Asian Americans body endorses Obama

A body of Asian Americans has endorsed the candidature of US President Barack Obama in the November presidential elections and expressed satisfaction over the steps taken by his administration for their community in the country.

In its endorsement convention held in Los Angeles on August 26, 80-20 National Asian American Political Action Committee unanimously decided to endorse Obama through a secret ballot held among its delegates.

“During his first term Obama began to include APA in the enforcement of Executive Order 11246 so that Asian Americans can finally have an equal opportunity to rise in workplaces according to their skill and merit,” the committee said in a statement yesterday adding that this is the first time in the history of the United States that any President has acted to enforce EO 11246 for Asian Americans.

During the Bush Era, Labor Secretary Elaine Chao refused to enforce EO 11246 in spite of repeated appeals by 80-20 and other Asian Americans organizations, it noted.

“Obama has also appointed many preeminent Asian American jurists to the federal courts, more than doubling the number of Asian American federal judges from 8 in 2008 to 17 today, including two on the Appeals court,” NAAPC said.