Asian Americans Donate to 2008 Candidates

In the most recent National Public Radio / KQED’s Pacific Time program, Vanessa Hua reports “Asian Americans Donate to 2008 Candidates.”

In the past, Asian Americans have not been particularly politically active, especially through donating money to candidates. This is the biggest barrier to getting “a seat at the table.”

In 1996, there was an alleged Clinton campaign finance “scandal,” where China was trying to buy influence by raising money through Chinese-Americans. Most memorable, was Vice President Al Gore’s visit to Hsi Lai Buddhist Temple in California where money raised through the Temple, which is illegal for a non-profit organization to do. These controversies, according to the report and scrutiny turned away Asian-Americans to donate money to political candidates and to get involved.

But it looks like things are slowly changing. But even as I attend political fundraisers or events in California, I am still surprised at how low Asian American participation is…