Politics or public concern?

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Politics or public concern?

Published: 05 Mar. 2008, 22:22

President Lee Myung-bak and the Grand National Party maintain that the party needs to win more seats than simply securing a majority, or 150 seats in the National Assembly, in order to run state affairs efficiently. As we have constantly emphasized, that depends on the party nominations. As seen in the nomination process, however, the party fails to grasp the seriousness of its problems. The chairman of the Ethics Committee raised concerns about several people among about 100 who were confirmed for the party nominations, and the GNP Supreme Council asked the nomination screening committee to re-examine them. The committee said there was no problem and re-confirmed their nominations. But the Supreme Council asked for another evaluation, creating confusion.
Questioning why Chung Duck-koo, a former Uri Party member, earned the GNP nomination for South Chungcheong Province, In Myung-jin, the chairman of the GDP Ethics Committee, said the party gives nominations not to humans, but to migrating birds that fly from one party to another in pursuit of self interest. The ruling party’s nomination process fails to move the people’s hearts.
The GNP now seems confident about winning a majority in the upcoming legislative elections. It believes that with approval ratings for the party at around 50 percent, the United Democratic Party has no chance with its 10 to 15 percent approval rating. Up to 40 percent of the people, however, think the ruling party must be kept in check, and many have been disappointed with the chaos over personnel affairs for the new cabinet.
North and South Gyeongsang provinces and North and South Jeolla provinces are like blocked arteries in Korean politics. Politicians nominated by the party that dominates each area, they are elected without exception. As a result, many politicians care more about political parties and powerful figures in the parties, instead of caring about voters. When they get elected, they don’t serve as they were supposed to as lawmakers.
The party must exclude migrating politicians who flew to the GNP after abandoning their former parties when the parties got into trouble.
The party must no longer nominate those who simply use their network of influence to get the ticket to run. The GNP must not forget the days when it pitched a tent to use for its office in penance to renew the spirit of party members.