Los Angeles Times Article & Cong. Honda's Retort

Another fitting title for this newsletter is " Obligation of Asian Am.
Fundraisers (Bundlers) ."

On 10/19, LA Times published an article on Sen. 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 Sen. Clinton be taking
advantage of the political naivety of new Asian immigrants? That is a
point that 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?

Congressman Mike Honda's retort to that article also has good points.
"Could our media be too suspicious about political donations from Asian
Ams?" 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 Am. cabal aimed to undermine our Federal government.
Hard to believe!

However, neither has raised the REALLY IMPORTANT POINT:
What have we gotten back for our political donations?
Among ethnic groups, Asian Ams' political donation is second only
to Jewish Americans. Shockingly, Asian Ams. 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 & 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 Ams' equal opportunity &
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 Am 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 &/or solid promises from presidential
candidates to us, thank them & continue to support them. Otherwise,
hold them accountable & 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.

What Is Expected Of Asian Am. Elected Officials

Help the right Asian Am. elected officials (AAEOs), all AsAms may
benefit. Help the wrong ones, all AsAms shall get hurt.

When a wrong AAEO gets support from our community, other AAEO
may imitate him/her. "Bad money drives away good money!"

What is expected of an AAEO? That is what our community needs to
discuss and reach a consensus in order to achieve the kind of political
cohesion necessary to win our basic rights like equal opportunity at work
and to be appointed federal judges. Here is my personal view.

What America Expects Of Its Elected Officials

Elected officials are expected to primarily serve those who live in their
respective election districts. Hence AsAms living outside of an AAEO's
district should NOT expect help from him/her. The life of any AAEO is
tough enough. Don't make their lives even tougher. Let them focus on
doing a good job for constituents in their own political district which still
indirectly serves our long term interests.

Two Big Exceptions!

I) Those AAEOs who have raised campaign funds primarily from AsAms
living within and without their election districts while emphasizing their
Asian ethnic origin, have the obligation to share the concerns of all
AsAms.
II) Those AAEOs who endorsed presidential candidates by becoming
members of "Asian Ams for XXX" therefore playing up their ethnic
connection have the obligation to persuade the endorsed presidential
candidate to promote the rightful aspirations of AsAms.

Asian Americas Deserve these Basic Rights

AsAms deserve

1) to enjoy equal opportunity in workplaces by the enforcement of Exec.
Order 11246 that is enforced for all Ams. except us, and
2) to have many more AsAm Federal judges -- currently only 0.6 % while
the % of our population and lawyers is about 4.5%.

80-20 has asked all presidential candidates to give us those to promises.
See http://www.8020initiative.net/news/preselect2008.asp.

AAEOs who fulfill their obligations are the right ones! Support them.
We will soon publicize a list of such Vmodel AAEOs.

Your views and comments are most welcome via
http://www.80-20educationalfoundation.org/posterboard.html

Respectfully yours,

S. B. Woo
President, 80-20 Educational Foundation

Grateful Acknowledgement for $22,800 in the last 2 Weeks:

Woo's Foundation: $10,000 Henry and Valerie Lee: $ 2.000
Theodore Chen Vora, $ 1,000 Po-Zen Wong $ 1,000
Christine Mei $ 1,000 Philip Choong $ 1,000
Ting, Michael and Laura $ 750 Thomas C. Shen $ 500
Peter Chen $ 500 TzuFann & Jeannine Shao $ 500
William Tao $ 500 Susan and James Wu $ 500
Dongzi Liu $ 500 S. B. Woo $ 500
T. K. Chu $ 500 Soo Tang (pledge) $ 500
Loi Chi $ 300 Chang, Alec $ 250
Fred and Jane Wu $ 200 Ray Wu $ 200
Scott Xinhai Chai $ 100
Donations to EF are tax deductible. Cash, stocks, bequeath, United Way and matching-funds are all welcome. Keep 80-20 EF in your mind please.