Vox Populi, Vox Dei2009/1/29
The concept of "usefulness of the useless" espoused by the Chinese philosopher Zhuangzi, who lived around the 4th century B.C., is a teaching that things that appear useless are actually useful.
With this phrase in mind, I would like to consider politics in a transitional period--when things are progressing at a snail's pace. Even the tangled Diet is "useful" for gauging the seriousness of each party.
The Lower House, in which the ruling parties hold the majority, and the opposition-controlled Upper House have clashed again. The fiscal 2008 second supplementary budget that passed Tuesday is a mixture of wheat and chaff. In addition to the hugely unpopular fixed-amount handouts, it includes the lowering of expressway tolls and free medical checkups for pregnant women. The Upper House approved a revised bill that excluded the 2 trillion yen handouts and the votes of the two houses were split.
The opposition, which won the chair of the joint committee of both houses by lot, resorted to tactics to prolong proceedings by demanding thorough discussions. As a result, the passage of the supplementary budget was delayed by a day and Prime Minister Taro Aso's policy speech was carried over to Wednesday.
The dubiousness and irrationality of the handouts are obvious, just as the public realized. I am flabbergasted at the ruling coalition for steamrolling the program through on the ground that it won over public opinion with the 2005 Lower House election, whose centerpiece was the privatization of postal services. Still, there are no signs of more rebellion within the Liberal Democratic Party. The opposition also has few cards left. Apparently, the extra day it gained as a result of winning that lot was meant to appeal to public sentiment.
Amid the global economic crisis, the United States has made a fresh start under a new president. But instead of envying it, we must accept the Japanese situation as the cost of a coming political battle. The behavior of each party can also guide our vote in the next Lower House election. I plan to keep a close watch and see how it unfolds to the end. Whatever the case, the role of the two houses of the Diet is to decide national policies. Even though this is a year for a showdown between ruling and opposition parties, I nevertheless want them to have the caliber to try to reach compromise.
A Diet that neglects national life and only focuses on political strife is nothing but useless. Even Zhuangzi would have found it difficult to defend such an ugly and miserable Diet.
--The Asahi Shimbun, Jan. 28(IHT/Asahi: January 29,2009)
Posts
