answer often angry questions from elected National Assembly deputies.

Heads of the Judicial Yuan, Control Yuan and Examination Yuan also had to endure scathing question-and-answer sessions at the National Assembly. Since 2000, the president has been able to avoid all appearances before elected representatives of any kind.

While the premier and his Cabinet are obligated to appear and answer lawmakers' questions, the fact that the Legislative Yuan also no longer has the power to confirm the premier's nomination has greatly reduced the premier's standing before lawmakers. Inevitably, the unconfirmed premier takes a beating for the president who, while elected, remains conspicuously absent from the legislative chamber.

In the United States, there is no legal requirement for the president to appear before the Congress. But most U.S. presidents in recent memory have chosen to do so at least once a year for a “State of the Union” message, although they have not taken questions after making speeches.

Ideally, members of the Legislative Yuan should promulgate rules ensuring improved civility in question-and-answer sessions while also compelling the president and other government branch heads to appear in the legislative chamber and answer questions.

At the very least, some kind of informal arrangement should be made, similar to that used in the United States, where the president could at least appear at the Legislative Yuan to present an annual working report. While many people may remain disappointed with their lawmakers' antics, making the president face elected representatives would still make the government more accountable and sensitive to public opinion.

1|2

Comments

September 17, 2009 eddie@

I think it's a real, long, long shot to make these lawmakers act politely and with civility. They don't come from a background where they were raised with western concepts of manners and politeness. Also, the vast majority of people they want to appeal to, demand freak shows like the ones they put on. They are trying to get the attention of the average Taiwanese person, who is not educated in the ways of western civility. So there is no reason for them to tone it down. Although, I do admit that it would be a breath of fresh air to see these elected officials behave like decent human beings.