How will Asians be represented in the Cabinet?

[Brooklyns_Finest]

I understand that Obama needs to nominate an equal number of blacks, women, hispanics, gays, and Jews in his cabinet. However, I never hear about any Asian representation. Asians overwhelmingly voted for Obama in this election, and I feel they should get a piece of the pie.

[dsc]

1. I am sure they will

At least through both Clinton and Bush terms there has been at least one Asian American. Zero gay ones.

[Cha]

4. Why don't you apply for

for a job with them?

[Brooklyns_Finest]

9. I am not Asian

And I already work for the federal government.

[Cha]

13. But, I was asking Poster #

1.

[dsc]

14. because I am not qualified

but there are qualified gays and yes, I think, God for fucking bid, that one, just one cabinet spot, should go to a qualified gay. One out of the literally thousands and thousands of cabinent spots that have been filled in 200 plus years of this country. I am, selfish, racist bastard I am, asking for one fucking spot. I am so sorry and sure as hell won't again. I get the message. McClurkin is right. We aren't real people. We get it now.

[Cha]

16. You'd get a lot further if

you wouldn't be such a victim all the time.

Share your ideas with these guys, too.
http://change.gov/

[dsc]

19. No I see the light

I get it. We aren't deserving of marriage, if we dare point out that Mormons funded an iniative to take our marriage rights away we are religious bigots, if we dare point out that on the very same night we voted 70 to 27 for a black man to be President a strong majority of blacks voted to help take those rights away we are racist, and if we dare say that the third most loyal group of voters in our party deserves a cabinet position we are perveyors of cronyism, incompetence, and wish to have Brownie style government. I get it. Just let me know when we are worthy of those things so I can ask for them then.

[qwlauren35]

27. I wish you would at least...

say black people IN CALIFORNIA.

Unless you have evidence that huge numbers of us were more interested in financially supporting Proposition 8 than donating to the Obama campaign.

Somehow, I doubt it.

[hay rick]

35. Loyal voters or stuck voters?

Obama and the Democrats know that gays don't really have anyplace else to turn. They have a choice between supporting their unreliable and inconstant friends (the Democrats) or their sworn enemies (the Republicans). Nader demonstrated that the third party option is no option in 2000. Under the circumstances, gays don't have much leverage. Their hope is in gradual reform of the Democratic party. High profile cabinet positions might be a public relations coup but I don't think they are worth agonizing over.

[Brooklyns_Finest]

6. I was being sarcastic

Obama should find the best people for each job, irrespective of race, gender, sexual orientation, etc. I find it interesting that I never hear Asians complain about lack of representation in public life.

[ecstatic]

10. Or lack of representation on TV! nt

[dkf]

15. Yeah for some reason that argument never did float my boat.

For myself, my family stresses more when we see a bad egg in our community...very shameful you know. We are proud when one of our own does well, but I don't think we assume their race helped/hurt.

[qwlauren35]

29. I don't remember where I heard this...

but I get the feeling that Asians prefer to focus on commerce and education than politics.

Now that I think about it, having someone Asian in the Department of Education would be equally fascinating as someone Asian running the Department of Commerce. But now I'm truly stereotyping.

[Cha]

2. I don't know but I'd sure

like to see this representation of our diversity, also. Hawai'i would love it and whomever is appointed and accepts..they will be the best ones for the job..not just a "token".

Obama chose Biden because he was the one he wanted to work with for the next four(hopefully 8) years.

[VADem11]

3. I've heard

that Mike Honda could become Secretary of Education.

[Unsane]

5. Harold Koh, Korean-American and Dean of Yale Law School, may get a spot on the SCOTUS.

Making him the first Asian-American Supreme Court Justice.

[stray cat]

7. If diversity is all important do we also need ignorant individuals and incompetent ones

Or should diversity strictly be dependent on skin color or sexual orientation? :sarcasm:

[Brooklyns_Finest]

8. They are always represented

Once the resumes are off the table, and people are put to work, the incompetence and ignorance always show.

[4lbs]

12. Ignorant and incompetent? They had 8 years already.

n/t

[demwing]

11. No, he does NOT

need to "nominate an equal number of blacks, women, hispanics, gays, and Jews in his cabinet"

Wherever did you come up wit that horrible idea? This is a government, not a television sitcom.

[Catherine Vincent]

17. Welcome to DU!

Troll!

[Quantess]

32. Maybe he's just making conversation.

[TexasObserver]

18. Perhaps you have some Asians in mind for such positions.

How many Asians are there in politics who are successful and Democratic?

The pool of potential Cabinet officers is made up of those qualified for the positions. So if you have some names of people who qualify, let's hear them.

I don't think anyone is opposed to having Asians in high posts, but which Asians? There haven't been many Asians who have broken out of local or state politics and into national politics.

I feel certain Obama will make sure he has some Asians in top posts. The question is WHO?

[Renegade08]

21. Gary Locke, former governor of WA; David Wu, Congressional representative

Harold Koh, dean of Yale Law School.
Kenji Yoshino, law professor, NYU School of law (at Yale previously)
Goodwin Liu, Berkeley Law (education policy expert)
Tammy Duckworth
Bill Ong Hing, professor, UC Davis (immigration law expert)
Bill Lan Lee, former assistant attorney general for civil rights
Neal Katyal, georgetown law professor, lawyer who represented Guantanomo captive Hamdan and who was co-counsel for Gore in Bush v. Gore.

Plenty more. Yes, a lot of lawyers on the list, but, what would you expect from someone who's a lawyer?

[TexasObserver]

22. Duckworth and the dean of Yale Law look promising.

I'm sure Obama will include some Asians in top posts.

[qwlauren35]

30. Ah, the word politics finally comes into play.

WHY must a cabinet member ALREADY be a POLITICIAN???????????

WHY must a Cabinet member be a MEMBER OF A POLITICAL PARTY?

These are assumptions that truly concern me. They certainly narrow the playing field far more than I think is prudent.

[Renegade08]

37. All those people I mentioned are democrats or liberals.

Asian American politicians, activists, academics, etc., are overwhelmingly liberal/democrat.

[w4rma]

20. Tammy Duckworth for one. (nt)

[malik flavors]

23. Obama doesn't NEED to nominate anything except the most qualified people.

This place is going mad with all the identity politics stuff.

[Thothmes]

25. I must agree with you on this, however

some times,those in the "Big Tent" often deem trait as the governing principal for promotion.

[FrenchieCat]

24. What you understand is not much obviously.....as Obama doesn't "need"

to nominate an equal number of anything....and this notion you espouse is dumb and getting boring.

[qwlauren35]

26. Okay, I'll embarrass myself and agree.

But for slightly different reasons. I think we need someone on the cabinet who has strong connections to Asia. And my thought is to put such a person in the Secretary of Commerce position.


My top choice would be a bi-ethnic, Chinese-Japanese American. I think it could also be someone biracial. Ironically, I think that anyone who is of a singular nationality would struggle with making commercial alliances with other countries. But, of course, if we get "the best", then it would be someone who could overcome that.

I've noticed that there are people from the West Asian countries (India, etc.) who are doing well in creating relationships in East Asia. That would be another interesting possibility.

[zuul9]

28. How will left-handed people be represented in the Cabinet

I understand that Obama needs to nominate a b c d e. However I never hear about any left-handed representation. Left handed people overwhelmingly voted from Obama in this election, and I feel we should get a piece of the pie.

[qwlauren35]

31. My gut says...

that the likelihood of a 100% righthanded cabinet is very, very low. It's definitely not a protected minority.

Now, short people, fat people... they may have reason to be concerned. And old people as well. I wonder if any old people will be on the cabinet.

And what about people with disabilities?

Now, what I'd really love to see is some Muslims in the Cabinet. THAT would be an amazing statement... that would SCARE THE LIVING SH*T OUT OF THE "PALIN-ITES"!!!

[donheld]

33. Obama will be the designated Lefty

He is left handed.

[Sebastian Doyle]

34. While a pizza delivery may be premature in this case

I have a feeling there will be one in the future, and how often do you get to throw in an "equal opportunity" Asian pizza reference?

[cherokeeprogressive]

36. Excuse the fuck out of me here, but is there a reason you left Native Americans out of your post? n/