Often in the evenings before sunset, I would go to Keelung River Park, passing through the wealthy district of Mingshui Road and its adjacent areas, to do some walking and then double back home. Sometimes, when my wife went with me, we would take the bus for three stops to return home.

Yesterday, when we were waiting for the bus, we saw a few ritzy sedans and SUVs parking outside both ends of the reserved area for buses. I wondered why so many vehicles are parking here on the road in this residential area when all residents must have parking spaces for their vehicles. Then came a luxurious tour bus, standing at the bus stop area, and many young kids, all looking like low-graders, got down the bus, one by one, guided by a security lady. Simultaneously, all vehicles parking there were turning on their headlights and opening the doors. Now came the parents, rushing to pick up their kids and return to the cars. Several minutes later, the area around the bus stop was cleared. (I guess those guys must live nearby; why didnt they walk their kids home?)

My wife hinted to me that the luxurious tour bus may be chartered by some private, elite elementary school on the outskirts of Taipei. I guessed so. However, I wonder how those relatively young parents could afford to live in that wealthy area. Did they inherit the rights from their parents, or are they the so-called successful tech upstarts? I cannot tell. Anyway, people could feel the widening gap between have and have-not conspicuous in Taiwan.

It is a latent crisis for any society that confronts such a gap, and Taiwan is no exception. The ills of low salaries and housing problems have become one of the top issues in the "presidential" election this time. Dear young islanders, do not trust in the boastful politicians who claim they could address such a problem because it necessitates a social revolution to change. For example, does any politician in Taiwan dare support the suggestion that the property tax should be imposed on the real market price instead of that symbolic published price? If not, let me ask: how could you accumulate enough money to match that ever-escalating property price? Wake up, man. We need a left-wing socialist government to help us; unfortunately, none of the existing parties is a reliable choice.