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Letter to the Editor: Elections

posted 28 Oct 2008

Loyalty to Party, or Country?

Last weekend, on Sept 14, we had our first Candidates Forum in North Miami. Both McCain and Obama camps were invited to clarify their candidate's stand on issues affecting our community.

The Obama camp sent his surrogate, Jacinta Titialii Abbott who drove from Sarasota to join us. We were quite disappointed that the McCain camp did not send any surrogate, despite our formal invitation and several follow up calls from us. A surrogate of Roger Calero, Socialist Workers Party candidate for U.S. President came, as well as Nancy Stander, candidate for Florida State Representative District 110 and Omari Musa who is running for U.S. Representative, District 21.

Ellen Brickley explained that the Socialist Workers Party is based on a labor union movement of workers and farmers. Their platform includes a repeal of the Patriot Act, abolition of death penalty, immediate and unconditional withdrawal of US troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, legalization of all working immigrants, and an end to capitalism.

State Representative candidate Nancy Stander, who is an educator herself, talked about the current budget cuts in education, inadequate funding for Class Size Amendment, and inappropriate use of FCAT as the only indicator of how a school is educating children.

Jacinta Abbott, clarified the position policies of the Obama-Biden camp, and explained where Senator Obama stands on various issues including education, health care, economy, Fannie Mae, abortion and veterans affairs.

She brought with her and read a letter signed by Senator Obama, that expresses his personal sentiments and plans for the AAPI community .

Jacinta acknowledged that Obama was absent during the actual Senate hearing
on S 1315, but she also pointed out that he co-sponsored the Bill as a member of the U.S. Veterans Committee, and voted for it during the Committee meeting, thus allowing the Bill to be passed in Senate.

In addition to co-sponsoring the Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 2007, Obama co-sponsored the Comprehensive Immigration Legislation, introduced the Amendments to Reduce Immigration Backlogs, and co-sponsored Minority Health Improvement and Health Disparity Elimination Act. He passed a law in the Illinois State Senate to identify and combat racial profiling. He has been a longtime supporter of the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, which would allow states to provide in-state college tuition to undocumented students who grew up in the United States. Barack Obama is a cosponsor of the DREAM Act, and wants to see it become law so every child can have access to a quality, affordable education. He intends to restore the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to Work Towards its Original Goal of Meeting the Underserved Needs of AAPIs.

Obama has spent his career as a community organizer, civil rights lawyer and elected advocate fighting to end all forms of discrimination. As indicated in his letter, he was raised with Asian Culture in Hawaii, and members of his family are of Asian descent.

We are having another Candidates Forum in Jacksonville this weekend, and Obama's surrogates will be there to explain the position policy of the Obama-Biden camp and answer questions from a larger audience of Asian Pacific Americans coming from different parts of Florida. I sincerely hope that the McCain camp and/or his surrogates will find some time to join us and be there to present their position policy and to address concerns and questions from our community.

Personally, I learned a lot during our first Candidates Forum last weekend, and I hope to learn more this coming weekend. Before I make up my mind on who to vote for, I would like to hear from both camps, so that I can weigh both sides and make an informed decision when I go to the polls in November -- so I can make my choice based on issues that I value, instead of voting on the basis of race, gender, religious belief, emotional bias, personal looks, rumors or party line.

I am a registered Democrat, but I voted for Bush in the last presidential election because I thought at the time that he would be a better leader. Two years ago, I voted for Republican candidate Charlie Christ because I thought he would be a better governor. I am prepared to cross party lines if I believe that I am voting for the candidate who will be most receptive to the needs of my community.

Obama's camp took the time to meet with us, and so far I like what I've heard from them. If McCain's camp still is too busy to meet with us at the Candidates Forum this weekend, I'll wait and listen to the presidential debates, so I can learn what they have done for us, where they stand and what they will do to address real issues affecting me, my family, my community, my country and our future. Then I will decide, and my vote will be my voice.

-- Joy Bruce, M.D.
Miami, Florida

(Dr. Bruce is a nationally recognized community leader and advocate of issues in support of seniors, youth and community .-- Ed)