Letters: Republicans are losing another ethnic group
Re “Another key group eludes the GOP,” Dec. 8
As the former chairman of the California Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus, I was heartened by this article. Oftentimes our Asian and Pacific Islander American (APIA) communities are ignored or overlooked politically.
The Times notes that we are the fastest-growing minority in the United States. Consequently, we are an important community for both Republicans and Democrats.
Our attitudes toward government referenced in the article — supporting “tax hikes to reduce the federal deficit; more supportive of a large, activist government; friendlier toward immigrants in the country illegally; and more favorably disposed to Obamacare than voters overall” — are among the reasons APIA voters supported President Obama with 73% of their vote in 2012.
It’s also why the historically high number of APIA legislators in California — 11 — are all Democrats and why others from our community won noteworthy elections recently.
Yes, there are some high-profile APIA Republican governors, but cultural celebrations will not bring APIA voters to the Republican Party; what will are good policies.
Warren T. Furutani
Gardena
The writer was a Democratic Assemblyman from 2008 to 2012.
You’ve got to love the GOP. The party that’s against everything and proud of it — healthcare, the environment, social and economic justice and sane gun control — is now for Diwali, an important Hindu holiday.
House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) recently decided that the party needs to be more sensitive, so a token nod by the Republican National Committee should do the trick. It said in a statement: “Diwali and the lighting of the Diya celebrate the victory of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance.”
How laughably ironic. Imagine if Republicans were to take that wisdom to heart.
Wendy Blais
North Hills
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