&#91EDITORIALS&#93Get down to business

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&#91EDITORIALS&#93Get down to business

The governing Millennium Democratic Party has been singing the same old tune of “new party” over the last 110 days of its new administration. Things have reached the point where the party’s new and old leadership factions are at each other’s throat. With the legislators shirking their duties and spending their days quarreling instead of tackling the issues, social conflict is about to boil over. One can barely believe taxpayers are paying these ruling party lawmakers.
The Millennium Democratic Party is free to decide whether it will create a totally new political party or expand by inviting outsiders aboard. But the party should fulfill its duty of gauging the public’s mood and working in the nation’s interest and for social stability. We struggle to find a governing party of any other administration or in another country that was so engaged in factional fighting from the outset of its term of office.
Their negligence gives the impression that any social group can take things into their own hands or into the streets. When political parties use legitimate means to represent the opinions and interests of different groups, you have a working democracy. But because the governing party refuses to do this, every interest group is rushing into the street to freeze the functions of our society.
It is negligence when the governing party drags its heels on the president’s proposal to send troops to Iraq and sets aside a decision on vital issues that require swift attention. Awaiting Assembly action are the Free Trade Agreement between South Korea and Chile and the bill to introduce a work permit system for foreign workers. These issues are critical to our national interests. Legislators have not even begun discussing the bilateral trade pact with the United States because of domestic controversy over the screen quota system.
The opposition Grand National Party, the largest party on the floor, is not free from criticism. But if the governing party presented a vision, the opposition would have more to do than preparing for its party convention.
The governing party should not forsake state affairs as it dithers. We urge the party to seriously reconsider its actions.
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