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Organization


What kind of organization is "The 80-20 Initiative?"

The 80-20 Initiative is a national, non-partisan, and Pan-Asian-American political organization. 80-20 has the experience (10 years), foundation (over 700,000 supporters on its e-mail list), and an open, democratic, and transparent organizational structure, and the status to organize a powerful political voice.

The basic idea is to urge Asian pacific Americans (APAs) to form a swing bloc vote so that we become a vital political force in affecting the Presidential Election. Purpose? To induce both major political parties to take our community's interests seriously and help us achieve equal opportunity. Aren't we accorded equal opportunity already? No. Please visit http://www.80-20initiative.net . It presents strong statistical evidence on the existence of a glass ceiling above APAs. Email email.list@80-20initiative.net to sign up for the mailing list.

This project's popular appeal is field-tested. More than 90% of a random sample of Asian Americans, having received 5 recruiting e-mails, become strong or moderate supporters for forming a bloc-vote. 80-20 is registered with Fed. Election Comm. (FEC) as a Political Action Committee (PAC).

Gov. Gary Locke of Washington described 80-20 as 'the most effective Asian Am. political organization.' Prof. C. N. Yang, a Nobel laureate, said: 'Your proposal is excellent. I support it 100%.' Los Angels Times, NY Times, Washington Post, Newsweek, Business Week, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS have repeatedly reported positively on 80-20. Three U. Syracuse scholars ranked 80-20 as nation's most effective cyberspace political organization of 2000 in a Book entitled 'Click on Democracy' available at Amazon. In 2005, the Democratic National Committee acknowledging 80-20's endorsement of John Kerry as one reason why APA support for Kerry was at a historic height while nationally Kerry lost the election. David Broder, perhaps the Dean of American political reporters, wrote in Washington Post that he described a bloc vote by a new immigrant group as an 'unnoticed glory of American life.'

What does "80-20" mean?

The name 80-20 was chosen as indicating what proportion of votes is the most effective to gain political clout. We want to unite 80% of APA voters in each Presidential election to support one presidential candidate. See below for information about how a voting pattern of 80 to 20 will work to gain us equal opportunity and political influence.

How does the 80-20 idea work?

Here's how it works. Its goal is to win equal opportunity for us and our children. That means an equal chance to get good jobs, high salary increments, and significant promotions.

APAs voted slightly in favor of Bush in '92 and slightly in favor of Clinton in '96. So long as an immigrant "underclass" votes roughly 50-50, no politician will bother to help the group win equal opportunity. To politicians, paying attention to a small constituent group that votes roughly 50-50 is like entering a small business deal with a puny margin of profit. On the other hand, courting a small immigrant group capable of delivering 80-20 is like chasing a small business deal with a huge profit margin of 60%. (The 80% vote obtained by the courting politician minus the 20% vote taken by the opponent yields a net gain of 60% of votes of our community.)

Hence, if we united to vote 80-20, a very different picture emerges.

APAs are strategically located. We represent 6.5% of the voters in CA -- the state with the largest Electoral College votes and early primary in the presidential election of 2000. CA is a must for any presidential candidate in year 2000. Winning the March 2000 CA primary creates so much momentum that it may be tantamount to winning the party nomination. Furthermore, CA has 54 electoral votes -- 20% of what's needed to be the next president.

If we'll unite to swing to either political party at an 8 to 2 ratio in year 2000, our bloc-vote will represent not only a business deal with a huge profit margin but also the deal that gives the winner a 51% controlling interest of the entire market. Our bloc vote shall be courted by politicians of both parties immediately, and with that we can win equal opportunity for us and our children!

American immigrants have traditionally relied on the political process to win equal opportunity. That was how the Irish did it. That was how the Polish, Italians and Jewish Americans did it. Recently, women and blacks flexed their political muscles and won their rights to good jobs.

As individual communities, our voices have not been heard. Together we shall overcome. We and our children will benefit. America, our beloved nation, becomes "a more perfect Union."

1997 APA Population: by States (Electoral Votes)
State
%
Millions
HA (4)
63.1
0.75
CA (54)
11.7
3.78
WA (11)
5.5
0.31
NJ (15)
5.3
0.42
NY (33)
5.3
0.95
270 electoral votes out of 538 are needed to win a presidential election.

 

2000 APA Population: by Communities
Community
%
Chinese
23.7
Filipino
18.1
Japanese
7.8
As. Indian
16.4
Korean
10.5
Vietnamese
11.0
Other
12.5

 

APA Population: Past & Future
Year
Millions
% of U.S.
1990
7.462
3.00
1995
9.349
3.56
1997
10.033
3.75
2000
11.899
4.2
2010
15.3
5.14
2020
19.7
6.10
2050
34.4
8.74

Who are 80-20's leaders?

The first generation leaders

  • Tong S. Chung, Founding President, Korean American Coalition
  • Alex Esclamado, Nat'l President, Filipino-Am. Political Assoc.
  • Peter Suzuki, President, Natl Asian/Pac. Am Bar Assoc. (NAPABA, 98'-99')
  • Henry Tang, Governor, Committee of 100
  • Chang-Lin Tien, Chancellor, U. of Calif., Berkeley, 1991-97, (deceased)
  • S. B. Woo, Lieutenant Governor of Delaware (1985-89)
  • Jenny Yang, President, Assoc. of Chinese Am. Professionals

The Steering Committee
(The Steering Committee was replaced by a Board of Directors structure)

President: S. B. Woo
Secretary: Chun Wa Wong
Treasurer: Larry Yu-Chi Ho

  • Rajen Anand, Secretary, Federation of Indian-Am. Assocs.
  • Tong S. Chung, Founding President, Korean American Coalition
  • Alex Esclamado, Nat'l President, Filipino-Am. Political Assoc.
  • Kenneth Fong, C.E.O., Clontech Laboratories
  • Alfred Foung, President, Los Angeles 80-20 PAC
  • Larry Yu-Chi Ho, Harvard Univ., member of Nat'l Acad. Of Engineering
  • Stephen S. Ko, MD, Founder of Asian Am. Political Coalition N.J.
  • Tony Lam, Council Member, City of Westminster, CA
  • Michael Lin , former Nat'l President, Org. of Ch-Ams (1994-98)
  • Adeel Shah, Director, Human Rights Asia
  • Peter Suzuki, Immediate Past President, National Asian/Pacific Am. Bar Association (NAPABA)
  • Henry Tang, Chair, Committee of 100
  • Chang-Lin Tien , Chancellor, Univ. of Calif., Berkeley (1990-97)
  • Chun Wa Wong, Univ. of Calif., Los Angeles, Fellow, Am. phys. Soc.
  • S. B. Woo, Lieutenant Governor of Delaware (1985-89)
  • Jenny Yang, President, Assoc. of Chinese Am. Professionals; Co-founder, Houston 80-20

The Founding Supporters

The Current Officers and Board Directors