Derrick Lee
President-General
Derrick Lee Ли Куанг | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Vice President of the People's Republic of Namor | |
| Assumed office 17 July NMR 2368 | |
| President | Fu Wen |
| Preceded by | Namsa Singho |
| Deputy for the 21st Legislative District in the Namorese Central Council | |
| In office 1 May, NMR 2348 – 7 February, NMR 2363 | |
| President | Chanin Chen Alicia Wolf |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 13, NMR 2309 (age 66) Mojing, East Namor |
| Nationality | Namorese |
| Political party | New Democrats |
| Alma mater | Mojing University |
| Profession | Businessperson, corporate leader |
Derrick Lee or Li Kuang (Namorese: Ли Куанг) is the 10th Vice President of Namor.
Early Life
Derrick Lee was born Li Kuang in the eastern city of Mojing in March 13, NMR 2309. He was raised in a low-income family. At age five, his parents divorced, and as a result he lived with his mother and his older brother, Li Jiang. According to Lee, he received all failing grades at elementary school and had no interest in studying; however, this changed when his mother - annoyed by his attitude towards school - took him to a restaurant where he saw people washing dishes for hours straight. Lee decided that he didn't want to go down that path, and from then on was diligent in his studies. He developed an interest in dentistry, entered Mojing University and graduated with a degree in dental hygiene. Lee opened his own dentist's office in NMR 2339.
During his university years, he worked as a part-time tour guide for foreign tourists (he was proficient in English). As such, he introduced himself to tourists as "Derrick." Thus he became known as Derrick Lee in English.
Writer
As he was practicing dentistry, Lee wrote several books, some of which became bestsellers. The most prominent bestseller, Namor and the New Century (written in NMR 2343), outlined his political views and stayed at the top of Mojing Sibo bestsellers list for 25 weeks. In it, Lee criticized the Liberationist Party of Namor, accused the government's policies of being dictated by xenophobia and criticized the Kong Jo administration's decision to go to war with Luziyca (since popular support for the war during and after it remained high, Lee stood out as part of a vocal minority opposing it). Not everybody agreed with Lee's opinions, but nonetheless the book received stellar reviews. The book was said to be a precursor to Lee's political career.
Political career
In NMR 2348, Lee announced his intention to run for the Central Council. In light of the damage caused to the Liberationist Party by the scandal surrounding Su Shui, he was convinced that the election of NMR 2348 was "pivotal" for political change. He ran on the New Democratic ticket, and won, becoming a CenCo deputy for the 21st Legislative District. He called Chanin Chen's election "disappointing" but assured supporters that "Chen will be the last Liberationist president-general for years to come." When Alicia Wolf, the first non-Liberationist, was elected, Lee said he was "excited" by "history in the making" but expressed doubts that the Wolf administration would bring about "real change." He continued to stand with his party in the next several elections, endorsing Deng Mianbao, then the New Democratic leader.
He announced his bid for the presidency twice, in NMR 2358 and NMR 2363. In both New Democratic presidential primaries he was not nominated.
Vice Presidency
Lee was selected to be Fu Wen's running mate in the NMR 2368 presidential election. Fu said he picked Lee because "we two have a lot in common...both of us understand the right way to bring about true progress." Lee said "there is no better choice than Fu [in the election] because no one is as progressive-minded as he is."
With Fu's easy victory in the election, Lee was elected Vice President of Namor. In response, he called the election "the third political revolution and the first true revolution in Namorese history."
Public Reception
Derrick Lee is believed to be one of the possible contenders in the NMR 2378 presidential election, which will see a successor to Fu Wen elected. Some commentators say if he is elected, he will continue Fu Wen's neoliberal domestic policies and his supportive stance towards Namo-Luziycan detente.
The Mojing Sibo named Lee one of the "most avid center-rightists in Namorese politics today" to a degree that exceeds that of Fu, suggesting that he has the potential to bring Namorese neoliberalism to an "unprecedented level."