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(Note: Song Park is President of the Korean American Republican Party of VA. He previously appeared in a debate with Dan Ye.)
Dear Obama supporters, independents and for those who haven’t decided yet,
Although Obama has made enormous strides in exciting and galvanizing the youth of America not too mention the minority population, I’m afraid his past involvements with nefarious characters, lack of executive and administrative experience in domestic and foreign policies, and more importantly his re-distribution of wealth (really other peoples money - MINE) plan concerns me greatly. He has grown too quickly and too dangerously! His flip-flopping of accepting public finance scared me from day one. Just look at the hundreds of millions of dollars that he’s pouring into this election. Forward thinking only tells me that at the end of this election, somewhere, someday, someone is going to ask for payback. If we already know about his past sketchy relationships, and which America feels that it’s not important and continues to ignore, what happens when these folks expect their candidate to make good on closed-door promises? What has happened to America that we can no longer scrutinize a presidential candidate that has had relationships with anti-American terrorists, widely confirms the candid use of drugs, instrumental in the money-laundering to anti-white organizations, and the abhorrent neglect to protect failed aborted babies who are born alive? Why for the sake of “CHANGE” do we need to support this man and look away from his past?
I must agree that we need “CHANGE.” BOTH candidates speak of change. The only difference is you have one candidate the has a proven track record of change and another that only speaks of change (although remarkably very awe-inspiring). If you looked at his past accomplishments or lack thereof in the Illinois Senate you’d find that his back yard is a mess! Growing poverty, rampant unemployment, crimes against race that are eye-popping! How can Americans accept his message of unifying the Country when he has failed to do it in his own backyard? Speaking with Democrats who plan to cross-lines to vote for McCain…for America, they tell me that Obama’s views are too radical, too socialist and not of the Democratic party. His views are not the views of past great Democrat presidents. They are simply too far to the left for their comfort. McCain is not Bush despite the fact he’s voted with him 90% of the time. Your candidate has voted 97% (when he actually made a commitment to vote) of the time along with his constituents and has never fought for any legislation that’s memorable or even remotely represent “CHANGE.”
With respect to the gross misuse of our tax money by current and past administrations, truthfully I would love to see a bi-partisan task force created to follow the money-trail of EVERY political figure in this country. From TOP-to-BOTTOM. I for one distrust and am ashamed by our government and the way they have used my hard earn money. Yes, that includes the frivolous spending of the past eight years. But insanity is doing something over and over again but just expecting a different result. What Obama proposes is more government spending, more red tape and tighter regulations of the private sector. That translates into more pork-barrel spending and more restrictions on the American will and spirit of free-economy.
Do you know how we got into this mess with our economy? Obama from day one in his professional career as an attorney, sued banks and lenders because they wouldn’t provide sub-prime mortgages to poor African-American families in Chicago. This has nothing to do with race, it has everything to do with economics and the ability to pay back these loans. Surely you would be reluctant to loan your hard earned money to someone that had no job or ability to earn a sustainable income or for that matter pay you back the principle never mind interest. The financial melt-down of this Country could have been avoided but because of these special interest groups and continued pressure from civil-rights-minded organization, law firm’s like Obama’s, we were doomed to fail. It was only a matter of time. Even his acceptance of Fannie and Freddie special interest money (>$200,000) he shuns off as though it means nothing to him. It means something to me. Time and time again, your candidate refused to look at things from an economic point-of-view but rather from a racial-equality perspective. I can only assume he will continue his ideologies while in the White House. I will not vote for a man, no matter what color, who has sat in the pews for over 20 years and be taught a skewed view of the Bible by a minister who preaches that the deaths from 9/11 was about time and that God Damns America sentiments. No thanks. Dr. King hoped Americans would someday become color-blind, not color-aligned.
Lastly, from a financial perspective, and as a fiscally-conservative financial advisor (BTW, you want an advisor who is fiscally conservative) I reject his tax plan with every common sense afforded to me by the man upstairs. Mathematics doesn’t lie and his math is flawed. Recently Obama reduced his tax threshold from original $300,000 to $250,000 to $200,000 and now Biden gaffe-machine says $150,000 He says he’s not going to tax 95% of Americans. Truth-be-told, only 60% of Americans pay taxes. So 40% Americans will be getting a check from you and me. That’s the largest re-distribution of income ever seen in this country. No thanks.
My wife and I just recently had our second child. Respectfully, we want to be in TOTAL CONTROL as how to educate, feed and provide them with security and healthcare. I DO NOT want our governments telling me what to do, especially an Obama run administration. I question his experience, credibility, character and convictions. Just like all the other presidential candidates before him and after him. I will vote for the person I feel confident that will keep me and my children safe from within and beyond our borders. I am fortunate that I have been able to see beyond his awe-inspiring crowds, his Messiah-like popularity and golden messages of unity and hope. I asked, “Who is Barrack Obama?” and I didn’t like what I discovered.
I hope for America and for my family that I am wrong about Obama. I can deal with a mentally-challenged President (i.e. Bush) but I can’t deal with an intelligent, narcissistic, megalomaniac-mastermind trying to change our way of life and our constitution. He’s said he will “fundamentally change” the United States. For me… that’s too much change. I’ll keep my money, my guns, my liberty and my freedom… You keep the change.
God Bless America!
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I saw this over on Angry Asian Man: “Power of the Swing Vote last week. Power of the swing Vote is a short documentary is produced by Projekt NewSpeak and includes interviews with Asian Americans Bobby Lee, Tia Carrere, Russell Peters, Jabbawockeez, Kaba Modern, Carrie Ann Inaba, Cheryl Burke, B.D. Wong, Rex Lee, Michelle Krusiec, Congressman Mike Honda, and more.
What was pretty inspiring was the footage from Senator-to-be Jim Webb’s 2006 Virginia election results party - seeing how his race was decided by 0.5% of the vote and where Asian Americans in Virginia voted 76% for Jim Webb over George Allen. Asian Americans comprise approximately 5% of Virgina’s population, and makes up 16% in Northern Virginia - in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. Virginia and Asian Americans could elect the next president of the United States - they can be the swing vote in this election. So don’t forget to vote tomorrow - Tuesday, November 4th, if you haven’t already done so!
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They have some big signs in Nevada…
This past weekend, I was in Reno, Nevada. As you know, Nevada is a “battleground state.” Obama is leading McCain in California by something like 25% … so there are a flood of Californian volunteers in Nevada. I met a Bay Area college student who has been canvassing for Obama for several weekends. She said that her first weekend out in Reno, she said there were about *1,000* Californians in Reno from the Bay Area. Unfortunately, I didn’t see too may Asian American volunteers… I had also heard that there were 150 Stanford young Democrats in Las Vegas this weekend staying at the Bellagio (sponsored by a generous donator) - any Asian Americans from Stanford make that trip?
Where I was canvassing and where I was driving around, I would say there is definitely more support for Obama vs. McCain in terms of at least visible public support and signs. When I was speaking with one annoyed person, he said, “You’re like the 9th person to visit me regarding Obama…”
A big McCain sign, not too far from the Reno McCain HQ.
One door that I knocked on, apparently the registered voter moved when I asked if a certain registered woman resided there. He said ‘no’ - then asked me if she was “oriental” - like me - and said I should double check with the rental office if she moved. The man didn’t say the word “oriental” with any malice or derogatory manner, but it just reminded me that I wasn’t in California any more (I’m not sure if I’ve heard that term used here in normal conversation here in California.)
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Guest blogger Ted
Today was my first ever experience knocking on doors for a political campaign.
For those who haven’t heard, I’ve flown out from San Francisco to Arlington, Virginia to make the biggest difference I can in a place where every single vote is critical. Because Arlington is close to DC ( i.e. abundant with volunteers), the campaign has assigned me to the Ashburn office in Loudoun County, about 40 minutes west near the Dulles Airport.
Loudoun County is not just another county in a major battleground state, its ground zero for the fight. It’s a microcosm of the statewide drama and according to one of my canvassing partners today (a volunteer who drives 1 hr+ from DC every day), it’s THE swing county. Take all the other counties in VA and they’ll split dead even. As Loudoun County swings, so does the state apparently.
The “split county” profile was evident right away. Just on the drive over, the number and size of the McCain/Palin signs was a wake up call. I think I’ve seen one of those in the whole Bay Area.
The Ashburn office is small and lightly staffed compared to the SF Obama office where I’ve spent many hours these last weeks. Granted, it’s a Friday morning but Monday afternoon in SF was *packed*, requiring at least 3 phone bank captains to handle the load.
In a split county, note that there’s going to be a lot fewer volunteers available and many of the ones that were there were from out of state. But remember, this is one of probably 6 Obama offices in Loudoun County. And the suburban commuter demographics would mean far fewer people around during a weekday.
That’s why our canvassing today only targeted 65 and older folks, people who might be home in the middle of a Friday.
To keep this reasonably short, let’s just say the area really represented the demographic forces and political divide in Virginia. Just about every Obama/Biden yard sign was matched by a McCain/Palin sign. Often “dueling” across the street from each other. And in this surprising case, fighting on the same front lawn:
By demographic forces, I mean the newer, younger suburban communities vs the older, more “rural” areas. Just in our small canvassing area we saw the range: McMansions with large yards, more “middle class” townhomes, and small ranch homes tucked away down a gravel road. It’s the huge growth in these suburbs in northern VA that’s cited as the reason VA may go blue this year.
Overall, the day went quickly and pleasantly – most people weren’t home but the ones who were home were always friendly. I’ll cut this post short with the woman who really made my day:
I ended up catching a spry, 81 years young woman as she was heading to her car. (slight paraphrasing) “Our whole family is voting for Obama. That’s 16 votes for him! My granddaughter is volunteering for Obama over in Fairfax. We tried to go to his rally in Leesburg but never even got to security. So we sat up on the lawn. When we hear him speak, it sounds like what FDR wanted to do for the country. We remember FDR. You’re too young to know FDR.” (emphasis mine)
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Yul Kwon at Stanford University (4:35)
This noon at Stanford University, Asian American activist, Stanford alum and Survivor winner Yul Kwon and Dr. Sophia Yen, along with John Lewis, were part of a student Stanford rally against California’s Proposition 4 and Proposition 8.
Yul spoke of his time at Stanford and how he had proposed earlier this year to his fiancée. Yul met his fiancée through a fellow survivor contestant, Brad, who happened to be gay and how Brad had found the love of his life in his partner Donovan and how Yul wanted the same rights for Brad & Donovan as he had. John Lewis and others had also noted that not too long ago, inter-racial marriage was illegal in the United States - can you imagine that? Pretty unfathomable.
As a Stanford student noted, which I thought about and agreed with, equal marriage rights is the civil rights issue of our generation and we should NOT be changing our state constitution to institute discrimination. Stanford is having a MASSIVE 150 - 200 person phone banking session this Saturday - apparently the largest in the state, to help defeat Proposition 4 & 8. I also recorded John Lewis’s empassioned speech which you can view here.
Stanford students
My friend, Dr. Sophia Yen, a current clinical instructor at Stanford University hospital, spoke out against Proposition 4 - “Waiting period and parental notification before termination of minor’s pregnancy. Initiative constitutional amendment.” Sophia gave a terrific summary as to why one should vote NO on 4 and discussed her personal experience about counseling pregnant teens, and why NO on 4 would be bad for the safety and health of pregnant teens. You can learn more about the issue from the video below (4:30):
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I was taking a look at the Asian Americans for Obama website, and came across their post on the Asian American Vote in Virginia. The news story profiles Asian Americans who support McCain and those who support Obama. Virginia is surprisingly a key swing state this year where there are enough Asian Americans to actually help swing the state one way or another. One part of the news piece which I think CBS got wrong was that news reporter Ramy Inocencio states that Asian Americans vote in high numbers - which is WRONG. Asian Americans between the ages of 18 to 25 are the least likely to vote of any demographic within the United States, and Asian Americans overall vote less than whites, blacks, and Hispanics.
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The other day, CNN’s Veronica De La Cruz asked Asian American voters what’s on their minds. To be honest, I didn’t see the point of her approach of going down to Chinatown using a Flip video camera to interview rather using a regular video camera. Maybe they were trying to go incognito so people wouldn’t be too intimidated that it was CNN.
In any case, before the piece was aired, I did see De La Cruz and an African American newscaster mentioning how the Asian American vote wasn’t getting much coverage, which is true. Asian Americans do make about 5% of the U.S. population, but this year, there are some swing states like Virginia and Nevada that Asian Americans CAN make a difference.
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Well, just after blogging about The Los Angeles Times writing about Vietnamese Americans leaning more towards Senator John McCain, the San Jose Mercury News reports that “Young Vietnamese Americans turn away from GOP“:
“… But more than three decades after communist tanks rolled into Saigon, young Vietnamese-Americans are abandoning the Republican Party in droves, according to a Mercury News computer analysis of nearly 30,000 new Santa Clara County voters. By plugging Vietnamese surnames into a data base, the analysis shows that Vietnamese-Americans aged 30 and under are registering Democratic over Republican by nearly 4 to 1… “The young Vietnamese who were born in this country are the same as the other American kids. They all go to school together. They’re open-minded and they’re part of the new generation of young voters. They have different ideas than the older Vietnamese.””
As far as this presidential race is concerned, I can definitely see a generational change in terms of who supports McCain versus Obama. Clearly, in the Democratic primary, the youth vote much preferred Obama over Clinton where seniors definitely preferred Clinton over Obama. Santa Clara County / Silicon Valley is pretty liberal and Democratic, so it is no big surprise that young Vietnamese American in the Bay Area are overwhelmingly supporting Obama. But it is surprising to see the ratio of registered Vietnamese American Democrats to Republicans being 4:1!
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“Sol Food” sounds like a place that I want...
