Campaign
2008
It is down to the wire. The election is around the corner and the VP picks did change the makeup of the race. Will Barack Obama make history by becoming the first African American President? Or will Sarah Palin become the first female Vice President? Who could have imagined the excitement this election would generate!
As I recently traveled through India, I was reminded how important our elections are to everyone else around the world. India’s economy is booming. Prosperity is everywhere. But it is our U.S. economy that fuels the boom of the global economy. According to news reports, the meltdown of the financial markets and Lehman Brothers means the loss of 25,000 jobs in India.
As I sat flipping channels on TV in my hotel room, I was amazed to see Ken Lewis’ face splashed on each news channel as headline news. Bank of America was acquiring Merrill Lynch. And I was not in Charlotte, NC. I was in Kochi, Kerala!
So it’s no wonder that over 35 million people watched our candidates on stage. Our leaders are impacting their global pockets not just ours.
Thinking of this, it reminded me once again how our actions have such a profound impact on so many people. Our children first, our communities second and possibly a world apart from us are taking note. That is why we must make our voice heard and participate in the full process.
Special Counsel to NC Attorney General Roy Cooper, Jay Chaudhuri commented, “In politics we can see a meteoric rise of a mere unknown in a short period of time.” Chaudhuri says in 2004 Obama volunteered to be the headliner at the Indian reception at the Democrat Convention. Since Obama was just a state senator from Illinois, the Indian Democrats kindly turned down the generous offer. Then Obama made his impressive address at the 2004 Democratic convention. Now, in four short years, the whole world is watching Obama as he makes his historic journey for the White House.
The same can be said of Governor Sarah Palin. She was once a small town Mayor, but is now the Vice Presidential nominee. Most people had never heard of her. Now you can read about her on the newsstands in India.
But what does this mean for the upcoming election? This race is too close to call. Every vote will make a difference.
For example, according to Rasmussen Reports, a national polling company, Virginia is considered a toss up state. In the past, Republican Presidential candidates have won Virginia with significant margins. McCain’s challenge is he must hold onto states Bush won. With Virginia being in play, this shifts the electoral map. McCain’s campaign must look elsewhere to make up the difference if Virginia goes Democrat.
Obama, on the other hand, has to continue Democratic winning trends in battleground states like Michigan. During the past four election cycles, Democrats have won Michigan. Currently, Obama holds a lead in Michigan.
In South Carolina, a traditionally Republican leaning state, McCain enjoyed a commanding lead over Obama in June. According Rasmussen Reports, McCain’s margins have declined. However, South Carolina should stay in the Republican column.
North Carolina is the state to watch. There are more statewide races being contested including a highly competitive Governor’s race and an interesting U.S. Senate race. According to political strategists, Obama’s campaign views North Carolina as a potential pick-up because of the competitive races and higher African American population.
Obama’s campaign is putting enormous resources into a ground operation to get out the vote in North Carolina. The key to an Obama victory is high voter turnout among African Americans, college age voters, and metropolitan areas.
Historically, North Carolina has voted Republican in 9 of the past 10 presidential elections. Despite Democratic VP nominee John Edwards being from North Carolina, Bush handily defeated Kerry, 56 percent to 44 percent.
McCain should win North Carolina. However, let’s imagine Obama cuts into McCain’s margin of victory. Then the down ballot races including the Governor, U.S. Senate, on down will have a tighter race. Why is this? North Carolina is a traditionally Republican leaning state at the national level. However, it actually has a higher Democrat voter registration. Conservative Democrats vote Republican at the national level and then vote Democrat on the down ballot races. This is why we have not elected a Republican Governor since Jim Martin.
McCain’s margin of victory needs to provide coat tails to assist Republicans further down the ballot. Basically, the energy for the national ticket generates more voter participation for the entire party. Without this energy, the down ballot races suffer from lack of voter participation. In close races such as Steve Troxler’s race for Agriculture Commissioner, the coattail effect created the margin of victory in 2004.
This is going to be one exciting election year. Now, take a moment and get involved. Go out and campaign for a candidate.
Jay Chaudhuri
got his start in politics doing just that. Jay volunteered on a campaign and set
in motion his interest to serve. Chaudhuri says his story can be your child’s
story. You can help do the same thing with your children. You can also help
shape history.
Jaye Rao was
the first Indian American to be a party’s Nominee for Secretary of State. She
received over 1.4 million votes in 2004.
The Dog Days of Summer
By Jaye Rao
Labor Day signals the beginning of the political high season as the general public starts to take notice of political candidates. I believe this year will be a little different.
First, the Olympics have created excitement with swimming phenomenon Michael Phelps doing the unimaginable, winning eight gold medals in one Olympics. What he accomplished was an amazing feat for all of us human beings to admire and respect.
Furthermore, Indian Americans could take great pride in witnessing the realization of a dream by fellow Indian American Gymnast, Raj Bhasvar. Bhasvar’s story alone could be the focus of this article. His life has been about twists and turns. Finally the last turn ending with him bowing down to receive an Olympic Bronze medal. Bhasvar faced disappointment after disappointment. Almost making the team in 2000, he again did not make the 2004 team, serving only as an alternate. 2008 also started the same way, positioning him to be an alternate. But things changed. Bhasvar got his chance when fellow teammate Paul Hamm had to step down. A dream came true to finally compete. Bhasvar took his chance and never looked back.
Then, we turn from the Great Wall to the mile high city of Denver where the Democratic convention will take place. This convention will mark a truly historical moment for all Americans as the Democrats nominate the first African American, Senator Barack Obama to be their Democratic Presidential Nominee. And finally in early September, we turn to the Republican convention in Minneapolis where Senator John McCain, a former prisoner of war and decorated war veteran becomes the Republican nominee.
But unknown at the time of this writing is how the enthusiasm of picking the Vice Presidential candidates will play out. Or how the pageantry of the convention will inspire voters to pay attention. Because of all the pomp and circumstance of these events, we will be filled with pride of being an American, and participating in a democracy. Because of the nature of these two candidates, we may walk away from our TV sets having a pretty good idea of who we are voting for as our guy for President, Obama or McCain.
But does that mean we will know who we vote for on the down ballot races? Maybe not.
That’s where Steve Rao, President of Indian American Forum for Political Education hopes you will look to his organization to find out about the candidates at the state and local levels in NC. IAFPE is part of a national organization founded to educate and encourage Indian Americans to get involved in the political process. The organization serves many needs of Indians whether they are citizens or Visa holders. Here in North Carolina, Rao is proud of the work the IAFPE does to assist Indians with their concerns on getting Visas by hosting an Embassy Camp. Furthermore, IAFPE provides the Indian community an opportunity to meet local and state officials and hear about public policy initiatives. IAFPE will host a Meet the Candidates event on Saturday, September 27. To get more information on the event, visit their website at: www.forumnc.org. Rao says “we want to see Indian Americans serving on Boards and Commissions, being involved in the grassroots, and taking an interest in political issues. The Forum gives everybody a chance to have access.” IAFPE serves as a great way to get involved and learn about politics in a friendly environment.
There are many national Indian American organizations that are affecting change and having their voice heard. One of the most well known organizations is the Asian American Hotel Owners Association. AAHOA, a national organization with more than 8000 hoteliers is all about business networking, learning from other hotel owners and vendors, and understanding politics. In NC and SC, Jay Patel, a former AAHOA NC Regional Director, says “we need to educate elected officials of the economic impact of tourism, what the Asian community is doing, the challenges we face.” To do this, Patel, emphasizes, “We need to get involved a lot more. It allows us to ask for help when we need it because we have invested in building relationships.”
The approach of these organizations differs based on their missions and goals. IAFPE does not endorse a particular candidate and provides information on all party candidates. AAHOA makes an effort with the members to create awareness of who is a friend of the tourism industry. Furthermore, AAHOA’s activities and conferences are geared towards the trade rather than the general public. If you have never been to an AAHOA conference it is worth going as a guest. When I attended the national convention in 2004, I was simply astounded by the sheer magnitude of the industry and activities of the members.
If you are interested in knowing more about candidates, but are unable to join these organizations, there are still a number of options. You can also find out where public forums and events are taking place in your area by calling the candidate’s campaign offices, or calling the local Democratic or Republican Party offices. If you do not wish to actually meet a candidate but want to learn about their issues, take a moment and visit their websites. Most candidates have websites with some information. The larger campaigns have very sophisticated websites with email newsletters to keep you updated on the campaign activities. To find out about the candidates in your area, check out your local board of elections websites.
As we approach fall, take a moment to reflect on the summer that has passed. We can be inspired. We can vote. We can get involved. We can make a difference.
America,
the Land of Freedom, the Land of Opportunity
“Welcome
to America!” Just take a moment to reflect on what that means to you.
Think
of that first breathtaking moment you laid eyes on New York City, the awe of
seeing the Statue of Liberty extending open arms to receive you. The endless
skyscrapers, the vast Atlantic Ocean and finally landing at JFK. That landing
crystallizes the ray of hope that anything is possible in America, the land of
freedom and opportunity. All you
have to do is dream, believe and try because it was people and their aspirations
and hard work that made all that you see possible.
I
believe that inextinguishable flame exists in each one of us who made that
journey here as new immigrants. We do believe all things are possible because we
know the challenges we have faced in our assimilation process to become U.S.
citizens. Those challenges gave us the value of hard work and perseverance. Our
challenge now as Indian Americans is to recognize that great opportunities exist
for us even in areas we may not have previously explored.
Kumar
Barve, a Maryland native, grew up in the early ‘70s when Indians were a
relatively new immigrant community. Fortunately for Barve, his parents did not
view this as a handicap. They instilled in him a value for voting and civic
involvement early on in his childhood. Barve recalls, “Unlike other Indian
parents who discouraged their children from getting involved with school
activities, my parents encouraged me to participate. I won my first election for
student government in 1970.” His first win lit a larger flame in him to get
involved in political campaigns. His first volunteer effort was for a Maryland
House of Delegates candidate. Barve says “I found myself doing everything from
knocking on doors and stuffing envelopes. Local campaigns are a perfect place to
begin because I participated in all aspects of the campaign and knew the
candidate well.” His candidate did not win, but for Barve and his parents,
this was a valuable learning opportunity. Because of his childhood experiences,
Barve says “I always knew I would run for office.”
Today,
Maryland Delegate Kumar Barve has the distinction of being the first Indian
American to get elected to the General Assembly in the US. Furthermore, his
Democratic colleagues have honored him with electing Barve as their Majority
Leader.
Barve
is making an impact on the lives of the Maryland people. He proudly speaks of
his efforts to regulate HMOs, a law that has now been copied in 32 states around
the country. In addition, he has helped establish the Maryland Technology
Development Corporation enabling Maryland to be the 4th largest biotech center
in America.
A
humble politician, Barve is unaware of the doors he has helped open for other
Indian Americans. I was inspired by his work to do more in politics. He helped
me to recognize the voice I have in me to make a difference by running for
elective office. Barve believes “we as Indian Americans have always had the
door to politics open, but we in past have not chosen to walk through it. The
barrier to elective office does not exist, the notion that Indians can’t win
is untrue.”
Over
three decades ago, Dr. Nalin Mehta made that historic plane journey from Bombay
to JFK to pursue a dream of practicing medicine. Disembarking off that plane,
Dr. Mehta could not have begun to imagine where his life’s journey of
practicing medicine would lead him in this amazing country. All he knew was he
was going to make a better life for himself. Today, Stanly County Commissioner
Nalin Mehta has truly accomplished this and in the process has penned a page in
Indian American history.
Dr.
Nalin Mehta and his wife Sue, a New Jersey native, moved to North Carolina to
provide much needed medical services. What they found was a rural southern town
with no exposure to Indians or northerners. Both of them were outsiders.
Mehta’s
father instilled in him a strong sense of assisting the community and his fellow
man. This strong value served Mehta and Sue as they channeled their energies
into their new community. Together
they set up an oncology practice and two medical support groups. Not satisfied
with stopping there, they started serving on the first of many community boards
which included Hospice, American Red Cross, American Cancer Society and many
more.
Commissioner
Mehta reflects, “I got involved with all these community activities because of
my Indian values of working hard, being honest and leaving my community better
off.” He says “politics was just an extension of my community service. I
felt called to run.”
Mehta
never allowed his “differences” to make him believe he was unaccepted. Says
Mehta, “if you believe you won’t be accepted, then you are not, whether
northerners or Indians.” Sue Mehta believes it is our responsibility to make a
connection with our community. “You live here, you work here, this is your
home and you need to embrace the people,” passionately opines Dr. Mehta.
In
2004, Dr. Mehta with the encouragement of Sue and his sons, Drew and Jay, filed
for County Commission of Stanly County. The paper coined him “…local well
loved physician.” With this leap of faith to try, Mehta won a Republican
Primary and then the General Election. Commissioner Mehta has proudly served the
citizens of Stanly County for the past four years making an impact on local
politics. The greater impact unknown to Mehta, the first Indian American to get
elected in NC, was that on the Indian community.
When
I hear stories of victory from my fellow Indian Americans, I get that misty-eyed
feeling of pride and patriotism, embracing our American heritage while
remembering our Indian roots. It
pushes me forward, more determined, more optimistic. We live in a country where
only your heart determines what is possible. We must embrace every opportunity
because we came here to claim our God given right to have that opportunity. The
doors are open to us. Let us walk through. America, the Land of Freedom, the
Land of opportunity.
Our
Voice, Our Footprints
By Jaye Rao
Politics has been referenced as the last American frontier for
Indian-Americans to conquer as we have paved our way to success in every other
area in the
Does he represent the face of Indian-Americans? And what face does
his victory represent to the rest of
Well for many reasons I would have to argue, yes, in fact Jindal
does give Indian-Americans a face. The
reason I say that is because he becomes a public figure everyone can identify.
And they may remark, “Wow look at Jindal, he’s a smart Indian Governor.”
They may leave out Republican but they will not leave out Indian.
It is because that is what is identified first.
For that same reason I argue that we as Indian-Americans need to be
involved in the political process. Our voice and footprints must make a
difference so our children can have even more opportunities. It is for this
reason we all came to this land in the first place.
I found my way of making that difference by being involved in
politics. For the longest time, that meant working in the background for
politicians, campaigns and think tanks. But my desire to run for office only
happened after life-changing circumstances made me realize that I too have a
voice and I must use it. There are so many individuals who have no voice.
It reminds me of the beggar on the street who has no money and no
way of making a better life for his family. Aside from relying on the kind
mercies of strangers, how does he gain a voice to let his needs be heard? In
For prominent hotelier and entrepreneur, Ravi Patel, participating
in politics was not about politics at all. It was about something more
significant and much closer to home. It was about making the dreams of so many
Indians to open a
In the 70s and 80s, the Indian community in
Ravi Patel and Ramesh Gokul, were pioneers who understood the
challenges of what lay ahead and recognized the importance of getting political
leaders involved. “Local political
leaders were unaware of our very small Indian community,” Patel recalls. “To
get help for our
Today, Ravi Patel and Ramesh Gokul are not the only ones giving and
getting involved. Home builder Sajjan Dhaliwal and Dr. Paul Brar are leading
other Indian professionals to step forward. Indian professionals contributed in
excess of $50,000 for Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory’s campaign for NC Governor.
Mayor McCrory makes reference to the longstanding friendship with
the Indian community in his political career. He gives credit to the community
in making his political progress possible. “I’ll see you all at the
Governor’s Mansion in
But the most indelible mark we stamp is reflected through our
children. I am so proud to say I am seeing that impact on little Savvy Brar who
is making her own political strides, by serving as Treasurer of Charlotte
Country Day, an elected position! Because of Paul Brar’s involvement, we are
seeing the rippling effect of his actions on his little girl’s aspirations.
I know we will see Savvy making a greater statement as she matures.
Dr. Shirish Devasthali and his wife Seema believe in this vision.
Devasthali, an oncologist in
People appreciate this exposure because it gives them an accurate
view of who we are. It is our
responsibility to do so because this is our home, opines Devasthali. With
greater involvement, our voices are heard and it creates greater trust among our
neighbors.
Each of us has chosen to make the
Participating
in the Political Process
By Jaye Rao
Are you a
U.S. Citizen? Did you vote in the Democrat or Republican political primaries
this past May? If you answered yes
to being a citizen, but answered no to voting, have you asked yourself why?
As I ran
for office, first in 2004 as a Republican Nominee for Secretary of State and
then for County Commission, I encountered one familiar message, “I am not
registered to vote or I never vote.”
Well, as
Indian-Americans making our homes here in the U.S., we have a responsibility to
take part in the political process.
It is
important that we take responsibility to shape the direction of our country, our
state and our community. Voting is a very small way we can do that. We may not
espouse the values of one particular party, but it is important to take a stand
and vote.
Have you
noticed the significant impact the African-American community is having on the
Presidential Primary process? Senator
Barack Obama is winning Southern states by significant margins, including South
Carolina and North Carolina because the African-American community in a show of
pride, admiration and respect is voting for Obama.
As
Indian-Americans, we do not have those sheer numbers to sway elections, but we
can do our part. It starts with a step. It is time for all of us who can vote to
vote.
Voting in
primary elections can have a tremendous impact because the number of voters
turning out is smaller. For example, in 2004, approximately 300,000 voters
determined who won the Republican Nomination for Governor. That is such a small
number when you consider in Mecklenburg County alone, there are approximately
500,000 registered voters.
In local
primaries each vote has a greater impact on the election. In 2004 in the
election for retiring Congressman Cass Ballenger’s seat, the margin of victory
was 80 votes for Patrick McHenry. Since it is a strong Republican district,
McHenry went on to become the Congressman.
The more
we get involved the more we can have a say in the process. At one time, we could
not imagine there would come a day that we would elect a Republican Indian
Governor of Louisiana. Now, Governor Bobby Jindal is our first Indian-American
Governor and certainly will not be our last. He showed us it can be done.
Furthermore,
many of our Indian business leaders recognize the importance of raising money
for candidates and being involved in a significant way.
For example, a couple hundred Indian-Americans committed themselves to
the political process by generating over $50,000 for Mayor Pat McCrory’s
campaign for Governor. McCrory raised over $1 million for his primary campaign
which enabled him to capture the Republican Nomination. In local races, a
greater difference is made. Led by the efforts of Malti and Praful Mehta and
Kashyap Patel, the Indian community made sure I had the necessary resources to
run a credible race for Mecklenburg County Commission. For that, I was extremely
grateful because that is how we start winning elections.
We as
Indian-Americans are making enormous strides in the political process. Right
here in the Carolinas, we have a dynamic leader in SC State Representative Nikki
Haley. Stanly County Commissioner Nilin Mehta won his seat to local government
in 2004. Both were firsts for Indian-Americans in SC and NC. Furthermore, we
have many Indian-Americans serving our state and national leaders in staff
roles. They make us so proud.
Encouraging
your children is most important because they will be the ones to lead us into
the future. We will see an Indian Vice President or President one day.
Just imagine how proud we would be if it is one of our own children from
right here in the Carolinas.
I got my
start in politics at an early age and your children can do the same. While in
high school, I had the honor of serving as a Governor’s Page for Governor Jim
Hunt. This life-changing experience left me with twinkles in my eyes and a
passion to be politically involved. I
still remember how excited I was having my picture taken with the Governor of
NC. Perhaps one of your children can serve the new Governor in his
administration.
Because of
my own experiences, I always try to encourage Indian kids to help me on my
campaign. I feel somehow if I can light a fire in them to get involved, then I
have done my part to pass on the torch. Please encourage your children to get
involved with political campaigns this year. There are many campaigns which
could use their smarts and efforts.
Your
chance to make a difference is now. Make sure you are registered to vote for the
November election. It is a simple process. You can register as a Democrat,
Republican or Independent. You can get more information for NC by calling
866.522.4723 or on line
www.sboe.state.nc.us. For SC call: 803.734.9060
or visit www.scvotes.org.
Next time, you see your elected official you will know they were elected
because you took time to vote. So make that difference now.
Last day
to register to vote in NC 10/10 & SC 10/4
Jaye Rao was the first Indian-American to be a party’s Nominee for Secretary of State. She received over 1.4 million votes in 2004.
The Democratic Primaries -
Clinton and Obama
By Dilip Barman
We’re
in the midst of an exciting and historic Presidential election. Will a decorated
war hero, a young man passionate about change, or a leader who has already spent
eight years in the White House be our next President? Though the South Asian
population of the
With
this issue of Saathee becoming
available days before the
Senator Obama: South Asia is key
to
Immigrants from the Indian Subcontinent, arriving as early as the
eighteenth century, have long been proud citizens of this country, making
important economic and cultural contributions. In spite of the successful
positions they commonly hold in industry and academia, they don't seem
historically to have had much political "clout." Do you have any
thoughts about this?
Senator Clinton: I believe that
all Americans regardless of their ethnic background ought to have a voice in the
political process. For that reason, as First Lady, Senator, and in my campaign
for President, I have reached out to and worked with the South Asian community
on important issues that impact the South Asian community.
South Asian (and other) legal immigrants in this country face a number
of challenges, including a multi-year backlog of visa processing. Those working
under temporary visas while applying for permanent residency often work for
years at depressed wage levels with no opportunity for promotion. For those who
settle here, there is often unfriendly and unwieldy "red tape" to have
relatives come for a visit; my own brother-in-law, for example, after
significant effort, was denied a visitor's visa to attend his only sibling's
wedding. Will you, either as President or Senator, champion streamlined and
respectful treatment of legal visitors and immigrants into this country
primarily made up of fellow immigrants?
Senator Clinton: As President, I
will work to enact comprehensive immigration reform that respects the rule of
law, our immigrant heritage, and our American values. I will ensure that we
protect the sanctity of families and repair the broken, unfair bureaucratic
system that forces lawful immigrants to live apart from their families. I have
supported and sponsored efforts to reduce family-visa backlogs. These backlogs
often prevent legal immigrants and
Senator Obama: I believe that we
have to fix our immigration system to increase the number of people we allow
into the country legally to a level that unites families and meets the demand
for workers for jobs employers cannot fill. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services have decided to raise fees on applications to as much as $2,400 for a
family of four. I joined Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) to introduce the Citizenship
Promotion Act to ensure that immigration application fees are both reasonable
and fair. This bill reverses large fee increases for legal immigrants seeking to
become citizens and provides grants to states to help educate and promote
citizenship. A key choke point in the process of becoming a legal permanent
resident or a
* A significant number of South Asians are vegetarian, as are a growing
number of Americans of all backgrounds. Though it has been widely documented
that eating low on the food chain is one of the very best things that one can do
for the environment and one's own human health, why is this "elephant in
the room" seemingly totally absent in our discussions on key issues of
national sustainable energy and disease prevention? (Two sample sources are a
2006 United Nations Food and Agriculture report that documents how meat and milk
production generates more greenhouse gas emissions than transportation and that
animal agriculture is "one of the top two or three most significant
contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from
local to global" [http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2006/1000448/], and
the work of Dr. Dean Ornish, illustrating how heart disease can be reversed
through a vegetarian diet.)
Senator Clinton: Protecting our
environment and helping Americans maintain their health are important issues
that I have discussed throughout my campaign. When I announced my energy plan, I
called on all Americans to take part in reducing energy consumption and
greenhouse gas emissions. And when I announced my health care plan, I emphasized
the importance of and need for providing all Americans with access to preventive
care. That said I believe that choosing one’s diet is a personal decision, and
I respect the choices individuals make.
* Both
Senator Clinton: I have had the
pleasure of meeting and working with women heads of state from around the world,
including
Senator Obama: As I said in my
2006 book The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts
on Reclaiming the American Dream, “As the child of a black man and a white
woman, someone who was born in the racial melting pot of Hawaii, with a sister
who’s half Indonesian but who’s usually mistaken for Mexican or Puerto
Rican, and a brother-inlaw and niece of Chinese descent…I’ve never had the
option of restricting my loyalties on the basis of race, or measuring my worth
on the basis of tribe. Moreover, I believe that part of
* For each of the other two major Presidential candidates, what would
the biggest benefit be to the South Asian population were they to be elected
President? How would you like those of South Asian background to perceive your
first term as President, were you to win?
Senator Clinton: If I were elected President, the South Asian community would know their President understands their community and will listen and take into consideration the community's views when important policy decision are made. I have been honored to have the support of many South Asians throughout the country including elected officials such as Iowa State Representative Swati Dandekar, Long Beach Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal and many community, business and other leaders. Neera Tanden, Director of Policy, is one of many South Asians on my campaign staff. When I am President I will ensure that all Americans will have a voice and role in my Administration including South Asians.