Despite winning the majority of older voters, Republicans eye cuts to social security

 

ANALYSIS

President-elect Donald Trump should thank older voters for his victory on Nov. 4. But, that don't hold your breath for any words of gratitude.

In fact, older Americans may be among the first to feel the negative repercussions of Trump's administration. Republican leaders have announced their intention to  make drastic cuts to the social safety net programs such as Social Security, Medicaid and Trump's continuing efforts to erase any vestiges of President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act, also known as ObamaCare.

Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.) said Dec. 4 that lawmakers suggested cuts may be coming to social welfare programs.

“We’re going to have to have some hard decisions. We got to bring the Democrats in to talk about Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare. There’s hundreds of billions of dollars to be saved, and we know how to do it, we just have to have the stomach to actually take those challenges on,” McCormick told Fox Business Network’s Maria Bartiromo.

During the recent campaign, Trump vowed he wouldn't touch Social Security in order to woo the votes of older Americans who depend on the program, sometimes the only income they receive. However, most Trump has been known lie.

Trump's promises don't prevent his emboldened extreme right supporters from trying to implement cuts and then pass them on the White House where Trump will likely sign them.

In 2022, the average annual Social Security income for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and other Pacific Islander men 65 years and older was $16,633, compared to $13,348 for women.

A new report from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), requested by House Budget Committee Ranking Member Brendan F. Boyle, found that Republican Social Security plans would result in steep benefit cuts for American workers while failing to extend the solvency of the Social Security Trust Fund. CBO found that raising the retirement age to 69 — as proposed by the Republican Study Committee, the Heritage Foundation, and other Republican groups — would result in an average yearly benefit reduction of about 13% for those subject to the full cut.

“Social Security is a sacred promise that after a lifetime of hard work, Americans have earned the right to retire with dignity,” said Democrat Boyle. “This independent, nonpartisan report shows just how devastating Republican plans to rip away hard-earned Social Security benefits would be for American workers. 

"Instead of saving Social Security by making the ultra-rich pay their fair share," said Boyle, "the GOP is hell-bent on gutting benefits for the middle class. Democrats will never stop fighting to keep the promise of Social Security and defend Americans’ retirement security from Republican attacks.”

A majority of 50-plus voters backed Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris last month, 52% to 47%, according to Associated Press' VoteCast.

While Democrats put their efforts in generating support from the younger GenZ voters, older Americans still made up a majority of the electorate. Older Americans historically have been the most reliable voter group in a presidential election in recent history, according to data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau.

According to AP VoteCast, seniors made up 52% of the voters. Traditional exit polls put that number at 55%.

Middle-aged voters were especially influential in tilting the election to Trump. A commanding 56% of voters ages 50-64 cast ballots for Trump, with 43% voting for Harris, exit polls show. The candidates were tied at 49% among voters 65 and older. The two age groups together comprise well over half of the national electorate, meaning they provided the critical difference for the returning president-elect.

Asian American voters for Donald Trump won the attention of mainstream media.

However AANHPI voters went against the national trend, according to a survey conducted by Asian Americans Advancing Justice in partnership with other ethnic groups. Both men and women over 60 eyars of age voted almost 2-to-1 for Harris over Trump. Granted the percentage points is less than 2022 and 2020 when AANHP voters were almost 3-to-1 in favor of the Democratic candidates and issues, but a two-thirds majority ffrom older AAANHPI voters is still a landslide preference for the Democrats.

Despite the overwhelming support for Harris and Democratic issues among AANHPI votrers, in a classic case of "man-bites dog" news values, mainstream media chose to focus on the few  voters who voted more conseratively with headlines like "Asian Americans shift to Republicans."

However Trump did indeed improved his overall performance among voters of all ethnicities who were 50 years to 64  years old by 4 percentage points from his previous presidential run in 2020, exit polling shows.

Interestingly, voters of age 65 and older preferred Harris.  The Woodstock generation, which lived through the fight for civil rights, the birth of women's rights  and saving the environment and were against the Vietnam War, apparently still maintained those progressive values. You got to love those Baby Boomers!

The CBO report also found that:

• Increasing the retirement age from 67 to 69 for all beneficiaries younger than age 59 today would lead to smaller lifetime benefits for all recipients. 

• For workers currently in their 30s and 40s who are subject to the full retirement age increase, the average annual benefit cut would be 13%, or around $3,500 a year.
• Average lifetime Social Security benefits would be reduced by 8 percent for those subject to the full increase in the retirement age.

• Increasing the retirement age would push some beneficiaries to claim disability benefits, modestly increasing expenditures for that program.

• Though increasing the retirement age would reduce spending, it would not create enough savings to change the expected exhaustion date of the Social Security Trust Fund, which is projected to be unable to pay full benefits by the end of Fiscal Year 2034.

“The older voters showed up,” says Republican pollster Bob Ward, a partner with Fabrizio Ward who teamed up with a Democratic counterpart to conduct AARP’s bipartisan preelection surveys this year. “It was big, and we didn’t see any surge of younger voters coming out in full force…. It’s the reason why Trump is now the president-elect.”

But if Republican discussions about cutting social security and Medicare gives any indication about the mindset of the incoming administration, there could be a huge wave of regret among older Americans who voted for Trump.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X or at the blog Views From the Edge.

Almost forgotten, the day after December 7, 1941

Nearly 10,000 POWs died in the Bataan Death March.

Most Americans remember December 7as the day forces of Imperial Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. The bombing in Hawaii thrust the United States into World War II. On the other side of the Pacific, in the Philippines, and the rest of Southeast Asia, the Day of Infamy was the following day, Dec. 8, 1941.

The Philippines, which was a US colony, is a day ahead of the US and Hawaii because of the International Dateline. News of the attack on Pearl Harbor reached the Philippines, at about 2:30 a.m., Dec. 8. By 8:30 a.m., some small US Army installations in northern Luzon were under attack. By 12:30 p.m., the Japanese were dropping bombs on the main US bases, especially the Philippines' five major airfields.

The bombing in the Philippines destroying almost all of a new fleet of P-40 fighters and B-17 bombers, as well as many other military aircraft. 

The attack was the beginning of a five-month defense of the Phiippines doomed to fail that killed and wounded thousands, including those killed in the Bataan Death March of April 1942.

 FYI: For more details of Dec. 8, 1941 in the Philippines and its aftermath, click here.

Although FDR did not highlight this attack in his famous announcement about the Pearl Harbor bombing, the United States took immediate action in the Philippines. In early December, US officials began imprisoning Japanese people living in the Philippines without cause (this was three months before FDR signed an executive order establishing Japanese internment camps). By the end of the month, Japanese military forces freed these civilians.

RELATED:

• Legacy of the 'Battling Bastards of Bataan'
• Bataan to be included in California history textbooks

US forces, including the thousands of Filipinos who fought alongside the US military, resisted the Japanese invasion.  The JapaneseImperial leaders estimated that they would conquer the Philippines in a two-week campaign. It took four months before the Japanese could claim victory.

Despite being outmanned, outgunned, nearly starving and a shortage of medical supplies,  American and Filipino military personnel, it was not until May 1942 before the US surrendered. Nevertheless, the Japanese timetable  of conquest was delayed. That was enough time for Australia and the US to reinforce defenses to prevent further expansion of the Japanese Empire.

Nearly 80,000 men and women of the US armed forces surrendered, the largest defeat suffered by the United States. In a 60-mile forced march tin the tropical heat and weakened by malaria and lack of water, many of the American and FIlipino prisoners of war who fell to the wayside were killed by their captors. It is estimated that nearly 10,000 prisoners died in what became to be known as the Bataan Death March.

Unfortunately, perhaps because of the defeat of US forces, the story of WWII that took place in the Philippiens, is rarely covered in US textbooks. California and Haqwaii are the only states that mandates teaching this chapter of US history in its schools.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X or at the blog Views From the Edge.

AANHPI members of Congress elect Grace Meng to leadership role as Judy Chu steps down

Congressmember Grace Meng  (NY)will lead the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

After 14 years as chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), Rep. Judy Chu, D-CA, is stepping down as Rep. Grace Meng, D-NY, takes over the helm of the Caucus.

CAPAC, which has about 80 members and associate members from the Senate and House, elected new leadership Dec. 4. Besides Meng, 49, the officers ifor the 119th Congress ncluded:

• Rep. Mark Takano (CA-39) was elected as First Vice-Chair. 
• Rep. Jill Tokuda (HI-02) was elected as Second Vice-Chair.
• Rep. Ami Bera, M.D. (CA-06) was elected as Whip.
• Rep.-elect Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10) was elected as Freshman Representative. 

"It’s an honor to serve my colleagues as the next Chair of CAPAC. I look forward to strengthening and growing the caucus, serving our diverse members, and fighting for policies that empower AANHPI communities across the country," stated Meng, who previously served as the group's vice chair.

The 71-year old Chu, who represents the California's 28th Congressional District, led the Caucus through turbulent times.

“It has been an extraordinary honor to serve as Chair of CAPAC for the past 14 years, following in the footsteps of leaders like Norm Mineta, Robert Underwood, Patsy Mink, and Mike Honda. When I started, we had nine AANHPI members of Congress," said Chu."Today, we look forward to having 25 AANHPI members of Congress.

" I am proud to have led CAPAC as it advanced the needs and interests of AANHPI communities nationwide, from health equity, educational access, and immigration to civil rights, data disaggregation, and language access. I am especially proud of our strong, visible fights against anti-Asian hate and racial profiling," she continued.

Looking forward for the next few years, Chu said: "Our communities will certainly face incredible challenges in the years to come under a second Trump Administration, but I have no doubt that our Chair-elect, Congressmember Grace Meng, will deftly lead this caucus as our community’s voice within the halls of Congress, protecting our rights and strengthening our power."

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X or at the blog Views From the Edge.

Man arrested for exporting military weapons to North Korea

A Chinese national who was in the United States illegally, was arrested Dec. 2 for allegedly shipping firearms, ammunition and other military items to North Korea. 

Shenghua Wen, 41, a resident of Ontario, California was arrested Tuesday morning and is expected to make his initial appearance in the Central District of California.

“The significance of this arrest and discovery of this scheme cannot be overstated,” Akil Davis, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office, said in a statement.

According to an affidavit filed on Nov. 26 with the complaint, Wen obtained firearms, ammunition, and export-controlled technology with the intention of shipping them to North Korea — a violation of federal law and US sanctions against that nation. 

Wen and his co-conspirators had allegedly exported shipments of firearms and ammunition to North Korea by concealing the items inside shipping containers that were shipped from Long Beach through Hong Kong to North Korea.

On Aug. 14, law enforcement seized at Wen’s Ontario, California home two devices that he allegedly intended to send to North Korea for military use: a chemical threat identification device and a hand-held broadband receiver that detects eavesdropping devices. On Sept. 6, law enforcement seized approximately 50,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition that Wen allegedly intended to send to North Korea.

A review of Wen’s iPhone revealed to law enforcement that in December 2023, Wen smuggled items from Long Beach to Hong Kong with their destination being North Korea. Messages retrieved from Wen’s cellphones revealed discussions he had earlier this year with co-conspirators about shipping military-grade equipment to North Korea. Some of these messages include photographs that Wen sent of items controlled for export under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. From January to April, Wen sent emails and text messages to a US-based broker about obtaining a civilian plane engine. There also were several text messages on Wen’s iPhone concerning price negotiation for the plane and its engine.

"These engines would be used to help develop the North Korean military drone program," Wen is said to have told federal authorities, according to the affidavit.

Wen told the FBI “he believed the North Korean government wanted the weapons, ammunition, US militaryuniforms, and other military-related equipment to prepare for an attack against South Korea,” according to the complaint.

Wen arrived in the US on  a student visa in 2012. After his visa expired, he was supposed to return to the PRC in 2018, but apparently ignored his exit date. He was arrested in 2021 for his visa violation. The DOJ would not elaborate how Wen avoided detention and deportation.

US Department of Justice

Restricted weapons and military grade technology seized from Shenghua Wen's home.

Martin Estrada, the US attorney based in Los Angeles, said that prior to leaving China, Wen met with North Korean officials at North Korean consulates.

“Once Mr. Wen came to this country, North Korean officials reached out to him,” Estrada told the San Jose Mercury News. “They asked him to obtain specific items including firearms and ammunition.”

Estrada told the newspaper that North Korean officials paid Wen at least $2 million to do so. Wen bought Super Armory, a federal firearms licensee from the state of Texas, for $150,000.

Through his business and others he paid, Wen obtained firearms, often from Texas, and brought them into California to be shipped, DOJ officials said. There were at least two shipments in 2023, one of which was labeled as a refrigerator and another as camera parts, according to those officials.

Wen is charged with conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which carries a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X or at the blog Views From the Edge.

Three Americans released by PRC in time for Thanksgiving

Three Americans -- two of them Chinese Americans -- have returned to the US in time for Thanksgiving after years of imprisonment in China.

As the Biden administration wrapped up negotiations before transferring power to the incoming administration in January, the White House announced the released of Mark Swidan, Kai Li and John Leung, all of whom had been wrongfully detained by Peoples Republic of China (PRC), according to the US government.

Swidan, 48, of Texas had been facing a death sentence on drug charges while Li, 60,  of Huntington, New York and Leung, a 78-year old US citizen who, until his arrest, was described as pro-Beijing, were imprisoned on espionage charges. Kai has been detained since 2016 and Leung has been in prison since 2021.

“Thanks to this administration’s efforts and diplomacy with the PRC, all of the wrongfully detained Americans in the PRC are home,” said a US government spokesperson.

People's Republic of China recently released, from left: Kai Li, John Leung and Mark Swidan.

The release of the three Americans was made possible as part of a prisoner swap involving three unidentified Chinese nationals who had been detained by the US.

Negotiations for the prisoner swap became more urgent with the impending transition to a new Washington administration, which could start the negotiations all over again, said Harrison Li, the son of Kai Li,. He told The Guardian.“ 

In a statement addressing Li's release, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer credited Mr. Biden's "personal engagement with President Xi" with securing the release of all three men. The prsoner swap was apparently one of the topics discussed between Biden and PRC President Xi Jinping during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Lima, Peru, earlier in November.

"For the families of those Americans newly freed by the Chinese government, this Thanksgiving there is so much to be thankful for," Schumer stated.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X or at the blog Views From the Edge.

FilAm Attorney General vows California wll challenge Trump

California's Attorney General Rob Bonta.

California's Attorney General Rob Bonta vows to protect rights of immigrants and women targeted by the incoming Donald Trump administration.

"As the reality of a second Trump Administration takes hold, I know there is a great deal of fear, sadness, anxiety, and panic," said Bonta, the son of immigrants from the Philippines. 

"I’m here today to reassure you that in California, progress will prevail,," he said, acknowledging the threats of Trump to deport millions suspected of being undocumented.

"As Attorney General, I’ll continue to use the full force of the law and authority of this office to address injustice.

Speaking with the iconoic Golden Gate Bridge as a backdrop, Bonta continued to vow, "to stand up for all people, especially those who have long been overlooked and undervalued."

Bonta's vow is not just empty bluster. During Trump's first administration, California sued the federal government more than 100 times.

"During the last Trump Administration, California DOJ fought to stop illegal rollbacks and proposals that would’ve harmed the well-being, health, safety, and civil rights of our people and of people across the country," said Bonta.

The Attorney General's statements and challenge reflects the state's electorate. Trump's policies and behavior didnpt sit well with Californians.The state remained decisively in the Democrat's corner with Kaamala Harris who won almost 60% of the votes. 

With the world's 5th largest economy, the home of the cultural messenger in Hollywood and the leader of new technology and innovation, California has an undue influence on the rest of the country. "As the saying goes, as California goes, so goes the nation," said Bonta.

California's Gov. Gavin Newsom has already fired the first salvo against the incoin administration attacking Trump's campaign promise to eliminate the tax credit for buyers of zero-emission vehicles, a payback for his supporters in the oil industry.

“Consumers continue to prove the skeptics wrong – zero-emission vehicles are here to stay, says Newsom, who has been mentioned as a possible Presidential candidate in 2028. "We will intervene if the Trump Administration eliminates the federal tax credit, doubling down on our commitment to clean air and green jobs in California. We’re not turning back on a clean transportation future — we’re going to make it more affordable for people to drive vehicles that don’t pollute.”

Among Trump's campaign promises include  deportation of millions of people, those without documentation and their families; eliminate the Department of Education; use the US DOJ to go after the people who oppose him, and cut back the social safety net including health care and Social Security.

"We know to take Trump at his word when he says he’ll roll back environmental protections, go after our immigrant and LGBTQ+ communities, attack our civil rights, and restrict access to essential reproductive care," Bonta continued. "Which means, we won’t be flat-footed come January."

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X or at the blog Views From the Edge.

Derek Tran barely beats incumbent in SoCal congressional race

Derek Tran is heading to Washington D.C.

In one of the tightest congressional races in the country, US Army veteran Derek Tran declared victory for the House seat of California's 45th Congressional District.

With a lead of about 600 votes that seems to be increasing as ballots are counted, Incumbent GOP Rep. Michelle Tran conceded the race Wednesday (Nov. 27).

“This victory is a testament to the spirit and resilience of our community. As the son of Vietnamese refugees, I understand firsthand the journey and sacrifices many families in our district have made for a better life.," said Tran in a press release. 

"My parents came to this country to escape oppression and pursue the American Dream, and their story reflects the journey of so many here in Southern California."

The race was the most expensive House contest in the country, and Tran’s victory marks a historic moment in a region known for its strong Asian American, Vietnamese American, and Latino communities. District 45 includes portions of traditionally conservative Orange County and Los Angeles County.

Tran, a consumer rights attorney, small business owner, son of Vietnamese refugees, and father of three young children, attracted national attention as a first-time candidate running against the powerful GOP machine of backing Steel, whose husband is a high-ranking official in the California's Republican party.

Orange County, which at one time was the home of California's Ku Klux Klan, still has a strong conservative element and has been a reliable bastion for the Republicans in a Democratic-dominated state. In recent years, the region has had an influx of Asian Americans so that today, they mamke up about 37% of the 45th district's population. Vietnamese Americans make up the largest community of the diverse Asian American population.

The district includes all or part of the Cities of Garden Grove, Westminster, Cerritos, Buena Park, Placentia, Hawaiian Gardens, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Artesia, Los Alamitos, La Palma, Brea, Lakewood, and Fullerton, as well as the unincorporated community of Rossmoor.

Steel tried to woo the traditionally conservative-leaning Vietnamese voters by trying to tie Tran to the communist party, a strategy that worked in 2022 when Steel's challenger was Taiwanese American Jay Chen.

At one point during the campaign, Steel claimed claimed, “My opponent might have a Vietnamese name, but I understand the Vietnamese community,” 

Tran, who has never held political office, described the comments as insulting the entire Vietnamese community.

“My father lost his first wife and four children escaping Vietnam,” Tran responded on social media. “Michelle can’t steal our identity or experiences.”

"Throughout this campaign, I heard from voters who wanted representation that prioritizes our community’s unique challenges," Tran stated. "From the need for affordable healthcare and housing to the importance of an economy that includes everyone, people here are looking to the future with hope and determination. I look forward to representing that optimism and working tirelessly to ensure that our communities’ voices are heard in Washington."

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X or at the blog Views From the Edge.

Andy Kim will become the first Korean American US senator

Andy Kim celebrates his historic election victory last Nov. 4.

New Jersey's Congressmember Andy Kim, a Democrat, will be moving from the House of Representatives to the Senate, making history as the first Korean American in the Senate.

Kim defeated his Republican opponent, hotelier Curtis Bashaw, in the November election.

Kim overcame the establishment politicala power-brokers as an outsider even though he was born in Boston and raised in south New Jersey.

“I have every bit as much right to represent the state as anybody else,” Kim said. “I am as American as anybody else.”

The outsider role actually worked in his favor as voters wanted change from the political machine that ran state politics.

The Senate seat opened up when incumbent Bob Menendez was convicted in July for taking bribes from Turkey in exchange for official acts favoring that country.

“Last year, when I first started running for Senate, I had somebody literally tell me to my face that I’m the ‘wrong kind of minority to win statewide,’” Kim told NBC News. “That was really hurtful.”

Kim gained national attention after the Jan. 6 insurrection attempt by Donald Trump followers. A picture of him picking up debris in the Capitol left by the would-be insurrectionists went viral.

A photo of New Jersey's Rep. Andy Kim cleaning up after the Jan. 6 insurrection went viral

Kim will be joining two other Asian Americans in the Senate: Hawaii's Mazie Hirono and Illinois' Tammy Duckworth.

He hopes that his election will give a voice to Asian Americans who have traditionally been neglected by government.

“We live in a time of such great distrust in government, and I really do think that that poses a deep, deep concern and threat to our society,” Kim told NBC. “That’s a big reason why I stepped up to run for Senate, jumped in the day after the indictment of the senator, because I felt like we needed to change course.”

Kim added that there’s a “hunger for a new, younger generation of leadership to step up.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X or at the blog Views From the Edge.

Election 2024: Can the Divided States of America find common ground?

What's most troubling about the Nov. 5 elections is the widening gap between voters of color and white voters has never been more evident.

A recent survey shows that the economy may have been an important factor, a majority of voters of color still threw their support for Kamala Harris, a Black/Asian American. The economy was also important to White voters but despite an economic plan light in specifics, they still voted for Donald Trump, who has gone through six bankruptcies and found guilty of fraud.

“Today’s findings from the 2024 American Electorate Voter Poll underscore the rising influence and civic engagement of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community," said John C. Yang, president & executive director at Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC).

"One in eight AANHPIs who voted in 2024 were first-time voters. Additionally, an estimated 28% of AANHPI young voters were first time voters. We’re witnessing a community whose voice is growing," said Yang.

Eleven national organizations hosted a virtual briefing on Nov. 12 to release detailed findings from the 2024 American Electorate Voter Poll, a survey of more than 9,400 voters that paints a more complete and accurate picture of how voters of color voted, including the vote choices in key states, issue priorities, evaluations of both major parties, and what issues motivated voter turnout.

The poll follows more than a decade of multi-racial election voter polls and serves as a check on traditional exit polls, adding depth to our understanding of why and how Americans voted, particularly emphasizing the vote choices and motivations of Latino, Black, AAPI, and Native American voters. A detailed array of data, including crosstabs by state and race, can be found on the poll website.

Overall, the poll shows that Americans have a lot that unites them while pointing to some clear differences between voters of color and their White counterparts on candidate choices and some policy priorities and concerns.

“Looking at this poll and all of the others we have seen, the American public opposes the Trump agenda of mass deportation, separation of families, and his promises to ‘un-document’ and deport some with current legal status, like Dreamers and TPS holders," said Vanessa Cárdenas, executive director at America’s Voice.

"Trump does not have a mandate for mass deportations or sending in the military to round up our immigrant neighbors," continued Cardenas. "While Trump undoubtedly centered his campaign and closing argument on ugly immigration themes, including the promised ‘largest deportation operation in history,’ the American public nonetheless prefers legalization for undocumented immigrants instead of mass deportation.”

AANHPI voters were engaged in the November campaigns and election.

KEY FINDINGS FROM THE 2024 AMERICAN ELECTORATE VOTER POLL

• Voters were heavily concerned about the economy this election cycle, with the cost of living, housing affordability, and jobs showing up as among the most important issues for voters of color.  More than half (55%) of voters cited the cost of living and inflation as one of the top three issues they want the next Congress and Presidential Administration to address. One in four voters, including 41% of Black voters, 38% of AAPI voters, 43% of Latino voters, and 36% of Native American voters, said the economy was the primary motivation for their vote. 
• A majority of voters of color supported Vice President Harris, while majorities of White men and women voters supported Donald Trump. That said, Trump made gains among almost all demographics, though the narrative about voters of color shifting support to Trump/Republicans was significantly overblown. Across the board, voters of color voted for Harris over Trump by significant margins, with 84% of Black voters, 62% of Latino voters, 61% of AAPI voters, and 57% of Native American voters supporting her in this election. Conversely, 57% of White voters supported Donald Trump.
• Abortion was once again a strong motivating factor–for women across race and ethnicity and for voters of color across gender, age, and subgroup. These voters are sending a clear message that they don’t want the government making reproductive health decisions for women and families. Three out of four voters support a federal law that guarantees access to abortion and gives women control over their own medical decisions, with even higher support among Black (84%), AAPI (75%), Latino (70%) and Native American (84%) voters. 
• Voters of all races and ethnicities strongly support expanding abortion access, investing in clean energy, creating a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, and protecting voting rights. More than four out of five voters support expanding clean energy investments to create more manufacturing jobs in the United States, lower energy costs, and protect families against the impacts of climate change. Almost nine in ten voters support passing a new voting rights act to ensure all eligible American citizens can vote without barriers.
• Voters reject calls to institute mass deportation and inhumane treatment of immigrants. Voters expressed strong support for legislative action to protect Dreamers and other immigrants who have lived in the US for a long time from deportation, with nearly two out of three voters (63%) expressing support for passing a law to provide permanent legal status to Dreamers and other undocumented immigrants who have lived in the country for a long time.

A wide range of national organizations sponsored the poll, including the American Civil Liberties Union, America’s Voice, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, The Asian American Foundation, Climate Power, First Nations Development Institute, the Hispanic Federation, Indivisible, La Brega Y Fuerza Fund, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, RuralOrganizing.org, SEIU, Somos Votantes, UnidosUS, Voter Participation Center, and Voto Latino.

The question for the future is, can the two Americas come together to preserve democracy and stop the slide to authoritarianism? Can the Harris supporters who sought change and the discomfort that comes with questioning and seeking, come together with Trump MAGAists who fear change and want to return to the perceived security of the past offered by status quo's singular path to the future?

While America's uncertain future is at a crossroad, what is certain is that AANHPI will play a role in answering those questions?

"What these polls show us is that the AANHPI community is speaking with clarity and conviction:," Yang concludes."We are here to build a country that reflects our values—one that protects our families, ensures our rights, rejects hate, and champions equal opportunity for all."

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X or at the blog Views From the Edge.

Sibling Rivalry! Teenager beats her brother record by becoming the youngest person to pass California bar Eeam

Sophia Park recently passed the California bar exam t th age of 17.

A Korean American teenager made history when she became the youngest person to pass the rigorous California bar exam.

Sophia Park was 17 years and 8 months old when she passed the California bar in Tulare County on Nov. 8, 2024. In accomplishing this feat, she broke the record held by her brother, Peter, who was 17 years and 11 months old when he passed the exam a year earlier.

“Sophia’s amazing accomplishments speak for themselves, and we could not be prouder as an office family,” said Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward. 

“It really is quite remarkable the success we have had with our law students, interns and law clerks attaining their professional dreams. The dividends for our office have been immense, and we are excited to be part of Sophia and Peter’s continued success.”

Sophia Park started law school at the age of 13 in 2020 while simultaneously attending junior high school at Oxford Academy in Cypress, California. In 2022, she graduated high school after passing the California High School Proficiency Exam (CHSPE) and graduated from Northwestern California University School of Law in 2024. 

Like her brother, Park utilized a state bar rule that allows students to apply to law school through the completion of College Level Proficiency Exams (CLEPS).

At age 16, Park gained hands-on experience as a summer intern at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. 

"It didn't happen overnight," said Sophia's father, Byungloo Park, who is an acupuncturist and US patent agent, wrote in an email. "She has a thorough understanding of the law and is committed to using it justly. This is just the beginning of her journey."

Sophia's record may be short-lived. A younger sister is 14-years old and already in her second year of law school.

This year, Park has been employed as a law clerk for the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office. Sophia is on track to be sworn in as a licensed attorney in March of 2025 upon turning 18, when she plans to follow in her brother's footsteps by joining the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office as a prosecutor.

She is slated to be swon in as a practicing attorney in March 2025 when she turns 18.

“As a prosecutor, I will work to see justice served and ensure that victims’ voices are heard,” Sophia shared.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X or at the blog Views From the Edge.

Unregistered PRC agent sentenced to prison for targeting Falun Gong in the US

The Shen Yun Perfoerming dance troupe is currently performing in the US.

A Los Angeles resident was sentenced to 20 months in prison for acting as unregistered agents of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and bribing an IRS agent in connection with a plot targeting the Shen Yun Performing Arts, an outreach effort of Falun Gong— a spiritual practice banned in China.

John Chen, 71, of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Los Angeles, was sentenced Nov. 19 to 20 months in prison for acting as unregistered agents of the PRC and bribing an IRS agent in connection with a plot to target US-based practitioners of Falun Gong — a spiritual practice banned in the PRC.

According to court documents, from at least approximately January 2023 to May 2023, John Chen and co-defendant Lin Feng, 44, a PRC citizen and resident of Los Angeles, worked inside the US at the direction of the PRC government, including an identified PRC government official PRC Official-1, to further the PRC government’s campaign to repress and harass Falun Gong practitioners. 

The PRC government has designated the Falun Gong as one of the “Five Poisons,” or one of the top five threats to its rule. In China, Falun Gong adherents face a range of repressive and punitive measures from the PRC government, including imprisonment.

        RELATED: More PRC agents convicted for harassing, threatening US residents.

As part of the PRC's campaign against the Falun Gong, Chen and Feng engaged in a PRC government-directed scheme to manipulate the IRS’ Whistleblower Program in an effort to strip the tax-exempt status of an entity run and maintained by Falun Gong followers, the Shen Yun Performing Arts Center, a dance troup that has been criticized  as "propaganda" for promoting the tenets of Falun Gong.

After Chen filed a defective whistleblower complaint with the IRS (the Chen Whistleblower Complaint), Chen and Feng paid $5,000 in cash bribes and promised to pay substantially more to a purported IRS agent (identified as Agent-1) who was, in fact, an undercover officer, in exchange for Agent-1’s assistance in advancing the complaint. 

Neither Chen nor Feng notified the Attorney General that they were acting as agents of the PRC in the United States.

In the course of the scheme, Chen, on a recorded call, explicitly noted that the purpose of paying these bribes, which were directed and funded by the PRC, was to carry out the PRC government’s aim of “toppl[ing]  ... the Falun Gong.” During a call intercepted pursuant to a judicially authorized wiretap, Chen and Feng discussed receiving “direction” on the bribery scheme from PRC Official-1, deleting instructions received from PRC Official-1 in order to evade detection, and “alert[ing]” and “sound(ing) the alarm” to PRC Official-1 if Chen and Feng’s meetings to bribe Agent-1 did not go as planned. 

Chen and Feng also discussed that PRC Official-1 was the PRC government official “in charge” of the bribery scheme targeting the Falun Gong.

As part of this scheme, Chen and Feng met with Agent-1 in Newburgh, New York, on May 14, 2023. During the meeting, Chen gave Agent-1 a $1,000 cash bribe as an initial, partial bribe payment. Chen further offered to pay Agent-1 a total of $50,000 for opening an audit on the Shen Yun Performing Arts Center, as well as 60% of any whistleblower award from the IRS if the Chen Whistleblower Complaint were successful. On May 18, 2023, Feng paid Agent-1 a $4,000 cash bribe at John F. Kennedy International Airport as an additional partial bribe payment in furtherance of the scheme.

In addition to the prison term, Chen was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $50,000. Feng was sentenced on Sept. 26, to a time-served sentence of 16 months in prison.

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Election 2024: Derek Tran holds a narrow 102 vote leads over Michelle Steel

The race for a California Congrssional district is between Rep. Michelle Steel, left, and Derek Tran.

One of the most hotly contested congressional races that is still undecided involves two Asian American candidates against each other.

At last count hours ago, Democrat challenger Derek Tran leads incumbent Republican Michelle Steel by only 102 votes in the race for the 45th Congressional District seat in Orange County, California with 94% of the votes couted.

“Voters in Orange and Los Angeles County deserve to have their voices heard, and we are confident that as the remaining vote-by-mail, provisional, and conditional ballots are tallied, Derek Tran will emerge victorious,” reads the statement from the Tran campaign

Steel had an huge lead hours after the polls closed Nov. 5 but as the votes slowly came in, Tran's support chipped away at the Steel's lead. On the morning of Nov. 18, Tran had slim advantage of 32 votes. That lead grew as the ballots were counted today.

Both major parties poured in more than $46 million into the contest, making it the most expensive House race in the country.

CD45 crosses county lines to take in a portion of Los Angeles County and includes all of Garden Grove, Westminster, Cerritos, Buena Park, Placentia, Hawaiian Gardens, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Artesia, Los Alamitos, Rossmoor, and La Palma, as well as parts of Brea, Lakewood, and Fullerton.

It has a large influential Asian American population makes up 39% of the population, the largest ethnic group in the district It  includes Little Saigon, the largest Vietamese American neighborhood in the US. spanning Garden Grove and Westminister.

Steel, a Korean American, has been accused of using the same red-baiting strategy that she allegedly employed in 2022 to successfully defeat Taiwanese American veteran Jay Chen. The tactic of painting Tran as a communist sympathizer was not as successful.

"Michelle Steel has been known for red-baiting her entire campaign and career this is something that's very disgusting," said Tran. "We're seeing xenophobic attacks by here. It's just baseless claims by someone that's losing and she's expecting to win based on that messaging. It's not going to work this time around. I am son of Vietnamese refugees who fled communist Vietnam."

If Tran's lead holds, Orange County, long a GOP stronghold in a state dominated by the Democrats, could have two Asian American members in Congress. Democrat Dave Min, a state senator, won the right to represent District 47, replacing Representative Katie Porter who was unsuccessful in her bid for the US Senate.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X or at the blog Views From the Edge.