As citizens of Taiwan, we all know the referendum failed to pass on Saturday, which addresses four critical country issues. Nuclear power problems, ban of ractopamine pork, referendum alongside general election, and reef protection. The number of "No" votes is identically overwhelming. From my perspective, this is not only about health or environmental issues, but our "national exam" for Taiwanese people.

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     There are things notable about the referendum. Firstly, the referendum is held by having sentences like "Do you agree that the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant should be activated for commercial operations?" alongside "yes" and "no" choices. Some experts are concerned that some political propaganda would brainwash elders who lack critical thinking ability, which might trick them to vote in some politicians' favor. I think it is very likely to happen because I have encountered a few elders who did vote but don't really know much about the topics. They just simply follow their favorite politician's words, turning the whole referendum into some sort of "Opinion Polls". Besides these voting issues, numerous serious decisions that will affect our daily life from now on have been made.  For example, a majority of voters decided that we should not limit the import of ractopamine products.  One might think that this is the right decision since some researches show that ractopamine products are safe to consume within a reasonable amount, people would be totally fine as long as they eat it normally. Hence, we should not sacrifice our opportunity to enhance our friendship with the United States for that little risk. However, I see it as a bad move personally, for it could further change the status quo with China if we overly show our preference toward western countries, which can be the last thing we want to see.

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    Ideally,  Referendum should be a manner for every citizen in the society to gather their ideas and thoughts to work together toward a better status. Now it seems to be misused by politicians to create some sort of propaganda for their own good. This is the first time I have had the chance to participate in something so big that is critically related to our country's issues. Nevertheless, I did not join the vote because I was busy tackling assignments at school. Seeing how the referendum went made me really sorrowful, for it is going on the exact opposite way of my anticipation and expectation.  

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    In brief, the referendum is not merely something people use to express their opinions, it can also be a powerful political weapon that aims for certain goals. I regret how I did not join the vote since every vote counts and it will directly affect my own life. After all, it is crucial to express your own thought as a member of society.