Friday, June 27, 2008

The Sad Fate of the Politically Weak‏

Announcements:
A) 16 Life Members, all high achiving individuals, are running for Delegates to 80-20's Endorsement Convention on 8/2 in SF. 80-20 salutes them and all others candidates for getting involved.
B) 4 Bylaws amendments enthusiastically approved by the membership:
1 Yes=86.21 %; No=8.18 % 2 Yes=88.32 %; No=2.80 %
3 Yes=78.97 %; No=7.48 % 4 Yes=93.22 %; No=2.80 %

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All Asian Americans may want to read a NY Times article entitled "Muslim Voters Detect a Snub From Obama" of 2 days ago. Why? To remind ourselves of where our community would be without 80-20 fighting for the community.

Here are a few facts from the NY Times article. How sad it is to be politically weak!

o "2 Muslim women wearing head scarves were barred by campaign aides from appearing behind Obama."
o Congressman Keith Ellison, a Muslim, volunteered to speak for Obama at a rally. He was told "no" by an Obama aide.
o Muslims nationwide responded to Obama's "CHANGE" campaign enthusiastically. A year later, many say, Obama has not returned their embrace.
o "The community feels betrayed" - Muslim Public Affair Council
o At a Virginia Muslim event, Clinton and Obama provided surrogates but McCain did not.
o Muslim groups endorsed Bush in 2000, only to find themselves ignored by the Bush administration which advocated detention and deportation of Muslim immigrants and along wth other security measures after Sept. 11.

For the complete article, visit http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/24/us/politics/24muslim.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

How sad it is to be politically weak!

We deeply empathize with American Muslims. We are just grateful that thankfully 80-20 has a huge email list and has organized effective bloc votes to protect ourselves politically.

We are of course unhappy with Sen. Obama's snubbing of Am. Muslims. However, Sen. McCain has treated them even worse.

Politics is pragmatic, even cruel. Unless a minority is effective in applying leverage, it gets stepped on or gets lost in the shuffle. Only 11 years ago, the Democratic and Republican parties competed to distance themselves from our community, after the so called "Asian Campaign Finance Scandal!"

Please go read the NY Times article. Join 80-20, if you still have not. Click on http://www.80-20initiative.net to join. Otherwise THE SAD FATE OF THE POLITICALLY WEAK MAY BEFALL ON US, AGAIN.

Do your share to help our community become strong politically.

Most sincerely yours,

S. B. Woo
Member, Exec. Comm., 80-20 PAC, Inc.

Monday, June 16, 2008

A Special Message To Asian Am. Republicans‏

Please forward this newsletter to your AsAm GOP friends.

Dear Asian American Republicans:

Our community really needs your help to win equal opportunity in 1) college admission for our children and 2) workplaces for ourselves.

For years you've been told by Asian Am. Republican leaders, whose livelihood depends on their careers with the Republican Party, that "S. B. Woo is a Democrat" and that "80-20 is a Democratic front." Wrong!

Since 2001, S. B. Woo has declared that for the rest of his life he'd not run for any office nor accept any federal appointment, & he would switch to register as an Independent.

Do you think the AsAm Republican leaders should make the same personal sacrifice to clear their self-interest before they accuse others?

Is 80-20 a Democratic front? NO! Here are 3 facts showing how 80-20 has tried to entice AsAm GOP leaders to unite and serve our community.

1) Giving GOP Presidential candidates MORE TIME to answer its questionnaire. It was so for George Bush in 2000 and 2004. It is so for Sen. McCain this year.

2) Giving Republicans more than its fair share of delegates to 80-20's Endorsement Convention. See the % of registered Republicans nationwide & in the AsAm community:

Nation-wide:
Republicans 32.5%
Democrats 42.6%
Inds/Declines 25%

Asian Ams:
Republicans 24%
Democrats 33%
Inds/Declines 43%

However, 80-20's bylaws allocates 1/3 R, 1/3 D and 1/3 I for the delegates to its Endorsement Convention.

3) Using gentler language with Sen. McCain than with Democratic presidential candidates*. See examples of earlier emails to D's appended at the end of this newsletter.

AsAm Republicans: 80-20 has done all it could to raise the conscience & consciousness of AsAm GOP Leaders. Now it's up to you to take a stand.

AsAm GOP leaders often imply that Asian Ams lack the skills to be managers in workplaces, and that's why they don't push Sen. McCain to reply to 80-20's questionnaire with all yeses. Let's say that they are right. However, how could these same leaders be so silent when our children, who are indeed good enough to get into the good schools, face higher college admission bars?

Could it be that AsAm GOP leaders have worked too hard for partisan interest and too little for our community? In contrast, most AsAm Democratic leaders helped 80-20 induce Senators Obama and Clinton to reply with all yeses.

Will you exercise independent judgment? Will you send a fax to Sen. McCain urging him to answer 80-20's questionnaire with all yeses please? Fax to (703) 413-0740.

Let the AsAm Republican leaders know that they are out of touch with their own people. Be a leader to fight for our community!

Respectfully,
Kathleen To
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* Subject: Spreading Outrage against Sen. Clinton From: sbw@80-20.us Date: December 5, 2007 1:51:17 PM EST
* Subject: CALL TO ACTION -- DEFEAT Obama From: sbw@80-20.us Date: December 27, 2007 10:54:23 AM EST
For details, go http://www.80-20initiative.net/and pull down "newsletters" on the menu.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Be A Part of History. Be a Delegate!

Be a Delegate to 80-20's Endorsement Convention (EC) which will endorse the NEXT PRESIDENT of this great nation. Be a part of history!
Date: Aug./2/2008 (Sat.); Place: San Francisco, CA.

The decision of our Delegates will likely influence the votes of about 2 million of the 2.5 million Asian Am. voters in the 2008 election. this year's presidential race could be tight. Our endorsement may be the difference. Both presidential candidates will be invited to make their pitches to the Delegates personally.

80-20's Bylaws require that
(1) The Delegates will be 1/3 Republicans, 1/3 Democrats and 1/3 Independents/Declines, and
(2) Delegates are to be elected by dues-paying members.

For other details about the EC, see Article VII of 80-20's Bylaws, posted on Website. http://www.80-20initiative.net/, click on "About us".

The number of Delegates will probably be between 33 to 66. If interested, please PRINT OUT THE FOLLOWING APPLICATION FORM, COMPLETE IT, AND FAX IT to 1 800-877-1676. Or mail it to
Kathleen To, 80-20 President
31 Pueblo Del Sol, Alamogordo, NM 88310

Your application MUST reach 80-20 by mid-night of 7/8 (Tuesday). Electronic election will be held from 7/11 to 14 (Fri. to Mon.) Results will be announced on 7/15 (Tue.) You'll have more than two weeks to reserve your air travel to SF, if needed.

Run for a Delegate to 80-20's EC. Make a mark in history. To be a Delegate you must be a dues-paying member by June 18. Join now. Go http://www.80-20initiative.net/membership/payment.asp.

If you want to run but can't send in the application today, reply with YES now. You can send the application in later. We need a quick estimate of the number of our Delegates to tell the presidential camps.

Kathleen To
President, The 80-20 PAC, Inc.
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DELEGATE APPLICATION FORM

Convention Date: 8/2, 08 (Sat.); Location: San Francisco, CA

I want to be a Delegate to 80-20's Endorsement Convention, with the clear understanding of the following two conditions:

(1) I pledge to support the presidential candidate chosen by 80-20's Endorsement Convention regardless of my personal preference & conviction. Except for unforeseen circumstances, I also promise to attend the Convention, if elected, while paying my own way, &

(2) I have no conflict of interest in becoming a candidate for Delegate. I have no financial interest with any of the political parties and/or presidential campaigns. I am not an applicant for federal appointments.

(Circle one) I am registered as a Democrat/Independent/Republican.

Last Name:_________________ First:_____________ Middle: _____

Address:_________________________________________________

City: _____________________ State: ________ Zip: ____________

Phone: _____________________ Fax: ________________________

E-mail: _____________________________

My profession & title: _____________________________________

Information below will be published during election of Delegates.

1) My past service to 80-20 (Examples are length & type of membership, support for "Call To Actions", Chapter or Board officers, etc.):
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

2) My past service to the APA community:
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________


Sign: ________________________ Date: ___________________
Fax to 1 800-877-1676

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Comparing Senators McCain and Obama

Obama/McCain have both received 80-20's questionnaire, SEEKING EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU & YOUR CHILDREN since a year ago. Senator Obama has replied with all yeses since 4 months ago. Click Here To See Obama's Signed Reply.

Sen. McCain still HAS NOT, in spite of a huge coordinated outreach effort to him by 80-20.

If you are a Republican and think Sen. McCain is deserving of our community's consider, FAX AND URGE HIM TO REPLY WITH ALL YESES. Fax him via (703) 413-0740.

Please copy me in, because I am gathering all faxes from Asian Am. Republicans to him to show his campaign that it is much to Sen. McCain's advantage to reply with all yeses. Otherwise, not only Asian Am. Independents but also Republicans will not vote for him.

Best regards,

S. B. Woo
Member, Exec. Comm., 80-20 PAC, Inc.

ANNOUNCEMENT:

Sunnyvale City Councilman Otto Lee, an 80-20 Life Member, facing a runoff in November against San Jose City Councilman Dave Cortese for Santa Clara Supervisory District 3. He has a superb record of service as a Sunnyvale City Councilman, and he truly cares for Asian American. PLEASE SUPPORT HIM.

Thursday, June 05, 2008

Why Can't Sen. McCain Answer YES to our questions?

Take a look at the six questions that 80-20 has sent to Sen. McCain shown at the end of this newsletter. Why is he having difficulty answering all yeses? Isn't equal opportunity for all Americans a core value of America? Doesn't he think that Asian Ams. deserve equal treatment?

Although his Democratic opponents, Senators Obama has already answered all yeses since 4 months ago, 80-20 was willing to be patient with Sen. McCain knowing that the Republican Party has a different culture. We waited until he no longer had to bow to the pressure of the extreme conservatives in his party.

Sen. McCain travels across the nation reaching out to "forgotten Americans." However, he has turned his back to our reaching out to him. We therefore must ask openly:

Senator McCain:
You seem like a honorable person. However, does your value system include people like us? Do you share our concerns? Why can't you answer yes to the following six questions? We want to know, Senator McCain!
Respectfully,
Asian Ams. Deciding Whom to Support

For your info., here are the 6 questions in 80-20's questionnaire again.

(1) If elected, will you direct the Labor Secretary to hold public hearings regarding the validity of the huge amount of statistical data strongly suggesting discriminatory practices against Asian Americans in workplaces today? Yes or No?

(2) If the data were shown valid, will you issue a directive to the Labor Department asking it to focus on enforcing Executive Order 11246 on behalf of Asian Americans, since in the past similar efforts have already been made on behalf of women and other minorities? Yes or No?

(3) Two years after you have issued the directive described in item 2, will you meet with a group of Asian American national organizations, put together by 80-20 and the Labor Department, to review the progress in extending equal opportunity to Asian Americans? Yes or No?

(4) If elected, will you within your first term of office, seek to increase the nomination of qualified Asian Americans to serve as Article III life-tenured federal judges, whenever such vacancies are available until the current dismal situation is significantly remedied? [To put things in perspective, not meaning to imply quota, presently there are 0.6% Asian Am. Federal judges, while the Asian Am. population is 4.5% and the % of Asian Am legal professionals in laws firms of 100 or larger is at least 5.3%.] Yes or No?

(5) If elected, will you seek to nominate, within your first term of office, qualified Asian Americans to serve as Article III Circuit Judges, whenever there are vacancies in those positions, until the current dismal situation is significantly remedied? [To put things in perspective, none of the 179 Article III Circuit judges is an Asian American.] Yes or No?

(6) If elected, will you consider nominating a qualified Asian America to the Supreme Court, when a vacancy occurs? Two years upon your taking the office, will you meet with a group of Asian American leaders, put together jointly by 80-20 and other Asian American national organizations to review the progress in adding Asian American Federal judges?" Yes or No?

Have you faxed Sen. McCain via (703) 413-0740 yet? Please do it now! Together, we shall overcome.

Respectfully yours,

S. B. Woo Member
Executive Comm., 80-20 PAC