Xiaocao questioned why the Legislative Yuan could not increase the budget. He used Ke Wenzhe as an example of accepting bribes.
Quick Look
- Lawyer Lin Zhiqun criticized the passage of the 22nd Amendment to the Elderly Welfare Law at the third reading as unconstitutional.
- He pointed out that it is an iron law that the Legislative Yuan cannot increase the budget.
- Just changing the name of the health insurance subsidy to "political donation" does not mean it is legal.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The Blue and White parties passed the 22nd Amendment to the Elderly Welfare Law on the third reading in the Legislative Yuan, exempting seniors over 65 from paying health insurance premiums, triggering a strong backlash from the green camp. People's Party Chairman Huang Guochang pointed out that many DPP county and mayor candidates have put forward similar political views and questioned the DPP's double standards.
Lin Zhiqun said bitterly: "Xiaocao thinks that illegal things can be avoided by just changing the name. No wonder they think that if Abei collects a lot of money, as long as the red envelope says "political donation", it must not be a bribe." The picture shows the Legislative Yuan's third reading of the amendment to the Elderly Welfare Law, with the Blue Committee posing at the meeting. (File photo)
On the 16th, Blue and White passed the 22nd amendment to the "Elderly Welfare Law" in the third reading, exempting those over 65 years old from paying health insurance premiums. The green camp strongly responded to this. In response, Huang Guochang, chairman of the People's Party, compiled a number of Democratic Progressive Party county and mayor candidates who had proposed "subsidizing health insurance premiums for those over 65 years old" and questioned "the DPP can do it, but why the People's Party cannot". In response to this, lawyer Lin Zhiqun said yesterday that this move was unconstitutional. Unexpectedly, many "little grassroots" protested against this. Lin Zhiqun explained that the Legislative Yuan cannot increase the budget, so how can it be done in another way?
Lin Zhiqun pointed out in a Facebook post yesterday that the Constitution stipulates that the Legislative Yuan cannot increase the budget. This is an iron law and the bill passed by Blue and White is unconstitutional. Lin Zhiqun later mentioned the issue of health insurance premiums. He said that the Constitution stipulated that the Legislative Yuan could not increase the budget. A bunch of people protested to him, saying that the Constitution did not state that the Legislative Yuan could not increase the budget through "bills".
Please read on...
Lin Zhiqun emphasized: "The Legislative Yuan can't increase the budget, it just doesn't work. How can it be possible to change the way? Do Xiaocao think that the justices are as idiots as them?" Lin finally made a direct comment: "Xiaocao thinks that illegal things can be avoided by just changing the name. No wonder they think that if Abei collects a bunch of money, as long as the red envelope says 'political donation', it must not be a bribe."
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The Judicial Yuan will be asked to interpret whether this amendment is unconstitutional
Likely · Within weeks
The Green camp will use this issue as an argument against Blue and White in local elections
Very likely · Within months
Open Questions
- Will this amendment be interpreted by the Judicial Yuan?
- How will health insurance premiums be adjusted to make up for the reduction?
- Do Blue and White have any alternatives to care for the elderly?
