by admin | May 25, 2021 | Opinions
The Indian American community has propelled its way to relevance in American politics over the past two decades. The representation of the community has increased at every level with each election cycle, writes Frank F. Islam
Frank F. Islam
Much of the focus of the US election coverage in the Indian and Indian American media has been about how both presidential nominees, President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden, have been courting Indian American voters. A less written about the fact is there are dozens of Indian American candidates in this election cycle running for federal, state, and local offices.
If Joe Biden defeats President Trump in November, Senator Kamala Harris will be leaving the Senate to serve as the Vice President of the United States.
Indian Americans a rising political force
But that will probably not end the Indian American representation in the US Senate next January.
Democrat Sara Gideon, who is half Indian American, like Harris, has an excellent chance of ousting incumbent Senator Susan Collins in Maine. Gideon, Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, currently leads Collins, one of the most endangered GOP (Grand Old Party) senators by 6.5 percentage points in RealClearPolitics average of polls.
Gideon is not the only Indian American on the ballot for US Senate this November. Republican Rik Mehta, a biotech entrepreneur, and lawyer, is taking on Senator Cory Booker in New Jersey. Mehta is a heavy underdog against Booker, a popular senator, and former presidential candidate. His candidacy, however, indicates the rising importance of Indian Americans in the electoral process.
In the US Congress, four Indian American members are seeking re-election – Representatives Ami Bera, Ro Khanna, Pramila Jayapal and Raja Krishnamoorthi – they are expected to retain their seats.
Two Democrats, Sri Kulkarni in Texas and Hiral Tipirneni, in Arizona, are in tight congressional races, each vying to become the first Indian American to get elected from their respective state.
Kulkarni, a former US diplomat, is running for the 22nd congressional district in Texas, which is an open seat in suburban Houston. Two years ago, he narrowly lost the district to the Republican incumbent, who is retiring from the House at the end of this year.
Tipirneni, a medical doctor, is similarly engaged in a competitive race in Arizona’s 6th district. Like Kulkarni, she made an unsuccessful run two years ago.
According to the Cook Political Report, an independent group that rates various races, both districts are toss-ups. This means that they are highly competitive contests in which any candidate can win.
Rise of Indian Americans in public offices
For further proof of the coming of age of the Indian American community in electoral politics, one doesn’t need to go beyond Tipirneni’s district. The candidate the Mumbai-born doctor defeated to win her party’s nomination was also an Indian American, Anita Malik.
At the state level, more than half a dozen Indian American state lawmakers across the country are seeking re-election.
They include – New York Sen. Kevin Thomas, Washington State Sen. Manka Dhingra, North Carolina Sen. Jay Chaudhuri, Vermont Sen. Kesha Ram, Washington State Rep. Vandana Slatter, Kentucky Rep. Nima Kulkarni, Michigan Rep. Padma Kuppa and Arizona Rep. Amish Shah. All these legislators are Democrats.
In Ohio, Republican Niraj Antani, who was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2014, at the age of 23, is running for the state senate, and is expected to win.
Additionally, more than half a dozen Indian Americans are seeking positions in various statehouses. Some of them, such as Jeremy Cooney, a candidate for the New York state senate, are veterans of previous races. Others are newcomers gunning for state legislatures for the first time. They include young and highly accomplished candidates like Rupande Mehta (New Jersey Senate), Nikil Saval (Pennsylvania Senate), and Jenifer Rajkumar (New York House).
Indian Americans are not just running for state and federal legislative offices. From coast to coast, they are also making beelines for various state and local executive offices, ranging from state agencies and county positions to mayoral offices and school boards.
For example, Duke University professor and the former US President Barack Obama’s economic advisor Ronnie Chatterji is running for treasurer in North Carolina. And, in Virginia, Republican Puneet Ahluwalia just announced his candidacy for the lieutenant governor.
The Indian American community has propelled its way to relevance in American politics over the past two decades. The representation of the community has increased at every level with each election cycle. The substantial number of Indian American candidates who are on the ballot this year is proof of progress that has been made.
Shaping US politics and policies
Why does it matter that a much larger number of Indian Americans are holding and seeking political offices? What is its significance?
It is significant because in democratic society participation and representation in the political process matters. It matters enormously in terms of the shaping and structuring of policies and programs and how they are implemented.
The Indian American community is one of the more recent immigrant groups in the United States. It is also one of the fastest-growing communities. It is important for the community to participate in the political process and make sure its voices are heard.
Politicians make the decisions on a myriad number of issues such as war and peace at the national level to resource allocation for education and infrastructure maintenance and development at the local level. Therefore, it is important to be at the table where decisions are made. As the old saying goes, “If you are not at the table, you will be on the menu.”
Indian Americans need to be at the table not just for Indian Americans but for the future of America.
They need to be at that table to contribute to the strengthening of American democracy. They need to be at that table to contribute to the forming of a “more perfect union” which will have seats at the table for all regardless of race, religion, or country of origin.
(The writer is an entrepreneur, civic and thought leader based in Washington DC. The views expressed are personal)
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Books
By Vikas Datta,
Title: The President is Missing; Author: Bill Clinton & James Patterson; Publisher: Century/Penguin Random House; Pages: 528; Price: Rs 599
The world’s most powerful nation faces a terrible terrorist threat that can send it reeling into chaos and violent anarchy. But can the US President be relied on to tackle this dire peril, given he is not at his peak physically, had questionable “links” with a most wanted terrorist, and then cannot be located at all.
As ominous presentiments of the looming danger are reported from across the country and elsewhere, close allies are wracked by instability and old adversaries close in to take advantage. Meanwhile, President Jonathon Lincoln Duncan is not helped by revelations that he not only talked to the terrorist but also committed American forces to save him from an attack — and the threat of impeachment is a very real possiblity.
But what has the President actually done — and is now doing — about the threat? And how does a group of assassins on his trail know all about his location to target him, leading to firefights on the streets of Washington?
With the clock ticking away to the unleashing of a potent, stealthy and unstoppable computer virus that can irredeemably cripple the cyber infrastructure on which the entire American society, economy and security rests, Duncan has to draw on some unlikely help to fulfill his oath to protect and preserve his country. But does he know who his friends and foes are?
The ingredients are all there for a story that may well be ripped from the headlines, and in the hands of former US President Bill Clinton, with his experience of the compulsions and intrigues of top political power, and best-selling author James Patterson, skilled in spell-binding storytelling, it seems to make for an unprecedented thriller.
But does it?
Not, exactly. For what can be a thrilling account of the nuances of facing the ultimate threat for any technologically advanced nation somehow never manages to quite get off the ground, for many reasons.
First of all, the title is misleading, for the President is never missing. Some close aides and his dedicated Secret Service detail do know where he is — as do his prospective assassins; and most of the story’s narration is from the point of view of Duncan himself, which rather robs the surprise element, since he is not too open with us.
This narrative style also does another disservice to the whole plot, as diligent readers will eventually discover.
The character of the President himself doesn’t hold much surprise — he is “fifty years old and rusty”, has “rugged good looks and a sharp sense of humour”, met his more intelligent wife in law school, and has an equally intelligent daughter, studying at the Sorbonne.
On the other hand, he has been a war hero too — from the first Gulf War — Governor of North Carolina, and, a bit confusingly, is a widower (psychoanalysts, take note) and came to power after some of his formidable rivals committed self-goals. And then, too many women in his administration — Vice President, Chief of Staff, Deputy Chief of Staff, FBI Director — which rather strains incredulity.
Then, behind the plot to “reboot the world” is Suliman Cindoruk, “the most dangerous and prolific cyberterrorist in the world”. He is “Turkish-born” but “not Muslim” and yet leads an organisation known as the Sons of Jihad — whose members include Slav Christians.
His prime weapon, the assassin known as Bach (from her favourite music while operating) is rather incongruous and a bit of a fanservice (she prefers to look sexy to be inconspicuous — “the tall, leggy, busty redhead, hiding in plain sight”).
Were all these not enough, Duncan’s plan to combat the virus — involving three heads of state/government, along with their experts — and his own contribution is frankly unbelievable as are the “revelations” about the real backers of the plot. And then Duncan’s final speech is Clinton’s unfinished agenda.
What works better are the moral dilemmas about innocent, collateral damage the President must face and ponder in real time while deciding anti-terror operations, the limitations of power, and the resentments of those in positions below what they aspire too/feel entitled too.
Good for a read — once, with not much expectations; overall, it is a disappointment from such a potentially promising pair of collaborators. Maybe Hillary Clinton should try something.
(Vikas Datta can be contacted at vikas.d@ians.in)
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Corporate, News
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama wave to the media before their talks at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi.
NEW DELHI — Chemistry between US President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was very much evident on Sunday with the Indian leader calling him by his first name more than once during their joint media interaction, according to PTI.
Obama displaying similar camaraderie in turn addressed the Indian leader as ‘Modi’ and referred to their personal relationship which they had been able to build “in a very brief amount of time”.
He told the media curious about the one-on-one talks they had in lawns of Hyderabad House, that the two leaders among other things compared how much sleep each of them gets.
“It turns out Modi is getting much less sleep than me. Of course, that is because he is still new. After he has been doing it for about six years, may be he will be able to get an extra hour,” the US leader joked, triggering smiles all around.
Modi said he believed that relations between countries depend less on “full stops and commas on papers” and more on relations between leaders. “How much they know each other, how is their chemistry, these are very important.”
“Barack and me have forged a friendship. There is openness with which we talk, we can talk comfortably over phone, joke with each other… This chemistry has not only brought me and Barack close or Washington and Delhi nearer but also the people of two countries. This personal chemistry matters a lot,” he said.
Before making his opening statement, Obama greeted people in Hindi, “Mera pyar bhara namaskar (my greetings with love)”. He also referred to their one-on-one talks over tea in Hyderabad House lawns as “chai pe charcha”, remarking that there should be more of it in Washington.
Nuclear Breakthrough
India and the US today reached a breakthrough on the stalled civil nuclear agreement by agreeing on commercial cooperation and decided to take defense cooperation to a new level including on upgrading domestic defense industry and advanced technologies.
The contours of the operationalization of the nuclear deal, which has been in limbo for the last more than six years, were not immediately available, although President Barack Obama described it as a “breakthrough”.
The deal on nuclear cooperation and other areas was clinched between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Obama after discussions spread over three hours at the delegation level as well as one-on-one chat besides a tete-a-tete on the lawns of the Hyderabad House reflecting the warm personal chemistry between the two leaders.
In his opening remarks at the joint media interaction, Modi disclosed that on the nuclear deal the two countries “are moving towards commercial cooperation, consistent with our law, our international obligations and technical and commercial viability.”
At the outset, both the leaders said they were committed to deepening relations between the two countries and the fact that Obama is the first US President to be the Chief Guest at the Republic Day celebrations and also the first to visit India twice were signs of the growing relations.
“In the last few months, I see new excitement and confidence in this relationship. I see renewed energy in our engagement. I thank you for your leadership and for setting the tone last September.
“The civil nuclear agreement was the centerpiece of our transformed relationship, which demonstrated new trust. It also created new economic opportunities and expanded our option for clean energy.
“In the course of the past four months, we have worked with a sense of purpose to move it forward. I am pleased that six years after we signed our bilateral agreement, we are moving towards commercial cooperation, consistent with our law, our international legal obligations, and technical and commercial viability,” Modi said.
It was not known how the two countries have overcome the issues of liability clause in the Civil Nuclear Damage Law over which the US reactor manufacturers have serious reservations.
The US is also believed to insisting on tracking fuel supplies, even from third countries, to the reactors their suppliers will be building in India. New Delhi is said to be opposing such a condition as being intrusive and would subject itself only to IAEA safeguards.
On the insurance liability clause, India has been telling the US that it will build a pool that will indemnify American reactor builders against liability in case of an accident.
“Today, we achieved a breakthrough on two issues that were holding up our ability to advance our civil nuclear cooperation and we are committed to moving towards full implementation,” Obama said in his remarks.
“This is an important step that shows how we can work together to elevate our relationship,” he said.
Modi said Obama has also assured him of strong US efforts in support of India’s full membership of the four international export control regimes at the earliest.
“Today, we have also decided to take our growing defense cooperation to a new level. We have agreed, in principle, to pursue co-development and co-production of specific advanced defense projects.
“These will help upgrade our domestic defense industry; and expand the manufacturing sector in India. We will also explore cooperation in other areas of advanced defense technologies,” he said.
On terrorism, the Prime Minister said it remains a principal global threat taking on a new character even as existing challenges persist.
“We agreed that we need a comprehensive global strategy and approach to combat with it. There should be no distinction between the terrorist groups. Every country must fulfill its commitments to eliminate terrorists safe havens and bring terrorists to justice,” he said.
Modi said the two countries will deepen their bilateral security cooperation against terrorist groups and further enhance counter-terrorism capabilities including in the area of technology.
Touching on regional cooperation, Modi said the two countries renewed their commitment to deepen cooperation to advance peace, stability, prosperity in Asia Pacific and Indian Ocean region which is critical for the future of the two countries and the world.
Modi said they also discussed working on how to help in the transformation of Afghanistan, apparently after complete withdrawal of the US troops.
Obama said both the countries are going to be strong and reliable partners for people of Afghanistan.
The two leaders said they have decided to scale up their economic relationship including holding talks in future on a bilateral investment treaty.
Modi said India and the US will also restart discussions on a social security agreement which is important for the hundreds of thousands of Indian professionals working in the US.
