tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840508226007630755.post1358153787256547995..comments2023-04-16T23:43:11.235+08:00Comments on Mirror Signal Move: Democracy In ChinaMike Faganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08745281285031316740noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840508226007630755.post-91328138725506448022011-02-01T20:54:09.664+08:002011-02-01T20:54:09.664+08:00Do so. I appreciate all comments so long as their ...Do so. I appreciate all comments so long as their civil. Shouldn't be a problem with you, though.<br /><br />I'm new to blogging, so if/when you get a chance to give pointers, let me know.Nathan W. Novak (李漢聲)https://www.blogger.com/profile/09142094539803664003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840508226007630755.post-60066693005655999882011-02-01T19:21:56.592+08:002011-02-01T19:21:56.592+08:00Alright Nathan - glad to see you have a blog now. ...Alright Nathan - glad to see you have a blog now. Why don't you upload your editorial pieces for the Taipei Times onto your blog? That way readers can compare the published pieces to how they were originally written so that editorial changes become transparent. But be warned though: I might pop in to knock you about on occasion!Mike Faganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08745281285031316740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840508226007630755.post-29636444947871163862011-02-01T17:56:01.699+08:002011-02-01T17:56:01.699+08:00I mean politicization of such "elections"...I mean politicization of such "elections" and the fact that they are essentially windowdressing. (This is Nathan Novak, by the way.) The reason I say this is that it becomes a political issue for most who know little about the actual situation within China--Hill, for example--and then gets turned into some major political event (when it isn't). This was an interesting issue back in the early part of the last decade, but Hill misses the fact that most scholarly research work has essentially downplayed these "elections'" importance because they are still owned and operated by the party.<br /><br />If they were real, they'd be less important politically. The CCP would try to downplay their existence because it would be viewed as a threat to the established order--i.e., the party. <br /><br />His piece is awful and misinformed. Sorry; I should have been clearer.Nathan W. Novak (李漢聲)https://www.blogger.com/profile/09142094539803664003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840508226007630755.post-43677025956375131202011-02-01T14:13:34.434+08:002011-02-01T14:13:34.434+08:00Whose - mine or Hill's?Whose - mine or Hill's?Mike Faganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08745281285031316740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840508226007630755.post-23922634847736995702011-02-01T14:04:36.626+08:002011-02-01T14:04:36.626+08:00Sure, Mike. I simply think the two are hand-in-han...Sure, Mike. I simply think the two are hand-in-hand. Either way, this looks like an awful piece of misinformed writing.Nathan W. Novak (李漢聲)https://www.blogger.com/profile/09142094539803664003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840508226007630755.post-7884192679096039932011-02-01T12:35:54.896+08:002011-02-01T12:35:54.896+08:00No, Hill doesn't mention that in his article. ...No, Hill doesn't mention that in his article. <br /><br />In any case, the gist of my post was that I regard it as bad news to learn of the spread of the electoral mechanism throughout China, rather than reforms to reduce and restrict politicization.Mike Faganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08745281285031316740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2840508226007630755.post-32658288371341513442011-02-01T05:41:44.917+08:002011-02-01T05:41:44.917+08:00And the fact (I haven't read the entire articl...And the fact (I haven't read the entire article, so if Hill mentions this, then I apologize for the redundancy) that village elections are for government posts while the party still directs policy through the village party committees. Essentially people vote for village administrators who have their proverbial balls in the proverbial party vice (if we can consider what the party does as "legislation"). In essence it amounts to the vice president being "elected"--even though candidates are usually chosen by the party beforehand--and the president and congress appointed by . . . other presidents and congresses.Nathan W. Novak (李漢聲)https://www.blogger.com/profile/09142094539803664003noreply@blogger.com