Race and Immigration Interest: Factors in the US Election

November 4 is just eight days away and responsible and concerned Americans should have all voted as to who will be their next commander-in-chief. Would it be a "donkey", Sen. Barack Obama, or an "elephant", Sen. John McCain?

My friend in Namibia, a republic in South-West Africa bounded by Angola, Zambia, Botswana, South Africa, and the Atlantic Ocean, told me that Namibians would like to see Obama win. My friends in the Philippines, a republic in South-East Asia with more or less 7,100 islands, would like Sen. Obama to win. My Indonesian-American friend is definitely for Barack Obama.

Besides the youthfulness of Sen. Barack Obama, I am assuming that racial affinity and migration interest are pulling voters to the Democratic camp.

In order for me to solidify my hunches, I went around Pasadena, a beautiful city in Southern California, to ask non-Caucasian Americans in parks, city streets, churches, and at Paseo de Colorado on their possible presidential votes. Almost all of those I asked would be voting for Sen. Barack Obama. Reasons given were the following: born and raised in an interracial family, experienced normal living in other countries, received a short humble education in Indonesia would help him understand international issues, particularly the immigration concerns of many foreign-born Americans.

Immigration issues were never talked about during the three presidential debates. Topics were focused on the pressing need to find solution to the economic woes. However, deep in the heart of many foreign-born Americans, they are counting for Sen. Barack Obama to positively address a comprehensive immigration reform, which was one of the hottest senatorial and congressional debates in 2007.

Definitely, the African and Asian population would like to see the democrat win. The name and the Kenyan blood that runs in Obama's vein, and his affinity and his little taste of elementary education in Indonesia are factors to their votes.

According to a 2006 study on "The Immigration Population of the United States..." by Jack Martin, one in every eight US residents is foreign-born, and California has the largest. With that said, I am tempted to say, "Beginning in January 2009, the first mixed-race President of the United States of America will begin his term."

So, American voters, go out on the 4th of November and vote.

U.S. Presidential Candidate: Walk the Talk

November 4 will be the U.S. Presidential Election day. More people are becoming skeptics on the economic plan of Republican candidate John McCain, particularly on his plan to continue on Pres. Bush's Tax Cut Program; more are beginning to question the feasibility of Democratic candidate Barack Obama's spending plan.

Following the sociocultural innovation approaches, McCain's plan is leaning towards discovering new information and altering what is present (which may only have some changes in semantics); Obama's plan, though trying to discover, is more leaning towards inventing a plan seen by many as out of reach that even Isabel Sawhill, an official of former Democratic President Bill Clinton's Office of Management and Budget said,"...the plan does not add up."

I understand where Sen. Obama is coming from. As an innovator, he likes to portray a radical plan. Nevertheless, in the political arena, an innovator should also learn how to listen and how to see reality, especially if it involves expenditure. Sen. Obama has to remember that an innovation, whether by invention, discovery, diffusion, or alteration must be based on the environmental and internal factors.

The U.S. economy is ailing today. It is in recession. It can't afford ostentatious spending. As a presidential candidate, one has to promote austerity. One must help save money by deciding to give an acceptance speech at a 21,000-seat Pepsi Center, where the 4-day convention is to be held. Spending more money for a 76,000-seat football stadium just to give an acceptance speech is enough to question if the candidate will really walk the talk.

Let us hope and pray that the elected president come November will really walk the talk.

Here are two clerihew verses for all of us.

Democratic Candidate Barack Obama

Yahoo, Sen. Barack Obama
Enough of these convoluted blah-blah!
"Spending plan doesn't add-up," said Sawhill.
Be realistic if you don't want to go downhill.


Republican Candidate John McCain

Hey, it is Sen. John McCain
Short of money for his campaign
Yet onward he goes, an old army, persevering
That’s the president we need when economy is ailing.

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