8 Asians

A week or so ago, the National Asian American Survey(NAAS) released a national report on the political views of Asian Americans as well as their thoughts on issues. Here in California, Asian Americans are specials – since NAAS a few weeks later has released two additional reports – specific to Californian Asian Americans (in .PDF):

• The 2012 General Election: Public Opinions of Asian Americans in California
• The Policy Priorities and Issue Preferences of Asian Americans in California

Here are some of the more interesting findings:

• Asian Americans are overwhelmingly supportive of affirmative action, with about more than 75 percent of Asian American adults supporting “affirmative action programs designed to help blacks, women, and other minorities get better jobs and education.
• On the issue of health care reform, which has divided support among the general population, Asian Americans in California are largely supportive, with about a 3-to-1 ratio in favor. These levels are comparable to those found among Asian Americans living outside of California. Support for health care reform is high, regardless of whether the law is referred to as the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare.
• On strategies to reduce the federal budget deficit, Asian Americans in California are very supportive of tax increases on high earners (69 percent). This proposal receives majority support (52 percent) even among those households earning more than $250,000 a year.

I am a little surprised by the strong support for affirmative action in underrepresented minorities, especially considering the great past concern for admissions for Asian Americans into the University of California system and the passage of Proposition 209 back in 1996, which prohibited public institutions from discriminating on the basis of race, sex, or ethnicity.

From the national results, as well as the Pew report published over the summer, I am less surprised by the other results.