Blue and White push 4 major vote-buying bills to cost 600 billion a year! Guo Yuqing bombarded: Debts leave descendants, where do we get our financial resources?
Quick Look
- Democratic Progressive Party legislator Guo Yuqing called on the opposition parties to face Taiwan's young people and explain that the four major bills promoted by the Legislative Yuan, including exempting people over 65 years old from health insurance and universal cash deposits of NT$20,000, require about 600 billion yuan in annual expenditures.
- He also criticized that this move will crowd out key construction such as water control and long-term care, and the cost will be borne by the younger generation.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
During the countdown to the nine-in-one election, Blue and White intensively dealt with vote-buying bills in the Legislative Yuan, including four major bills including exemption of health insurance for seniors over 65 years old and universal cash payment of 20,000 yuan. It is estimated that the government will need at least 600 billion yuan in annual expenditure, accounting for 15% of next year's total budget.
Democratic Progressive Party legislator Guo Yuqing. (File photo)
As the nine-in-one countdown continues, Blue and White are intensively processing the vote-buying bill in the Legislative Yuan, hoping to use taxpayers' hard work to save the election. According to statistics, the four major bills promoted by Blue and White in the Legislative Yuan and expected to be forced to read for third time, including the exemption of health insurance for seniors over 65 years old and the universal cash payment of 20,000 yuan, will cost the government at least 600 billion yuan a year. In this regard, Democratic Progressive Party legislator Kuo Yu-ching today called on the opposition parties not to change the focus, but to face the young people across Taiwan first and explain clearly, "Where are you going to get the financial resources for this 600 billion money trap bill that you are pushing through the central government?"
In addition to the exemption of health insurance premiums for seniors over 65 years old, Blue and White passed the Legislative Yuan on the 6th to increase the pension for elderly farmers to 15,000 yuan. This week, it is also expected that the National Pension Law will be read for the third time and a universal cash payment of 20,000 yuan will be processed on the 17th. According to statistics from party and government figures, based on the current controversial policies, it is estimated that the revision of the Elderly Welfare Law will increase by about 40 billion yuan each year. The opposition party version of the old farmer subsidy will increase by about 32 billion yuan compared with the government version. If the national pension is increased to 8,000 yuan, it will increase by 50 billion yuan. Coupled with the blue camp’s universal cash policy of 20,000 yuan, the government’s expenditure will increase by 600 billion yuan in one year alone, accounting for 15% of next year’s total budget.
Please read on...
Guo Yuqing pointed out that the DPP has only one attitude towards any welfare policy. If it wants to increase the welfare policy, it must tell the people clearly: "Where are the financial resources?" Assuming that the local government's finances are sound today, it pragmatically assesses local finances and proposes measures based on local conditions. After deliberation by the local council, the local government will prepare its own budget and provide increased welfare to take care of the local folks. If the rights and responsibilities are consistent, everyone will definitely support it.
Guo Yuqing criticized, but what the opposition parties are doing now in the Legislative Yuan is to completely ignore the financial resources of the central government and just rely on the majority in Congress to force the central government to pay for the case. This practice of not looking for financial resources and only writing blank checks will not only cause serious budget squeeze for key construction such as water control and long-term care, but the final price will have to be borne by the younger generation. This is the most typical example of irresponsibility and leaving debt to future generations.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The Legislative Yuan will continue to process the third reading of bills such as the National Pension Law and the 20,000-yuan universal cash deposit.
Likely · Within days
Open Questions
- What are the specific funding options for these welfare bills?
- What are the three reading schedules for each bill?
- If local governments prepare their own budgets to increase welfare, what is the specific feasibility?
