A
few days back Simon Tay wrote about a reinvitation or a standing invitation to
Obama to visit Asean again after he missed his last fling because of the govt
shutdown. Asean countries really missed him and the Asean Summit turned out to
be so dull, no threats, no call for sanctions, no thumping of fist, no American
fleet floating around.
Among
the things that Simon Tay reminded Obama to bring along should he take up the
reinvitation are: 1. No need to bring economic presents like Xi Jinping did. 2.
No need to bring anti Chinese rhetoric. 3. Be mindful of American allies like Japan and the Philippines egging for a fight with
their maritime dispute with China. ‘…keep it soothing ,
rather than possiblky stirring more actions or proclamations.’ 5. Better to
update the Asean countries of US China relations as this really matters to
Asean countries.
Indeed
the last Asean Summit was a dull one without Obama’s presence and his
leadership to stir up more shit to offer the military might of the 7th
Fleet to back any Asean country that is willing to take on the Chinese or to
claim more of the islands that the Chinese are claiming. Without the tension
the adrenalines failed to flow and the leaders ended up partying and making
friends instead of threatening each other.
Obama’s
absence was greatly felt and is greatly expected to return to show that the
Americans are the boss and to set the agenda and lead the Asean states to
military glory. For those who are expecting more fireworks, it was a big disappointment.
Abe must be feeling that he had wasted him time for attending the Summit. The Pinoys must be
feeling empty for not given the chance to demand a couple of mothballed
American battleships to battle the Chinese coastguards.
Hail
Obama, you are missed by your Asean friends. We need your fireworks. The Chinese would not be able to colonise the area. We were reminicising on our good old colonial days and perhaps the American Empire could help us to relive those glorious days to be colonies again.
Redbean,
ReplyDeleteI dunno what your agenda??
Lets say he's busy putting out the wild fires, spreading with no end in sight. You know he is a pathetic liar and a known murder together with Bush, Cheney...
Above all, our Tan Jee worships that man after the paid free trip by Hillary Clinton's States Department to witness Americans’ President Erection. Don't forget many oppositions’ Sinkies want that liars, murder to be our PM. "....he so “inspiring," "eloquent speech," “paid less than PM." “Change you can believe in”. Little did Sinkies know Obama cannot make a decent speech without a Teleprompter!!
JC
Redbean's agenda is to provoke thoughts and conversation, and kopi.
ReplyDeleteWhy Simon Tay want to care about foreign affairs, and some more on Obama?
ReplyDeleteIf he is so concerned about public affairs, he should concentrate on internal ones, like why the strongest Sinkie opposition is not ready to be govt.
Can Simon Tay join the opposition to make it stronger? Because Sinkie opposition badly needs Sinkie talents like Simon Tay to grow stronger.
There are good reasons why Sinkie talents do not want to join Sinkie opposition.
ReplyDeleteFor a start maybe we can ask one right here, RB, what is/are his good reason(s) he did not want to join opposition.
So RB, Why?
I have yet to find an answer to this question.
ReplyDeleteIt would be interesting if Simon did joint the opposition, but knowing all the pot holes that will be after him, chances are he would not.
ReplyDeleteHe is no peanut, but his status does shine out loud, so does he really have to joint the opposition, I really don't think so.
Kaki
Power comes and goes. It is never meant to stay.
ReplyDeleteIt has long been proven that whether opposition or ruling party, an illustrious scholar is not exactly that somebody who is a sure fire to win votes via winning hearts and minds. In the last GE, there were no fewer than 6 scholars representing the non-ruling camp were thrown up for grabs but non of them, in the end, really make any impact given their credential,age, experience etc.
ReplyDeleteIf last GE is anything to go by, it is likely to dissuade people like Simon Tay to enter he fray because simply, it is highly likely for him to fail than to make a meaningful impact.
Ironically, the youngest candidate ( a mere 24-year old sweet,beautiful, thoughtful, daring and kind hearted lady ), just a normal run of the mill graduate with an ordinary degree, not in law, medicine, business administration etc make the strongest impact and almost achieved a home run on her first debut if not for the woeful inadequacy of her team mates, the sloppiness of the party's leadership and the misguided strategy of their election campaign. Old goat was spared a huge embarrassment and humiliation arguably by destiny.
Essentially, coming from predominantly a background of marketing, business developments, operations, manpower recruitments and management and strategy formulations over the entire career span since leaving uni some years back, from the perspectives of the entire cross section of the electorates, a scholar is unlikely to carry even a substantive proportion of votes to make a difference at the ballot box at the end of the day.
Thus, the ruling party is unlikely to be too particularly concerned about contesting against scholars. Scholars might have some good chance if they contest under Low Thia Kiang's party banner but again only on those winnable wards and not everywhere and anywhere. More importantly, can they hold hand together as a cohesive team and work under the ethos of the party represented by MP Low's thinking and management style.
On their own or under other parties, the above mentioned reasons would render scholars not posing any threat to the ruling party.
Scholars are good to have on paper and somewhat confidence, hope and morale boosting but effective votes garnering magnets they are not.
Future votes winners are likely run of the mill graduate with that basic heart-landers and human touch and universal appeal but not necessarily LLL's type. That victory highly likely is due to the one-off Palmergate factor and electorates voting along party line combined. It is not likely to be repeated cross-sectionally island-wide in a GE. Nicole Seah is probably one example more representative of what voters would gravitate to under a GE than a BE situation, party line voting trend notwithstanding.
In other words, vote winners should have mass appeal, not just qualification appeals. Generally, most scholars not necessarily possess mass appeals.
"More importantly, can they hold hand together as a cohesive team and work under the ethos of the party represented by MP Low's thinking and management style."
ReplyDeleteAnon 8:29 am
Most probably not. Which is why WP, even if it has the funds and logistical resources to contest 100% seats, also cannot attract enough good calibre candidates in the first place to enable this to happen. And a party also will not win even if it can contest 100% seats, if their candidates are like those of son of JBJ's party that contested AMK GRC in GE 2011.
And 60% will only respect and vote for a party which is ready to be govt! How they know? When the party can contest 100% of the seats with calibre candidates, that's how.
SO opposition got hope or not in GE 2016, you tell me lah?
But WP Leader Low Thia Khiang had already publicly stated he has no ambition to be PM, so why contest 100% seats? Why get enough calibre candidates, you tell me lah?
ReplyDeleteIf Sinkies choose this type as the strongest opposition, where got hope, you tell me lah?
Sinkies are daft. So they fully deserve all the PAP nonsense and what not.
October 27, 2013 8:29 am
ReplyDelete"In other words, vote winners should have mass appeal, not just qualification appeals. Generally, most scholars not necessarily possess mass appeals..."
Bravo, a beautiful essay, I wish I could write 1/2 as good...
In 2008 a young man Black man, constitution's law professor, a grassroots organizer seeking the highest office in the land. His message was simple "Change, Change you can believe in.” It has "mass appeal" beside qualifications. Filled every stadium in cities where he campaigned. People fainted just looking at him and his emotional speeches. Even the poorest Black believe they no longer need to pay home mortgages, blah, blah... JFK (John Fitzgerald Kennedy) sole surviving daughter endorsed that young Black man. Even before completing his 1st year in office he was bestowed the Nobel Peace prize by the Norwegian Parliament. The World was astounded a Messiah from "God" to save the world from the Conservative....?
Six years on, not only he exceeds the brutality GWB, murder its own citizen - the President deported more Hispanic in his 2nd year in office than any President since George Washington. Now, he still presides in America longest wars and Gitmo's victims still linger without a day in Court. All the Arabs Nations America "free" are now failed States. He lied and spies on everyone. His appointees also lied and NOT one of the crooks in jails. Million’s homeowners suffered. The highly praised Obamacare will soon drive Healthcare even higher with Healthcare’s Industries, Pharmaceutical gets even richer...
There are many Sinkies wanna that man to be our PM.... with Tan Jee Say carrying the Democrats balls...
You still like "mass Appeal"? A clueless essay.
JC
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteObama must return to Asia.
ReplyDeleteAs he is the future Imperialist Dictator for the region, he must show more care for the place he's going to annex into his global plan.
All the leaders in ASEAN were all ready bent over, ass-cheeks spread revealing their well lubricated anuses, ready for Obama's Big WHITE Dick...and he spurned their unconditional love and devotion to their future Boss, in preference for his domestic agenda. He really HURT ASEAN feelings, and made their leader's lose face. As a gentleman and a scholar, he must in all conscience repair the damage.
Please Mister President, you have to come back. ASEAN would like to take you bang their horny assholes, so you can fuck us real good, like only a Nobel Peace Laureate can.
@October 27, 2013 11:48 am
ReplyDeletei suppork you