Stupid is as stupid does

Chen claimed he was an agent of the American military government ruling Taiwan for eight long years for Uncle Sam. He said: “Stupid is as stupid does.”

The quip is very similar to “Handsome is as handsome does.” It of course means one is handsome because he does handsome things. Chen wanted to tell the Americans he wasn't stupid because he did seemingly do something stupid. Actually, he doesn't understand the quip he used. Perhaps his English isn't good enough. The wise saying means one is considered stupid for doing something stupid.

The Council of Grand Justices made him look like an ignoramus on Friday. In Explanation 665, the grand justices upheld the constitutionality of his continued detention at Tucheng until Christmas Eve on December 24. Chen had even tried to sue President Obama in a futile ploy to get out of his long detention which began on December 30 last year. He even prayed that the U.S. military government would order his successor, President Ma Ying-jeou, who he apparently believes is an American agent like himself, to order his immediate release. He contested his detention order by the Taipei District Court and the Taiwan High Court, petitioning the grand justices to rule it unconstitutional.

One of the 15 grand justices considered Chen's detention unconstitutional. Three others wrote dissenting opinions. But the ruling by the constitutional court is crystal clear: Chen's detention is not in violation of the Constitution.

The grand justices also ruled that the change of judges who were trying President Chen is constitutional. In a vote that saw 10 for, one against, and three in dissent, the constitutional court ruled that the district court did not violate the Constitution by assigning Tsai Shou-hsun to take the place of Chou Chan-chun in the first trial of President Chen for corruption. Tsai convicted and sentenced the ex-president to life in prison on September 11. Chen prayed that the grand justices, all of whom he appointed, would rule that the change of judges was unconstitutional so that he might be tried again at the Taipei District Court.

Well, his move to get himself out of detention backfired. He must have learned what “stupid is as stupid does” means.

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