A Shift of 10,000 APA Voters Could Have…
July 23, 2004
Of the nearly six million votes counted in Florida in the 2000 presidential election, the official tally totaled a mere 537 vote advantage for Bush, thus determining the presidency. With roughly 10,000 Asian Pacific American voters in Florida, a nominal shift in the APA vote could have changed the outcome of the election and Al Gore could have been President. Some argue that it would not have made a difference in our lives, but let us compare the record.
During the eight years of the Clinton/Gore Administration, 22 million jobs were created, while in three and a half years under Bush we lost approximately 2 million jobs. For APA businesses, this means lost revenues with less disposable income to purchase products and services. For APA wage earners, it means lower wages as salaries are not increasing like they were during Clinton/Gore years.
The Clinton/Gore Administration inherited a huge deficit and turned it into a record surplus. During the Bush Administration, in just the past three and a half years, record surpluses have become record deficits. This should dispel the myths about which party is the party of fiscal responsibility. Most importantly, we are paying for it now, paying higher college tuition, doing more fundraisers for our children’s schools to offset cuts and spending more on health care. Our children will pay for it in the future as we spend proportionally more of our federal tax dollar for the interest on the growing debt and pass the repayment of the debt to our children.
President Clinton’s commitment to our communities was precedent setting. A historic initiative began on June 7, 1999. President Clinton signed Executive Order 13125 titled “Increasing Participation of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Federal Programs.” It established the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The Executive Order sought to improve the quality of life of APAs through increasing overall participation in federal government programs where we are most likely to be underserved. Fully supported in the Clinton/Gore Administration, funding has been eliminated by the current administration.
There is no doubt that electing the Kerry/Edwards ticket would similarly benefit APAs. Their voting records and actions have already demonstrated and proven their commitment. As the Clinton/Gore administration appointed APAs in record numbers, electing Kerry/Edwards will result in the appointments of many well-qualified APAs in their administration; they have already hired top APAs on their campaign staff.
Kerry exemplified his consciousness to protecting our civil rights when Rep. Howard Coble (R-N.C.) said that the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II was appropriate. Without hesitation, Kerry publicly demanded a retraction and an apology.
During the campaign, all the presidential candidates were asked if they endorse addressing the demographic disparity in all levels of management positions, thereby helping to break the glass ceiling for APAs, and thus enabling us to get promotions into positions for which we are well-qualified. Both Sens. Kerry and Edwards voiced their support to this effort.
Our vote and involvement make a difference. Had Rep. Robert Matsui not gotten involved in elective politics, he would not be Chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the first APA to hold this position. APA Democrats have been elected in record numbers throughout the country, experiencing firsts in elective offices in Washington, Minnesota, New York City, Maryland, Idaho and Missouri to name a few. Just 12 years ago, California did not have one APA in their legislature. Now, there are five APA Democrats serving.
Our communities have made a difference and can make a bigger difference in the 2004 elections, as our population has grown by 48.4 percent or 12.8 million people from 1990 to 2000. Our percentage growth has been the most dramatic in the Southern and Midwestern regions. Arkansas reported a 110% increase in our numbers, and other states, such as Nevada, South Dakota, Arizona and Idaho followed suit, each with growth exceeding 100%.
There are 106 congressional districts that have at least 4 percent APAs and 40 districts with 10 percent or more. Numerous Democratic candidates have invested in an APA focused strategy as part of their overall campaign. As a result, Democrats have won in Oregon, New Jersey, California, Virginia and Maryland. In addition, governors and other elected officials have publicly recognized APAs in achieving their victory, through our participation and vote at the ballot box.
Our communities have needs. Some of them are the same as the rest of the country, while others are unique. Many of these needs are fulfilled or ameliorated by the public policy decisions made by elected officials. When we want to be more educated, we continue our education. When we want to increase our earnings, we work longer and harder. The same is true in democratic politics. The more we are involved — getting more of our community to vote, and becoming active, will translate into more successes. It does make a difference in our everyday lives.
Twelve years ago when Kazuo Umemoto, my father and one of our political pioneers, passed away, he along with a few other APAs laid the groundwork for us. We won. In dedication to the recent passing of another one of our Democratic pioneers, Mary Miyashita, let’s have an unprecedented turnout both in voting and political involvement and win again.
Keith Umemoto is the Chair of the Asian Pacific Islander Caucus of the Democratic National Committee and is the son of one of the political pioneers in Asian Pacific America, the late Kazuo Umemoto. Keith, a social worker, is also active in the APA and nonprofit communities.
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