What is each candidate's view on the issues of the day
The political circus is fast coming to town.
Before we all get embroiled into which ad is tackier or cheesier; or which candidate has the “pedigree”; or which candidate has the most number of scandals; or which candidate has a bigger machinery; or which candidate is most “winnable”; or which candidate is a stooge of vested interests;
Before we get entangled in the politics of personalities (in contrast to the politics of ideas);
Before we get to the vote buying, the ballot snatching, the brownouts, the protests, the walkouts and all the elements worthy of a Mexican telenovela;
Shouldn’t we first know what are the prospective candidates’ views on the following:
- Economic Crisis
- Corruption
- Crime
- Human Rights Violations
- Foreign Direct Investments
- Personal Taxes
- Health Care
- Savings
- Budget Deficit
- Education
- Energy Security and Gas Prices
- Food Security
- Homelessness/Squatting
- Securities Fraud
- Medicare
- Taxing Business
- OFWs
- Free Trade
- Foreign Policy
- Jobs and Wages
- Small Business
- Finding a Peaceful Solution to the legitimate demands of the Bangsa Moro
- Decentralization/Federalization
- Foreign Ownership of Real Property
- Charter Change – What specific amendments are being proposed?
- National Defense
- Judicial Independence
- Press Freedom
- Privacy
- Infrastructure Development
- Reproductive Health
- Church and State Separation
Another aspect of the exercise involves the positions taken by the segments of the electorate on the above issues. The more affluent groups might be against a certain stance on Homelessness/Squatting but agree on Infrastructure Development. Or, the middle class might be in favor of foreign ownership of real property while the more affluent economic groups are against opening up landownership to aliens – and they could be allied with the C & D groups.
But should other groups’ positions affect my view? I think not. I will definitely choose on the basis of the candidate’s position on these various issues. I will take due diligence and make an informed decision. All of the candidates are S.O.B.s. Who will be MY (or YOUR) S.O.B.? Ah… the little things that make the big difference.
The bigger question of course is whether such issues matter to the segment of electorate which has the numerical capacity to make or break a candidate’s quest for the presidency and send the nation into a tailspin or usher in a new era of peace and prosperity.
Or will it be “ganyan talaga ang buhay” all over again? Sardinas? Tanduay? Wowowee? Plane ticket from KSA to Manila?
Your guess is as good as mine.
Popularity: 1% [?]
Congrats BongV for your maiden blog.
Offhand though, you seem to have merely run down our "government directory" as though we don't all know about them. In these offices, bureaus, agencies, departments – each has its own legislated 'mandate' and mandates never change with a change in administration. In short, all concerns within these 'boxes" have already been institutionalized.
The new occupant must only see to it the mandate is really taken at heart and implemented no-nonsensely.
There is hardly anymore a circus show because what we have are old clowns and their old tricks. Truth is, none of these qualifies to be the next president if we run a simple cost-benefit analysis: the long years taxpayers paid for their salaries, allowances, and pork and match all these to what they have actually achieved for the good of any significant segment of the population.
Wala talagang mapili.
Primer:
I agree that "In short, all concerns within these 'boxes" have already been institutionalized. "
What am asking is what directions or policies will be kept, discarded, and introduced. What is the overall policy direction that distinguishes the priorities of each candidate. How will this candidates policy mix move the country forward? What are the metrics by which we can hold each candidate accountable?
For example, Obama and McCain contrasted their positions on the Iraq War in terms of time tables, budgets, human resources, settlements, policy goals. Can not each candidate frame their position on say the Bangsa Moro question in terms of these parameters?
If you recall the US Presidential debates, the differences and similarities were laid down quite clearly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-nNIEduEOw
Herea are some more issues and questions I would like the politicians to tacke
environment and enforcement of regulations
child labor and prostitution – why are there so many kids working along the road when they are supposed to be in school
land reform/land management and policies – indiscriminate conversion farms to subdivisions?
- I went up to Baguio once and I saw two Caucasian males with 10 young filipino kids. I spoke to one of the kids on why they are all going up to Baguio and he said they are brought to a lot of resorts all over the country and he did not looked like just a young tourist. One of the guy immediately shut them up. I really felt very sad for these young exploited kids. Cry Philippines cry if we elect the same types of politicians who turn a blind eye on the raping and pillaging of young Filipinos who are supposed to be the future of this generation. I always wondered why despite Filipinos being so educated that we end up electing the same type of garbage who have no love of the country over and over again. That is not to say that we do not have honest officials but they are rare.
Rosa:
Exactly. Maybe, that's an issue regarding tourism. What is the candidate's awareness of sexual-oriented tourism? What policies will he issue on the matter? What legislation will he propose to Congress to address the issue?
Or in the case of agrarian reform, how will he change policy? what loopholes will be plugged?
It will not be surprising if a candidate will say he will take it up with his cabinet. That is a cop-out. I don't make a demand the the President micro-manage the entire machinery. At the very least, I want to know where is he taking this country to and how will he do it? I am interested in a leader that runs his cabinet – not the cabinet (or the kitchen cabinet) running the President.
Rosa:
Exactly. Maybe, that's an issue regarding tourism. What is the candidate's awareness of sexual-oriented tourism? What policies will he issue on the matter? What legislation will he propose to Congress to address the issue?
Or in the case of agrarian reform, how will he change policy? what loopholes will be plugged?
It will not be surprising if a candidate will say he will take it up with his cabinet. That is a cop-out. I don't make a demand the the President micro-manage the entire machinery. At the very least, I want to know where is he taking this country to and how will he do it? I am interested in a leader that runs his cabinet – not the cabinet (or the kitchen cabinet) running the President.
great! lets ask these again when there are actual candidates…
Kudos, bro.
Missed one issue: Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her perceived high crimes in high office..
BongV,
We can ask all the candidates those 32 items you listed above, I'm sure they have all the answers the voters want to hear. What the heck, talk is cheap.
GMA been there for quite a time before we elected her as president. She was clean.
It was after, when she started living in the palace near the Pasig River, when the stench of the esteros started to permeate her whole governance. Since then, the people never trusted her again, if we ask SWS and Pulse Asia, that is.
Lesson of the story: Before the election…we can never tell.
Lesson:
Bert:
With more reason, that a candidate should be made to go through the wringer because one's the candidate is in – there's no getting the candidate out (barring lynch mobs and impeachment).
My gut feel is that all the candidates will have no difference on the issues and will be spouting motherhood statements. Each candidate's position will most likely be indistinguishable from other candidates – plain jane vanilla and intellectually bankrupt, until proven otherwise.
an election on the issues is the benchmark.. we will not be at that stage for years to come.. local politics will win out.. if you can provide empty promises on a local level, which is why machinery is so important, then national politics will come in second..
Nick:
I know exactly where you are coming from.
Was reading a post on Obama's First 100 Days: 10 Achievements You Didn't Know About and from there one can see where Obama's stand on the issues was sustained after getting elected.
I believe that the process of asking questions need to filter down to the local level. The local electorate needs to ask these same questions albeit with a local flavor.
Thus, for example in Davao City – a question would be,
* How will the candidate address the Davao Death Squad issue?
* Is he for or against the DDS?
* What are his alternatives for combating crime in the city?
* Will there be an increase in local permit fees and taxes?
* How does he propose to allocate the budget? How much will go to schools? hospitals?
* What is he doing about corruption? Procedures? Watchdogs? Convictions?
* Will the candidate put up a website that shows detailed government spending in city hall?
We have to raise the questions so we can make informed decisions. The alternative would be to toss a coin.
Thanks BongV for including item #22, even with emphasis on "peaceful solution."
It takes a dumb pekeng-peryodista to bring down a politico. That is why politicians has had knee-jerk attempt on Rights-to-Reply Bill
Another issue that they need to wrestle is population control, legalization of prostitution and liberating houseslaves … THESE ARE THORNS IN PEKENG-PERYODISTAS. THEY DON'T WANT TO TOUCH THIS ISISUES
Our country have grave problems. We have corruption, grafts, etc… at unimaginable scale. We have insurgencies
OFWs, economic stagnation, etc.
It will take more than personalilty for next President to tackle the job. So, it is in our hands and power to see
that we elect a capable President. We have to be on lookout that election frauds will not happen again.
Not only lookout that election frauds, Tas. We must also be vigilant of subtle misinformations by gung-gong pekeng-peryodistas who they are trying to sell to the masses
an interesting question to ask is whether GMA did what she promised to do in 2004… there must be some record of her policy positions back then…
GabbyD:
Did a search and came across an analysis done by Australia's Department of Parliamentary Services. The paper is titled "The Philippines elections 2004: issues and implications".
Her ten-point program upon assumption to office was:
• create 6–10 million new jobs and support 3 million new entrepreneurs with loans
• develop one to two million hectares of agribusiness land
• all school-age children to attend schools with uncrowded classrooms
• balance the budget through effective revenue collection and spending
• expand digital infrastructure to the whole country
• electricity and water to be provided for all barangays (villages)
• ‘decongest’ Metro Manila through decentralised development
• develop the ‘Subic-Clark corridor’ as a competitive service and logistic centre
• computerise the electoral process and ensure its integrity
• achieve peace in Mindanao.
GMA failed on decongesting Metro Manila. Metro Manila surpassed Mumbai, India as the densest city in the world (physically and mentally); classrooms are still crowded; my cable internet still hiccups, slows down to a crawl in the evenings; we were hit by a 9-hour blackout in Cebu last week with intermettent service because of powergrid overload that tripped Tacloban's switches; computerization will come to reality in 2010; as to peace in Mindanao, is still a long time running …
The 6-10 million new jobs were offered abroad …
Political Promises are made are like Pizzas. They are made to be broken. so, dont believe in any
Political Promises. If they say your life will be better, if they get elected. It will not be your life. It will be
their lives, their family lives and their cahoots lives.