Who should run against Arroyo's 12 and other ideas

(1st UPDATE) 1) We need to rein in the hardline and extremist tendencies within our camp.

On the one end of the spectrum, we have those who are advocating a hardline position not include anybody who were once associated with arroyo to the Senate coalition lineup against the administration.

Example: Opposition junks Kiko in Senate slate

Even though Pangilinan in 2005 has already called for Arroyo's resignation and is willing to support her impeachment. Plus he was strongly against CON ASS. I think his candidacy should now be strongly considered, kahit na alam nating Mr. Noted siya dati. I believe in redemption and giving people a second chance.

On the other end of the spectrum, we have people from the Civil Society who used to support Arroyo. They're now telling us na we should reject anybody who is associated with Erap if we are to get their support raw against Arroyo. Because being associated with Erap is an unforgivable crime, they say.

Patricia Evangelista of the Inquirer is even angry that some people who were against Erap (like Legarda, Joker Arroyo, Guingona) are now joining hands with other people associated with Estrada to oust the corrupt and illegitimate ARroyo.

In the first place Patricia, it is not "Erap's Magic 12", no matter what erap says or thinks.

Second, Remove Lacson or Loi Estrada from the opposition just because they're associated with Erap? HELL NO! Nor should the opposition do it.. Just because they're linked to erap (or used to, in lacson's case) doesn't automatically mean they're bad people. Same with those who were once associated with Arroyo.

Isa pa, why are people like Billy Esposo and Patricia (still on their high horse) lecturing the Opposition about it's Senate lineup only now, even though we didn't hear much complaints about the lack of "credible alterntives" from many of these Edsa Dos types when Arroyo presented her Senate Slate in 2004 which included yucky names like Lito Lapid, Bong Revilla (NSFW!), Robert Jaworski and Robert Barbers (remember his talk with garci where he tried to pay the Master Operator off with P1.5 Million to pad his votes by 70,000 in the Basilan province area), and people with a "tainted past" like Miriam and John Osmena.

And although I agree with the general idea that the Opposition needs to put out a better list of candidates against the administration, and I agree with some of their recommendations, it's effin hilarious to see them put the Opposition to higher standard only now when I didn't hear similar complaints from them when Arroyo admin's K4 put up a stinker of a senate lineup (quality wise) back in 2004.

I think there's a little bit of double standard and hypocrisy on Civil Society's part. Which only means that back then, all this talk about "credible alternatives" and "qualified candidates" were only lip service, and winning with Arroyo was the only thing that mattered back then. And most of the civil society types kept their mouths shut instead of openly raise the issue in order to help Arroyo's senate candidates win in 2004.

Instead of having a senate lineup that is all maka-Erap, or a lineup that is clearly handpicked by the edsa dos, civil society types, I want my Magic twelve reflect the face of the new government after removing the divisive Arroyo: United, diverse, working together, moderate, competent.

Am I compromising on my principles? No. Because this is exactly the direction I want the country to head towards post-Arroyo. It's how I want to see the government work.

Instead of pandering to the extremists on both sides of the anti-Arroyo groupings, we need to select the moderates from those who were once part of Edsa Dos, and the other side, those who were not part of it.

Guys, the people are tired of Arroyo, the main cause of all this divisiveness in the country today. They want to see her go. But they are also tired of this division-- the us vs. them. They want us to work together and get along.

Arroyo promised to "heal the land" and "unite the country" in 2001. instead we saw Arroyo's goons create more political havoc and destruction against Arroyo's likely/undeclared opponents (Lacson, Roco, Legarda, FPJ) in the 2004 Elections with the help of Victor Corpus, Ricardo Manapat, Rosebud, Nani Perez etc. as part of the preparation to lay the groundwork for Arroyo's re-election.

So the people are wary of promises of "unity" and "reconciliation", especially from the Admin's spokesperson.

Although our stated goal is to remove the corrupting and DIVISIVE influence of Arroyo, create MORE JOBS WITHIN the country, do REAL REFORMS, and PUNISH the GUILTY inside the COMELEC and the MILITARY (and those who HELPED COVER GLORIAGATE UP), I think most people in the end want to see us working together post edsa dos, post edsa tres and post arroyo.

2) Why Loi? Why Kiko? Why Ping? Why Villar? Why are they on my preferred Magic 12 list?

Eto ang Senate slate ko sa 2007. Pwede pang magbago yan.

1) Guingona
2) Lacson
3) Cayetano
4) Escudero
5) Villar
6) Pangilinan
7) Legarda
8) Loi Estrada
9) Joker Arroyo
10) Randy David
11) Susan Ople
12) Oscar Orbos

with Koko Pimentel, Noynoy Aquino, Sonia Roco, Roilo Golez or Teddy Casino as possible altenates kung magbago ang isip ko.

Balita ko hindi raw tatakbo si Loi.

I explain some of my picks:

I hope Loi runs para hindi na tumakbo si JV Ejercito.

Why Joker Arroyo? He's not part of the opposition, and I don't agree with some of his positions, but he's a smart, independent guy who i'd like to see return to the Senate.

Why Kiko Pangilinan? After his recent comments on Con Ass and his resignation call to Arroyo last 2005, plus his support for impeaching arroyo, I'm leaning towards including him in the slate, even if he used to be Mr. Noted.

Why Randy David? Because he's a smart man who understand the masa. he's a man of integrity, honesty and decency. IMO. I strongly hope the opposition considers his candidacy.

Why Toots Ople? I think she a young, promising and attractive candidate with plenty of potential. She's a member of the One Voice group.

I've considered Ralph Recto in the past, but soured on him after reading this, this

Ralph Recto commissioned a survey (just for his own guide) that asked only two questions:

1. Will you vote for him if he runs under the opposition ticket?

2. Will you vote for him if he runs under the administration ticket?

In both questions, the score is almost the same. He has a good chance of winning whether he is with administration or opposition ticket.

That’s the reason why in his interviews, he says, he is neither administration os opposition. “I’m neutral,” he said. What’s that, no principle?

and this.

If the survey scores are almost the same whether he goes admin or opposition, Recto should have taken that as a signal that he is free to follow his convictions. That he has chosen to remain neutral may mean that he doesn’t have any well-formed convictions. Alternatively, it may also mean that the approval scores he got from each side were too low and he needs the support of both camps to win. Either way, it’s not a good reflection on him in terms of trustworthiness or courage.

Well said, CVJ. I don't know if i could trust that man either. The guy has displayed less than half the courage shown by Alan Peter Cayetano. And unlike Pangilinan, he was awfully quiet nung sumabog ang GLORIAGATE scandal. And Joker Arroyo already occupies the token "pro-Arroyo(?)" in my Magic 12, so there is no more room for Recto.

I just don't know why Recto wants to join the Opposition Slate in the first place? Based on the surveys, whether sa Admin siya o sa opposition, it won't make any difference to his chances.

It's funny erap is not keen on endorsing Recto either, but is okay with Villar and Pangilinan. Mas malaki ang "kasalanan" ni villar kay Erap with the fast-tracked impeachment complaint, at si Pangilinan naman with the Noteds. Between Villar, Pangilinan and REcto, si Recto ang least "guilty" o may kasalanan kay erap, pero si Recto pa ang ayaw ni Erap. Weird.

I guess it's not really about what you did in the past (Villar, Pangilinan). It's more about who can you trust now. And it seems that Recto's shifty political posture makes him untrustworty. His position on Arroyo is virtually identical with Ed Angara's. Not good.

As for the "third force" concept being floated around by some people, to me this is another term from SPOILER or STALKING HORSE (also check Ralph Nader's failed Candidacy in 2000 and 2004.) I am TOTALLY against any idea that HELPS THE ADMINISTRATION.