[Bigiron]

Bullshit in GE2025: PAP a steady, trusted hand during tough times, says PM Wong | The Straits Times
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/p...es-pm-wong

### 1. **"PAP is the only steady, trusted hand"**  
   - This is a classic **false dichotomy**, implying that only the PAP can govern competently. Singapore’s opposition parties (like WP, PSP) have presented alternative policies, but Wong dismisses them as "distorting facts" rather than engaging substantively.  
   - **Reality check**: Many democracies thrive with political alternation. The claim that only the PAP can provide stability is a self-serving narrative to justify one-party dominance.

### 2. **"Opposition distorts facts to score points"**  
   - Wong generalizes all opposition as dishonest without providing concrete examples. This is a **strawman tactic**—painting opponents as unserious or deceptive to avoid addressing their arguments.  
   - **Reality check**: Opposition parties like the Workers' Party have raised legitimate concerns (e.g., housing affordability, ministerial salaries, transparency in reserves). Dismissing all criticism as "distortion" avoids accountability.

### 3. **"PAP delivered during crises"**  
   - Wong credits the PAP for navigating COVID-19 and economic challenges, but this ignores:  
     - **Policy failures**: Slow initial COVID-19 response (e.g., migrant worker dormitories), over-reliance on GDP growth models that exacerbate inequality.  
     - **Authoritarian trade-offs**: Success came with heavy-handed measures (e.g., lockdowns, surveillance) that might not be sustainable or democratic.  
   - **Reality check**: Other countries with diverse governments also managed crises effectively. Success isn’t unique to the PAP.

### 4. **"We will listen to Singaporeans" (but on PAP’s terms)**  
   - The PAP often claims to be consultative but **centralizes power**. E.g.:  
     - POFMA (anti-fake news law) used to silence critics.  
     - GRC system skews elections in PAP’s favor.  
     - Limited freedom of assembly/press.  
   - **Reality check**: "Listening" is meaningless if dissent is stifled and alternative voices lack equal platforms.

### 5. **Ignoring systemic advantages**  
   - The PAP benefits from:  
     - **Gerrymandering**: Frequent electoral boundary changes.  
     - **State media dominance**: Straits Times often echoes PAP narratives.  
     - **Legal intimidation**: Suing opponents (e.g., Raeesah Khan, Chee Soon Juan).  
   - Wong’s framing paints the PAP as "winning fair and square," ignoring structural biases.

### **Conclusion**  
Wong’s rhetoric follows the PAP playbook:  
- **Fear-mongering**: "Only we can protect you."  
- **Demonizing opponents**: "They’re liars or clowns."  
- **Taking credit for successes while deflecting failures**.  

**𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐭 𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫**: 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐧 **𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧**, **𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭**, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 **𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧** 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐜𝐫
𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

[Bigiron]

**𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐭 𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫**: 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐧 **𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧**, **𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭**, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 **𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧** 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐜𝐫

𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

[Ineedhelp]

Steadily up gst and everything during and right after tough times.. look at your CPF min sum target, every year go up at least 3%, during downturn paused but right out of the woods you get huge min sum increases... Last gst increase happened right after we got out of COVID..