Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Statureless in Nagata-chō

No, no, no, no!

(Sound of head pounding on table)

The Liberal Democratic Party's leaders didn't clear the nominations of Tanami Kōji and Nishimura Kiyohiko with the Democratic Party leadership before the 11 a.m. announcement.

(Vocalization. Sounds like "AAaaaaargh!")

I think we can safely say that the Democratic Party is exonerated. Off the hook. In the clear. The failure to name a replacement for the post of Governor of the Bank of Japan is now 100% the fault of the LDP.

(Wiping of the hands gesture)

By not vetting the nominations with the Democratic Party aforehand, the LDP has proven itself incapable of anything but vengeance.

Bloody moronic, near-sighted, knee-biting attack Chihuahuas. Vamos!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Do the LDP think they will benefit from this approach, or are they just congenitally arrogant?

Still, it doesn't seem like a topic that the average voter is likely to care about.

MTC said...

willie -

The LDP party leadership seems incapable of finding its way out of a paper bag. Given that Tanigaki Sadakazu is in charge of the PARC, this should come as no surprise.

Unwise it is to underestimate the political savvy of the citizenry. The citizens know that the LDP is no longer at liberty to dispense budgetary and regulatory largesse. I would not want to be the one testing how long the citizens put up with pure powermongering chicanery.

Jan Moren said...

They do seem mysteriously incapable of grasping the inevitable consequences of divided power, don't they. Perhaps none of them were good at playing with others in the sandbox as toddlers either.

Don't worry; any year now the LDP will realize that "constructive cooperation" means actually listening to and taking into account what the opposition thinks. Any year now.

Anonymous said...

MTC,

You may be right that the LDP losing the ability to bring home the bacon ends the logic for supporting them.

For what it's worth ...
I think a radical change may occur in Japan within the next few years. In addition to the internal system reaching the point of looking braindead, there's the possible end of the American dollar-based empire.

Of course, what if the DPJ wins the next election, but there's a depression? Would the voters understand that it's not the DPJ's fault?

MTC said...

willie -

First things first. Given the complete breakdown in communication between the parties and the ructions of realignment within the LDP, we have to see whether or not a no confidence motion comes to a vote in April--or, if the DPJ feels unprepared, in the first week of October, assuming that there there is an extraordinary Diet session starting in September. I cannot envision the current government slouching on. The Cabinet and Diet affairs chairs were selected for their moderation and aura of quiet competence. If they cannot move legislation through the Diet other than through an invocation of the override provision, then they have no business being in the positions they are in. To exaggerate but a little, a troop of Japanese macaques has sufficient brain power to pass a bill via the override provision--and a troop of Japanese macaques would be more popular.