Saturday, January 31, 2009

A huge jump in 80-20 membership this year

(A) A Huge Jump In Members As Of Jan. 31.

If you are not a member, join and be a part of this great org.!

Here are the membership records as of 1/31 from 2006 to 2009:

2006: 661
2007: 600
2008: 387
2009: 1,100 -- a 65% jump over a good membership yr. of 2006

WE THANK YOU. This is a critical year for our community. President Obama is with us. EEOC is with us (see last e-newsletter). If 80-20 shows a big jump in community support, our chance of solidifying the support from our President and EEOC will be great. YOU want to be EQUAL citizens, don't you?

Demonstrate YOUR support. Don't be a free loader. Do YOUR share to win our equal citizenship. More Asian Ams are understanding how they and 80-20 must support each other.

JOIN 80-20 for a 1-yr or 3-yr or a Life Membership. Go http://www.80-20initiative.net and click on the "JOIN 80-20" button.
Or send your check to
80-20 PAC
PO Box 22509
Philadelphia, PA 19110

(B) Gratefully Acknowledging Generous Donors:

Mark & Elizabeth Chen - $1,500 

Ved Chaudhary - $1,000
James Cheung - $1,000 

John J. Sie - $1,000
Mimi C Yu - $1,000
Henry J. Lee - $500
Linden Nishinaga - $500 

Danny and Karen Liu - $450 

Sam Wong - $405

The following each gave $250
Wai-Yim Ching; T. C. Steve and Rosalind Hsia;
Mark Le; Alex Weiming New;
Brian Ng; Tzu Fann Shao;
Michael Ting; Lawrence Tom & Mary Schaffer-Tom;
Kung-Lee Wang; Yin Fang and Lily Wang;
Larry Yu-Chi Ho; S. B. Woo and
Maxwell Wong.

JOIN! 80-20 helps you. YOU help 80-20!

Respectfully,

S. B. Woo
Acting Executive Director, a volunteer

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Great News for AsAm. Federal/State Employees

Great News for Asian Am. Federal/State Employees

The days of having a glass ceiling over Asian Am. federal/state employees seems numbered, provided that all of us, including those employees, not only remain vigilant but also double our effort.

(A) THE EEOC REPORT ( http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/report/aapi.html )

Among other it recommends that the President promulgates

"an Executive Order that addresses issues of discrimination against AAPI employees in the federal sector, and that supports programs to encourage professional advancement; "

(B) A GOOD SUMMARY By Alyssa Rosenberg, click on
http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=41828&dcn=todaysnews
The article ends with:

"The report noted that stereotypes of Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders as being passive & nonconfrontational, without a strong presence, may mean that managers are unable to see their leadership potential.

"What is presence? Like 'leadership,' it is prone to perceptions," said the report. "If there is not a willingness to perceive 'presence' in a person, it will not be found, regardless of competence and merit.""

(C) ASIAN AM. STATE EMPLOYEES WILL ALSO BENEFIT

Although the EEOC report addresses federal employees only, past experience showed that Asian Am. state employees will also benefit. If and when the Presidential Executive Order is issued, most governors will issue similar executive orders.

(D) ARE OTHER ASIAN AM. WORKERS IGNORED?

NO! All other Asian Am. workers are covered under the existing Exec. Order 11246 which President Obama has committed in writing to enforce.

(E) 80-20'S UNIQUE ROLE IN THIS BREAKTHROUGH

1/9/06 S. B. Woo together with the Special Assistant Jing-Li Yu and 80-20 Life member Henry Lee visited then EEOC Chairwomen Cari Dominguez & 6 of her staff. They presented evidence of a very low glass ceiling over Asian Am. workers, and urged EEOC to verify or deny its accuracy. They urged EEOC to consider issuing a report similar to the one that EEOC published years ago entitled "The Glass Ceiling on Women," if the statistics 80-20 has presented were accurate. The Chairwoman responded very positively.

4/5/06 80-20 PAC President S. B. Woo visited Sen. D. Akaka of Hawaii, ranking member of the Senate Subcomm. on Federal Employees, and 3 of his staff. Woo showed the statistical evidence of a very low glass ceiling over federal employees and urged the senator to investigate. The good senator agreed.

4/12/06 EEOC Chief statistician Ronald Edwards verified in writing for S. B. Woo that the statistics gathered by 80-20 were accurate.

9/6/06 YOU donated big $$$ to allow 80-20 to publicize its findings in a full page ad in The Washington Post calling Am's attention to "Asian Ams have the least opportunity to enter management & the slowest rate of progress towards equal employment opportunity despite having the highest educational attainment."

11/7/06 80-20 endorsed all Democrats except 2 for the Congressional election. Dems won both the House and the Senate. Sen. Akaka became Chairman of the Senate Subcomm. on Federal Employee.

10/11/07 New EEOC Chair Naomi C Earp announced a work group to address issues of concern to Asian Am & Pacific Islander community. 80-20 wrote to offer assistance.

1/31/08 Sen. Obama answered 80-20's questionnaire with all yeses.

11/4/08 Sen. Obama won the election with the all out help from 80-20 in the battleground states.

1/9/09 EEOC released the said report. It was based on a 2 year study calling in many witnesses including a powerful presentation by Dr. Kuan-The Jeang, an 80-20 Life Member.

JOIN 80-20. If not now, when? Make your contribution to push us equal citizenship. Go http://www.80-20initiative.net or Send you check to
80-20 PAC
PO Box 22509
Philadelphia, PA 19110
Please put your email and postal addresses in the back of your check. Pass
this e-newsletter to your friends in federal/state governments.

Respectfully,
S. B. Woo, Acting Exec. Director

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

What Obama & 80-20 have in common

80-20 was founded by Chang-Lin Tien, Larry Ho, Henry Tan, S. B. Woo . . . Generations of Board members & supporters contributed to 80-20's success.

Although our achievement is minuscule when compared with that of President-elect Obama, our intention & vision are almost identical to what was expressed so eloquently below by him to his daughters.
# # # # # # # #

What I want for you - and every child in America
By President-elect Barack Obama

Dear Malia and Sasha:

. . . . When I was a young man, I thought life was all about me -- about how I'd make my way in the world, become successful, and get the things I want. But then the two of you came into my world with all your curiosity and mischief and those smiles that never fail to fill my heart and light up my day. And suddenly, all my big plans for myself didn't seem so important anymore. I soon found that the greatest joy in my life was the joy I saw in yours. And I realized that my own life wouldn't count for much unless I was able to ensure that you had every opportunity for happiness and fulfillment in yours. In the end, s, that's why I ran for president because of what I want for you and for every child in this nation.

. . . . that with the great privilege of being a citizen of this nation comes great responsibility.

That was the lesson your grandmother tried to teach me when I was your age, reading me the opening lines of the Declaration of Independence and telling me about the men and women who marched for equality because they believe those word put to paper two centuries ago should
mean something.

She helped me understand that America is great not because it is perfect but because it can always be improved -- and that the unfinished work of perfecting our union falls to each of us.
. . . .

I hope both of you will take up that work, right the wrongs that you see and working to give others the chances you've had. Not just because you have an obligation to give something back to this country . . . But because you have an obligation to yourself. Because it is only when you
hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself
that you will realize your true potential. . . .

Love,
Dad
# # # # # # # #

Will you consider joining 80-20 for the first time in your life? Click on http://www.80-20initiative.net or send your check to
80-20 PAC
PO Box 22509
Philadelphia, PA 19110

Respectfully,

S. B. Woo
Acting Executive Director

Friday, January 09, 2009

How Asian Ams Voted & How 80-20 works!‏

With your support, a bloc vote led by 80-20 PAC was delivered for Obama. Here's the proof. Two reliable exit-poll results are cited.

(1) The AALDEF Poll: http://www.aaldef.org/article.php?article_id=388

AALDEF polled 16,665 Asian Am voters in 11 states, where the Asian Am population is high. It provided language assistance to those being polled. The eleven were all blue states, except for Virginia which is a battleground state.

In those locations, Asian Americans favored Obama over McCain by 76% to 22%, with 2% voting for other candidates. That is we favored Obama by a 3.4 to 1 ratio. Two details revealed by that poll are noteworthy.

(a) Those with English proficiency, which 80-20's e-newsletters can reach, voted 82 to 17. That is already better that 80-20, our name sake. Wow!

(b) Every Asian Am. ethnicity followed 80-20's lead, except for the Vietnamese Am.

The CNN Poll:
http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/polls/#USP00p1

CNN polled nationally. Its sample size for Asian Americans was so small that there was an estimated 5 pt. uncertainty. CNN didn't provide language assistance. It reported that Asian Ams voted 62% to 35% to 3% for others. 62 to 35 is only 1.7 to 1. We conjecture 62% to be on the low side.

However, the GREAT NEWS is that even the CNN number is good enough to convince the Republican Party to begin sharing the rightful concerns of Asian Ams. See below how Asian Americans, under 80-20's leadership, have shifted against the GOP in 12 years.

The following data come from CNN/(NY Times) exit polls.

In 1996, there was no 80-20, we basically voted 50/50 or favored GOP slightly. The race was Clinton(D)/Dole(R)/others. AsAms voted 43/48/8.
The GOP has a (5 pt) advantage.

In 2000, 80-20 was 2 yrs old & endorsed Gore enthusiastically because Gore sent us a strong letter of commitment while Bush didn't. AsAms voted 54/41/4 for Gore/Bush/Nader.
The GOP has a (13 pt) dis-advantage.

In 2004, 80-20 endorsed Kerry with reservation because he answered our questionnaire with all yeses (3) but failed to keep a promise. Bush didn't answer. AsAms voted 58/41/0 for Kerry/Bush/others.
The GOP has a (17 pt) dis-advantage.

In 2008, 80-20 endorsed Obama enthusiastically because he answered our questionnaire with all yeses (6), while McCain didn't. AsAms voted 62/35/3 for Obama/McCain/others.
The GOP has a (27 pt) dis-advantage!

Unless the Republican party is suicidal, which we doubt, 80-20 will soon deliver another benefit to you -- having the GOP share our rightful concerns as well.

That is how the political process works. We reward those who share our rightful concerns, and punish those who don't. Soon, both political parties will COMPETE to share our rightful concerns. Have you noticed how the Democrats and the Republicans compete to share the concerns of Jewish Americans?

Do recognize that 80-20 seeks only equal citizenship for Asian Americans, while prodding America to become "a more perfect Union."

Join 80-20. It delivers! Click on http://www.80-20initiative.net.

Respectfully,

S.B. Woo
Acting Executive Director