Analysing the elections with two friends - one is an experienced political consultant and the other a psychiatry expert witness. I've been in a daze in the last few hours about what just happened but these two helped make sense of it all.
As you well know, with 24 hours to go to Polling Day....the ground sentiment seemed to have swung in PAP's favour.
Basically, it appears that the Singapore electorate has fallen for one of the oldest tricks on the political book, albeit one immaculately executed - The Good Cop, Bad Cop Routine! This is commonly used in US foreign policy and domestic politics...the best example of this would be the Bush-Cheney act in the 2004 presidential elections. Cheney played Bad Cop to devastating effect, taking out Kerry and cleared the way for Bush to win in the starring role of Good Cop.
We have just witnessed the Singapore version in the last 3 days.
First, you have Bad Cop LKY come out blundering with threats, blackmail and his usual bully-boy ways. Now, this scares an estimated 15-20% of the swing voters into going back into the arms of the PAP but it also alienates an approximately equal or slightly smaller percentage of voters against the PAP. So zero-minimal net loss for opposition
The second step is Good Cop LSL coming out and saying sorry. This brings back the LKY-alienated voters while keeping the fearful voters in the PAP fold. The result is a huge net gain in the swing votes. What aids the Lees is that the electorate does not know which cop is more powerful - is it the Bad Cop or the Good Cop? You are confused, you are uncertain, and in that uncertainty is when you are most susceptible.
Hours later, it is polling day. You cast your vote. What has happened, the Good Cop Bad Cop routine, is still in your subconscious. Most people who fall for it will never know they've been suckered. A few will slowly realise it.
The electorate wakes up on Sunday, and everyone is amazed that the PAP has won 86-1.
Impossible they think, the ground was so bitter! How did the PAP perform a near clean sweep.
Welcome....the will of the Singapore people has just been thwarted by the Good Cop, Bad Cop routine.
If you don't want this to happen, please educate your fellow voters about this!
If this information comes too late, ah well, just don't fall for it next time. And pray that the people who would resort to these dirty tricks will not blaze the same trail of destruction as the Republican Party under Bush-Cheny
As you well know, with 24 hours to go to Polling Day....the ground sentiment seemed to have swung in PAP's favour.
Basically, it appears that the Singapore electorate has fallen for one of the oldest tricks on the political book, albeit one immaculately executed - The Good Cop, Bad Cop Routine! This is commonly used in US foreign policy and domestic politics...the best example of this would be the Bush-Cheney act in the 2004 presidential elections. Cheney played Bad Cop to devastating effect, taking out Kerry and cleared the way for Bush to win in the starring role of Good Cop.
We have just witnessed the Singapore version in the last 3 days.
First, you have Bad Cop LKY come out blundering with threats, blackmail and his usual bully-boy ways. Now, this scares an estimated 15-20% of the swing voters into going back into the arms of the PAP but it also alienates an approximately equal or slightly smaller percentage of voters against the PAP. So zero-minimal net loss for opposition
The second step is Good Cop LSL coming out and saying sorry. This brings back the LKY-alienated voters while keeping the fearful voters in the PAP fold. The result is a huge net gain in the swing votes. What aids the Lees is that the electorate does not know which cop is more powerful - is it the Bad Cop or the Good Cop? You are confused, you are uncertain, and in that uncertainty is when you are most susceptible.
Hours later, it is polling day. You cast your vote. What has happened, the Good Cop Bad Cop routine, is still in your subconscious. Most people who fall for it will never know they've been suckered. A few will slowly realise it.
The electorate wakes up on Sunday, and everyone is amazed that the PAP has won 86-1.
Impossible they think, the ground was so bitter! How did the PAP perform a near clean sweep.
Welcome....the will of the Singapore people has just been thwarted by the Good Cop, Bad Cop routine.
If you don't want this to happen, please educate your fellow voters about this!
If this information comes too late, ah well, just don't fall for it next time. And pray that the people who would resort to these dirty tricks will not blaze the same trail of destruction as the Republican Party under Bush-Cheny
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