Ro Khanna is hoping that they will not do any diligence, and vote for ACA 5. His real purpose for flipping on what he promised in 2014 maybe something else.
In November of 1996, California voters approved Proposition 209, a California State constitutional amendment, providing that government entities “shall not discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in the operation of public employment, public education, or public contracting.” (Cal. Const. Article 1, Section 31.)
It was March 2014, when the first attempt to repeal Proposition 209 was made by California State Senate proposition 5, and our esteemed Congressman, Ro Khanna, strongly opposed it!
Guess what? A few days ago, Congressman Ro Khanna changed his mind and now thinks that race, color, sex, national origin-based discrimination or preference to UC admissions, public jobs, and public contract awards is the right thing to do.
The truth is that Affirmative Action Programs, started by John F. Kennedy in 1961, were designed to ensure that no prime federal contractors discriminated against sub-prime contractors based on race, color, sex, and national origin.
Published on “Opportunity for all coalition” blog site, representative Khanna said, “As a proud member of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, I wholeheartedly endorse ACA 5 — because every single Californian stands to benefit from affirmative action and equal opportunity programs, programs that have never been more critical than they are today[1].”
He continued, “Make no mistake: Proposition 209 was authored by Wall-Street-backed interests who felt threatened by an increasingly diverse California, so they put a thumb on the scale for their own businesses. This hurt countless California communities — very much including my AAPI community. Our enrollment in the UC system has suffered; our ability to build strong businesses has been hamstrung; our ability to secure good-paying jobs has been undercut. Anyone who says anything different is misrepresenting the facts — because AAPI Californians will benefit from ACA 5, period.”
“Lastly,” Rep. Khanna stated, “a generation has passed since Proposition 209 became law in 1996. ACA 5 will give millions of Californians their first opportunity to raise their voice and demand equal opportunity. I’m proud to support this bill, and I will do everything I can to ensure it passes the Legislature and becomes law with a win on Election Day.”
Congressman Ro Khanna has really lost touch with the community of the 17th district. He falsely claims that it benefits Asian, Indian, and Pacific Islander communities. Truth is that it benefits only untrustworthy politicians like him, and others who have opposed it. It was legally challenged three times and lost. The lies perpetrated by Ro Khanna, in his statements above, are unbelievably devious. He is misleading the Asian community with false information that they are being hurt by Proposition 209. He is hoping that they will not do any diligence, and vote for ACA 5. His real purpose for flipping on what he promised in 2014 maybe something else.
Truth is that, under existing law, the University of California takes account of each individual applicant’s personal story and achievements. Is this student the first in her or his family to go to college? What is the family income level? How many students from an applicant’s high school have gone to college? All these factors above are considered, just not a race, color, sex, and national origin!
Outreach programs to include small businesses, disadvantaged businesses, first-time businesses, minority-owned businesses, is totally fine under Proposition 209, as long as all are approached equally, not just targeted to one category.
The results of the current system have not been unfair. Here are the enrollment rates, by race, the year before UC was ordered to stop considering race, and today: African Americans (3.7 percent then, 3.87 percent now); Latino Americans (13.4 percent then, 25.45 percent now); Asian Americans (36.1 percent then, 39.72 percent now), Caucasian Americans (38.4 percent then, 19.29 percent now).
In other words, the rising percentage of Latino Americans graduating from California’s high schools has been matched by the rising percentage in their admission to UC, and the drop in Caucasian Americans’ percentage of California’s high schools has registered in their drop-in UC enrollments. The other races stayed about the same. These numbers do not call out for Racist Affirmative Action Programs endorsed by Ro Khanna.
In public jobs, blacks are already at about 20%. It is 30% higher than their population proportion. ACA 5 actually might actually hurt them. The truth is that Affirmative Action Programs, started by John F. Kennedy in 1961, were designed to ensure that no prime federal contractors discriminated against sub-prime contractors based on race, color, sex, and national origin. There was never any intention for quotas, set-asides, etc.
Outreach programs to include small businesses, disadvantaged businesses, first-time businesses, minority-owned businesses, is totally fine under Proposition 209, as long as all are approached equally, not just targeted to one category. That is why Proposition 209 is fair and must stay, and ACA 5 must be defeated.
Congressman Ro Khanna is the one misrepresenting the facts and lying to you when he says that the AAPI community has been suffering in getting fair enrollment in the UC system, in getting good-paying jobs, hamstrung informing businesses, and that Wall Street is involved in Proposition 209. He has some hidden ulterior motives, which are not clear.
Truth is exactly the opposite. Children of hardworking AAPI and other communities will suffer, as they will be stripped of fair competition to enter the UC System for higher education. They will either have to go out of state or private universities that will cost 2-3 times more. The quality and standard of the UC system will decline.
We can not trust Ro Khanna, or the state elected people who are supporting ACA 5. They completely misrepresent the facts and lie to get your votes. Let’s vote them out this November! We need honest and responsible representatives. We deserve better!
One-click email to all finance committee members + some senators:
http://email-appropriations.noaca5.org
One-click email to all representatives of your constituency:
http://email-representatives.noaca5.org
Please oppose and Stop ACA 5. Let us together help children of all races, color, and ethnicity learn better, and prepare them to compete vigorously at national and international levels. That would be a real gift to our society, not a debilitating quota system!
Note:
1. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PGurus.
References:
[1] Support Grows for ACA 5 – May 28, 2020, Opportunity For All Coalition
Serial entrepreneur for 30 years
Founder of Berkeley Networks, Netcontinuum, Saset healthcare
Honestly, i am more concerned with college and what it means for our youth. If students like Shreeya Singh are our Ivy League representatives then why are we aiming for those colleges? With no sense of ‘our’ history, these students are incapable of representing us and in many ways easily manipulated by the other side to push an agenda. I seriously doubt that Ms Singh has read a biography of Guru Tej Bahadur or looked into india’s history from years 1000-1800.
I believe that Congressman Ro Khanna has failed the expectations. It’s time that the community comes together to choose Ritesh Tandon, who is accessible and will provide appropriate consideration to our voices in DC.
Good article Sir. Mr Ro Khanna has been kidnapped by anti India forces in CA and in Washington. He has not taken any stand that supports India in its disputes with Pakistan and China. His strong supporters have been people from Pakistan and Sikhs who demand a separate Khalistan! He never talks about bonds between the strongest democracy and the largest democracies in the world. Mr Khanna might have been born in this country and has no feelings towards Hindustan and its great legacy for all Sanathan dharams. I am sure his parents and grand parents will have relations with Hindustan. At this time we need a strong candidate with IndoAmerican heritage to represent Sanjose and neighbor hood in US congress. Mr Ritesh Tandon is committed to bring US India closer and closer for mutual benefits. As many Japanese and Korean companies are moving to India and as President has great camaraderie with PM ModiG. we need a candidate who can help both USA and India. long live US India bonds of friendship and cooperation. Dear Friends in Bay area.please support Mr Ritesh Tandon. He will make you feel proud.
We need an article on who to support for the November elections. And we need to do our homework and ask questions ON THE RECORD about how candidates will vote on issues. Being Indian origin isn’t enough for us to support candidates.
Watch the sham sharma show for some current views on candidates.
Ritesh is against ACA5. He believes in a fair chance for everyone and Merit-based admission. The key focus is K-12 Education and due to Union Teachers are not working hard. These unions support Democrats, so Democrats don’t do anything.