2000 U.S. Presidential Election

Lung-chu Chen

On December 12, 2000, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a complex, late night decision barring recounts of Florida's election votes. This cleared the way for George W. Bush to become the 43rd President of the United States. One of the closest and hardest fought presidential elections in US history, as accentuated by a ferocious legal battle, came to an end after 36 days.

On December 13, Vice President Al Gore made a generous concession speech, calling on all Americans to put aside all partisan rancor and to unite behind "President-elect Bush." Less than an hour later, Governor George W. Bush spoke, also urging Americans to "rise above a house divided" and to unite.

The two dramatic speeches, delivered in a high spirit for national unity, brought the presidential election 2000 to a peaceful end and opened the way for an orderly transfer of power from Democratic to Republican Party.

An anxious world again witnessed democracy in action in America. The whole process, controversial as it was, has vividly demonstrated the major features of American political culture: respect for an independent judiciary, the rule of law, national interests above partisan interests, persuasion over coercion, and a democratic disposition to concede and accept defeat.

In contrast, let us look at what has been going on in Taiwan since the presidential election on March 18, 2000 and the inauguration of the Chen Shui-bian government on May 20, 2000. The opposition alliance, which constitutes a huge majority in the Legislative branch, appears to continue to manifest a spirit of bitterness and partisanship for having lost their long monopoly of power and all too often to oppose governmental policies simply for the sake of opposition.

Taiwan has come a long way in its quest for democracy, but there is still a long way to go. And there is a lot Taiwan can learn from American and other democracies in the world.