Monday, September 1, 2008

"633" Pledge Update

Just wanted to see if I read the "633" pledges wrong previously; but these are the pledges I thought Ma made:

- 6% Annual GDP Growth
- $30,000 Per Capita Income by 2012 (now possibly 2016?)
- 3% Unemployment Rate by 2012

This morning, reading the article by TT on Ma's response to the protests, I noticed that the $30,000 Per Capita Income is now a pledge to be met by 2016. As this was reported by the TT, I suspect it's not some sort of conspiracy to ease up on the pledges to give Ma more leway, but according to the Government Information Office (GIO) for Taiwan (see here), and I quote:

Ma: My core campaign strategy is to focus on economic development. Siew's most important role will be to serve as the main economic strategist. We have set a goal we call "633," which stands for 6 percent economic growth each year, per capita income of US$30,000 and an unemployment rate lower than 3 percent by 2012.

Is it not reasonable to say that the two "3s" pledges are targets to be attained by 2012? I don't want to get all technical into the grammar, but with no comma between the second and third pledges, "US$30,000 and an unemployment rate lower...," it would be okay to consider that the 2012 target exists for both of them. Whereas, the 6 pledge is clear in that is is an annual promise.

Or possibly they just left that part of the pledge open-ended, and could be free to extend that goal to whatever year is necessary to save face...

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