Citing non-existent public demand, Hong Kong’s puppet administration wants to give votes to citizens living in the Mainland. Pan-dems complain that this leaves out voters in foreign countries, will make it easier for the pro-Beijing camp to control the legislature. and equates to electoral fraud. All true but missing the point.
Hong Kong is run by the CCP, and the CCP rigs elections always always always. A legislative body in China is a rubber stamp – end of story. If the CCP can’t control LegCo, it won’t exist. It’s not supposed to represent the people.
The curious thing is why Beijing’s officials want to go to this trouble when they can use far simpler methods like disqualifications to reduce the opposition’s presence. Presumably they are desperate for a veneer of legitimacy.
This is why pan-dems should stay out of the Legislative Council rather than lend it credibility by believing it is some sort of parliament. As things stand, the government simply uses the chamber as a way to torment pro-democrats, goading them into stunts like filibusters and other disruptions that enable pro-establishment media portray them as oafs. Stop taking LegCo seriously.
In other One Country One System news, the police raid a small office belonging to pro-dem publisher Jimmy Lai. Lai’s assistant Mark Simon explains that “…the police [or CCP] are looking to cut off the funding for Apple Daily.” Lai offers more comments here.
And the SCMP quotes a mystery government ‘insider’ as suggesting that Chief Executive Carrie Lam had been yearning to incorporate Beijing’s Five-Year Bay Area Hub-Zone plans into her policy address. The face-saving implication is that the postponement of the speech was basically her idea, so she can seize the opportunity for consultations up there. Sure!
In last week’s competition, readers were asked to guess which Hong Kong government department would be next to be taken over by the CCP. And the answer is: Air-Traffic Control. Nobody got it.
China Media Project on Xi’s speech in Shenzhen, and the provincial governor’s shameless praising of Xi Jinping thought. Can’t wait to see if similar wording appears in Hong Kong’s delayed policy address.
On a brighter note, Hong Kong will get a ‘travel bubble’, allowing those of us who test Covid-negative to take a vacation without quarantines, etc. The catch: it’s with Asia’s most boring destination.
Re goings-on in Shenzhen: was this just wishful thinking rather than a genuine report?
https://hk.appledaily.com/news/20201014/Y7WBXVSNRNEM3LAEJMGSITCJHQ/
Nothing special, just another week
1.
Two days in advance
The Policy Address
Was delayed,
A golden chance
For further progress
And changes to be made.
Carrie submitted
Her own version
To be approved.
It will now be edited
By other persons
And improved.
2.
CY, deeply feeling
Love for country (and ambition),
Wants information to be free.
He has made a list
Candidly revealing
Those who teach sedition.
Now we all can see
The danger in our midst.
3.
It is decided: the Greater Bay
Is going, one day,
The Leader said,
To be a techno-cyber-star,
But our poor old SAR
By Shenzhen will be led.
So Hong Kong is diminished,
But not quite finished.
All of this bellyaching reminds me the question posed by Reg, the leader of the People’s Front of Judea: “What have the Romans ever done for us?”
Most of our food and water comes from across the border as does much of our wealth (indirectly/directly; HK is simply the brothel keeper). We have stability, a pretty good standard of living, safe streets, freedom of movement, we can pretty much talk about anything (note this blog). If the weather threatens to be shit/dangerous, the Government orders us and recommends that we be tucked up in bed.
Fact is, I don’t care about having a direct say in who runs HK, and I contend that most people aren’t qualified to input to the process anyway. Moreover, in the Western democracies those who get voted in tend to be egomaniacs, idiots or both. I note that as a boy Boris Johnson declared he wanted to be “King of the World” (if he has a quality, it seems to be that he’s willing to shag women who would rank 4 or less out of 10 – but then he did go to a public school). His predecessor, Theresa May couldn’t lead due to her indecisiveness (what do you expect from the daughter of an Anglican minister?). Trump’s mindset is comparable to that of an 8-year-old. The alternative to Trump is a senile old git with a short fuse who has a predilection for pre-pubescent girls.
October 16 and 30C outside: My favorite IKEA store has put up Xmas decorations and is playing Frosty the Snowman. Are they afraid that we will accidentally forget Xmas this year?
list rhyming with midst… well played
“Moreover, in the Western democracies those who get voted in tend to be egomaniacs, idiots or both.”
At least, with a dictatorship, that is a certainty.
There he goes again – the bellyacher-in-chief with his “I’m all right, Jack” usual ramblings. Grumpy old man!
@ Lazy MF #4 (no, not them, they had wit and talent): As the great Molly Ivins once said, the speech sounded better in the original German.
Not only that but the twat also seems to be one of those that easily (evidence of a weak mind and a slavish desire to be accepted by some group…ANY group) falls in with those conspiracy theory groups such as “Q”, re-spewing their utter bullshit thinking it’ll win him a couple of points or “friends”.
Reactor 4 is such a Beta.
@gooddog
Wife Beta?
Probably, if he had one…