Columns Making It in the USA Obligation of Asian-American Fundraisers (Bundlers)
| Obligation of Asian-American Fundraisers (Bundlers) |
On 10/19, the Los Angeles Times published an article on Senator Clinton's fundraising entitled "An unlikely treasure-trove of donors for Clinton." For details, visit
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-donors19oct19,1,7444827.story .
It has some good points. For example, could Senator Clinton be taking advantage of the political naivety of new Asian immigrants? That is a point that the 80-20 EF has raised before. Remember our email "Don't Be Suckers" and names like Johnny Chung, Charlie Trie, Maria Hsia, Robert Lee and Yogesh Gandhi? (To read it again, please click on this hyperlink http://www.mabuhayradio.com/content/view/420/90/.)
Rep. Mike Honda's retort to that article also has good points. "Could our media be too suspicious about political donations from Asian Americans?" The media certainly erred in 1997. When John Huang and a few others raised money illegally for Pres. Clinton and DNC, the media made it seem like an Asian-American cabal aimed to undermine our Federal government. Hard to believe! (To read Congressman Honda’s retort to the L.A. Times’ article, please click at this link http://www.mabuhayradio.com/content/view/620/51/.)However, neither has raised the REALLY IMPORTANT POINT: What have we gotten back for our political donations?
Among ethnic groups, Asian-Americans' political donation is second only to Jewish Americans. Shockingly, Asian Americans don't even enjoy equal opportunity in workplaces yet -- a right enjoyed by all other Americans.
For evidence, visit
http://www.80-20educationalfoundation.org/wpad.jpg
which is a full page ad in Washington Post and carefully documented.
For a brighter future, we must
(1) Ask for accountability from our fundraisers (bundlers). The fundraisers are there when pictures are taken and their personal needs taken care of by the politicians. They need to be there be there to ask the politicians to promise to work for Asian-Americans' equal opportunity and in turn hold the politician accountable! If they deliver, we must thank them for their leadership. Otherwise, such fundraisers are using hard-earned money from the little people to buy their personal glory. We need to reject them!
(2) Also ask for accountability from those Asian-American politicians who have raised money from us playing up their Asian roots and/or endorsed presidential candidates in our name. If they deliver concrete benefits to our community and/or solid promises from presidential candidates to us, thank them and continue to support them. Otherwise, hold them accountable and stop supporting them!
Voice your support for or objection to this view at
http://www.80-20educationalfoundation.org/posterboard.html
Respectfully,
S. B. Woo
President, 80-20 Educational Foundation, Inc.
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