Well, there's no election in "mainland China" today, but there is a sham election in the Chinese "Special Administrative Region" of Hong Kong. To prove that they have nothing to learn from American Democrats, the Chinese Communists (CPC), who control the central government as well as those of the SARs, are inviting patriotic citizens (only) to vote today in the first election since Beijing amended the laws to reduce the number of directly elected lawmakers and vet candidates to ensure that only those loyal to China can run.
A sweeping "national security law" was quickly imposed, effectively silencing most of the city's opposition activists and led others to flee abroad.
Night has already fallen in Hong Kong, and officials are slowly counting the handful of votes that were cast. Said one voter, "Although there is a chance to vote for pro-establishment and democracy candidates, there are few democratic choices, so Hong Kong people do not feel enthusiastic when it comes to voting."
Carrie Lam, head of the Hong Kong government, attributed the low voter turnout to general satisfaction about the way the city is being run under the progressive leadership of the Communist Party and the much beloved Chairman Xi Jinping.
Voters in Hong Kong had a simple choice. They could vote Communist... or Else. Chilean voters, by contrast, are today offered a clear choice between Hard Right and Hard Left, in a runoff between two presidential candidates offering starkly contrasting visions for the future.
In the country’s most divisive elections since it returned to democracy in 1990, leftie Gabriel Boric, a tattooed former student protest leader, has pledged to empower women and indigenous people and create "a fairer Chile". He will build back better, he says, by increasing spending, which will be paid for by raising taxes on the rich. Sound familiar?
After years of "liberal democratic" rule, the sharp choice has resurfaced deep divisions in one of Latin America's most stable democracies. Although Sr Boric is not a card-carrying Commie, he is at the head of a coalition which includes Communists, and conservative Chileans are convinced that his "progressivism" would push Chile into a Venezuelan-style economic tailspin.
Both candidates claim that it is their rival who instils fear among voters. Sr Kast frequently rails against the influence of the "gay lobby". At his final campaign rally on Thursday, he said, "This Sunday we are going to say 'no' to intolerant people! We will defeat fear… We will win by a wide margin because this is what I have been hearing the length of Chile!"
And now the results. May I have the envelopes please?
Sr Kast's prediction was wrong. The people of Chile, apparently having forgotten the Allende years, voted for the crypto-Commie, Gabriel Boric, 56% to 44%. Let's see if they suffer "buyer's remorse" quicker than the Americans who voted for Sleepy Joe.
[Did anyone vote for President Brandon? I haven't met anyone lately who admits to having done so. Ed.]
In Hong Kong, to the surprise of no-one, pro-Beijing (read: Communist) candidates romped to victory, virtually unopposed, as the city saw its lowest-ever voter turnout.
It was the first LegCo election since China made sweeping and controversial changes to the city's electoral system.
Officials argue the changes were needed to ensure stability, but critics say they weakened democracy.
On Monday, Beijing also unveiled a statement outlining "democracy with Hong Kong characteristics".
In a white paper released hours after election results were announced, China said Hong Kong was now entering a new stage of "restored order" as a result of the Beijing-introduced changes.
In the Excited States of America, the Democrats are set to propose an amendment to change the name of H.R.1/S.1, presently stalled in the Senate, from the "For the People Act" to the "Democracy with Democratic Characteristics Act". Stay tuned.
No comments:
Post a Comment