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California -- The Next Great Hope for Conservatives?
Fox News ^ | November 17, 2009 | Christian Whiton + Greg Jenkins

Posted on 11/28/2009 8:55:42 AM PST by americanophile

Things are not just bad in the Golden State; they are appalling. -- California has fallen very far, very fast. Could the ground now be ripe for a conservative resurgence? Last week’s Republican victory in the New Jersey gubernatorial election shows that even states often reliable for Democrat victories can sometimes tire of liberal excess. Next November may bring a repeat of this in another state that ordinarily leans left: California. Prolonged liberal governance has brought California to the brink of abyss. The state is battered by high taxes, unemployment, deficits, hyper-regulation and a crumbling infrastructure. Its capital is dominated by Democrats, tempered modestly by a liberal Republican governor. But there may be reason for hope in the Golden State more than at any time in years.

It is easy to forget that California was once the leading edge of conservative progress. Taxes, hippies and a burgeoning welfare state in the 1960s and 70s gave rise to voters striking back through two terms of Ronald Reagan as governor and small-government laws like 1978’s Proposition 13, which curbed property taxes, and 1979’s Gann Limit, which capped the growth in state spending. The decade that followed was as prosperous for California as it was for the rest of America: aerospace, farming, technology and energy industries thrived, and the state’s population grew 26 percent to 30 million residents.

Today, California has fallen so far so fast that the ground could be ripe for a conservative resurgence—another generational pullback from the brink. Things are not just bad in the Golden State; they are appalling. And the state’s political class shows little sign of reticence or reserve even as the state has lurched further into the red.

California’s budget gap has been estimated at times this year to be as high as $60 billion.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: bankrupt; ca2010; california; conservatives; gopcomeback; government
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1 posted on 11/28/2009 8:55:42 AM PST by americanophile
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To: americanophile

If California is a “Great Hope” for Conservatives, then that spells disaster for the rest of the nation, because all the inmates will have left the asylum as it burns and infiltrated the rest of the nation.


2 posted on 11/28/2009 8:57:43 AM PST by Dan Nunn (Some of us are wise, some of us are otherwise. -The Great One)
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To: americanophile

California’s lost unless they get the illegals off the voter rolls. Any ballot measure that may help not only has to pass through a gauntlet before appearing on the ballot ,, it has to win twice ,, the voters and the 9th circus.


3 posted on 11/28/2009 8:58:34 AM PST by Neidermeyer
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To: americanophile

Not buying it. California hasn’t fallen far enough, and they won’t recognize it when they get there. The conservative areas (Central Valley and Orange/San Diego Counties) are too small to influence the rest of the state.....

hh


4 posted on 11/28/2009 8:58:48 AM PST by hoosier hick (Note to RINOs: We need a choice, not an echo....Barry Goldwater)
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To: americanophile

coulda, woulda, blah blah blah

Never will happen with the change in the demographics. CA has too many liberals and their minority underlings to ever embrace something other than Big Government.

What a tragedy....


5 posted on 11/28/2009 9:01:47 AM PST by misterrob (A society that burdens future generations with debt can not be considered moral or just)
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To: americanophile

Not with the likes of Carly Fiorina.


6 posted on 11/28/2009 9:03:34 AM PST by AdaGray (uw)
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To: americanophile
We have no conservative leadership.

We're overrun by liberals in most of the populated counties.

Public employees unions run Sacramento.

We're in the 9th district.

The only hope I see is if some of the Asian communites emerge as political powers.

After next year's amnesty bill, this issue will not arise again for 30 years. We're doomed to a bankrupt future financially, politically, and socially.

7 posted on 11/28/2009 9:05:21 AM PST by votemout
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To: misterrob
I agree. The rocks are still a ways below and California has not yet fallen far enough. They MUST smash themselves on the rocks before any meaningful change can take place. I expect that this will include a very high level of civil unrest.
8 posted on 11/28/2009 9:05:51 AM PST by 17th Miss Regt
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To: americanophile

I get sick and tired of folks writing off our largest and most prosperous state.

Save California or lose the republic. That’s my motto.


9 posted on 11/28/2009 9:06:30 AM PST by EternalVigilance ("No person shall be deprived of life without due process of law." - The U.S. Constitution (TWICE))
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To: americanophile

There will be no Conservtive resurgence till California implodes upon itself.


10 posted on 11/28/2009 9:08:31 AM PST by cranked
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To: americanophile

Obama and his gang will decide that California is a liability and cede it to Mexico.


11 posted on 11/28/2009 9:11:11 AM PST by Poincare
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To: americanophile

break the stranglehold unions , special interests and a complicit media have on the state voting populace and leftist-tilting legislature and it could get pretty interesting pretty quick out here.


12 posted on 11/28/2009 9:11:40 AM PST by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... Godspeed .. Monthly Donor Onboard .. May yur bandwidth exceed your girth)
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To: NormsRevenge

We’ll see where we are after redistricting, that could tell the tale.


13 posted on 11/28/2009 9:12:51 AM PST by americanophile (Sarcasm: satirical wit depending for its effect on bitter, caustic, and often ironic language.)
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To: votemout
The only hope I see is if some of the Asian communites emerge as political powers.

Why is that?

Except for Vietnamese, most of them voted Obama.

14 posted on 11/28/2009 9:14:42 AM PST by wardaddy (The movie Valkyrie was excellent...I was surprised. What a cast.)
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To: americanophile
Bankruptcy and the iron fist of foreign lenders will be necessary to start California on the long hard road out of the sewer.

International legal actions in NAFTA and similar courts (immune from California and 9th circus court shills) enforcing contracts with foreign businesses will force California out of the control of insane politicians.

15 posted on 11/28/2009 9:19:27 AM PST by Navy Patriot (Sarah and the Conservatives will rock your world.)
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To: americanophile

nope. California has not hit rock bottom yet, and even then, it will take a while to get rid of the libs in power.


16 posted on 11/28/2009 9:21:14 AM PST by Ancient Drive (DRINK COFFEE! - Do Stupid Things Faster with More Energy!)
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To: misterrob
“Never will happen with the change in the demographics. CA has too many liberals and their minority underlings to ever embrace something other than Big Government.”

Agree. California is counting on stimulus package money, perhaps the second one,for bailout money - and, guess what? They will get it. Sooo, there's no incentive for Cal’e residents to practice fiscal restrain. Spend baby, spend....

17 posted on 11/28/2009 9:23:14 AM PST by snoringbear (Government is the Pimp,)
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To: americanophile

California is too far gone for the GOP to make a serious run at it. Pick and choose house races that can be won. Otherwise, do not waste resources in California.


18 posted on 11/28/2009 9:26:01 AM PST by Buckeye Battle Cry (Enjoy nature - eat meat, wear fur and drive your car!)
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To: NormsRevenge
break the stranglehold unions , special interests and a complicit media have on the state voting populace and leftist-tilting legislature and it could get pretty interesting pretty quick out here.

The problem is the Demos understand that they cannot lose California. They will end up bailing out Cali until there are no more $$$ left.

So Cali gets it together on its own, or it goes down when the entire country does. Unless we fix the Federal financial situation we will not be able to fix Cali. The bottom line is the $$ do not exist at any level to pay for the commitments our government has made. We either get on some serious austerity program quickly or we face financial ruin.

Cali is just a chapter in the book.

schu

19 posted on 11/28/2009 9:27:23 AM PST by schu
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To: Buckeye Battle Cry

“California is too far gone for the GOP to make a serious run at it. Pick and choose house races that can be won. Otherwise, do not waste resources in California.”

Same thing was said about New Jersey, and now we have a pro-life governor. Even the average “liberal” voter only has so much tolerance for the public employees unions stealing out of their pocketbooks.


20 posted on 11/28/2009 9:33:38 AM PST by nj26 (Say NO to Socialism! Government is NOT the Answer.)
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To: americanophile

bookmark


21 posted on 11/28/2009 9:36:13 AM PST by GOP Poet (Obama is an OLYMPIC failure.)
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To: Neidermeyer

California’s lost unless they get the illegals off the voter rolls.


There in lies the problems. While many middle class folks may find wisdom, the Liberals and illegals will keep voting Democratic. The end result will be a transformation of California from golden land of opportunity to a fetid, crowded kleptocracy like.....Mexico! Sadly, Political Correctness will prevent the right lessons from being learned from this disaster.


22 posted on 11/28/2009 9:37:34 AM PST by rbg81 (DRAIN THE SWAMP!!)
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To: americanophile

Hasn’t Arnold ruined chances there?


23 posted on 11/28/2009 9:38:38 AM PST by Sybeck1 (Mmmm, Mmmm, Mmmm.......)
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To: americanophile

Thanks for this very humorous article. Kalifornia was a very different place back then and now the looters outnumber the responsible people. No chance in hell of a conservative agenda. The looters simply do not care about what is being done to the regular folks.


24 posted on 11/28/2009 9:41:54 AM PST by mad_as_he$$ (Beneath this mask there is an idea, Mr. Creedy, and ideas are bulletproof. V for victory)
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To: EternalVigilance
Kalifornia cannot be saved. Sorry not going to happen.
25 posted on 11/28/2009 9:42:57 AM PST by mad_as_he$$ (Beneath this mask there is an idea, Mr. Creedy, and ideas are bulletproof. V for victory)
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To: EternalVigilance
Kalifornia cannot be saved. Sorry not going to happen.
26 posted on 11/28/2009 9:42:57 AM PST by mad_as_he$$ (Beneath this mask there is an idea, Mr. Creedy, and ideas are bulletproof. V for victory)
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To: Sybeck1

He hasn’t helped.


27 posted on 11/28/2009 9:44:56 AM PST by americanophile (Sarcasm: satirical wit depending for its effect on bitter, caustic, and often ironic language.)
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To: mad_as_he$$

Sure it can. All that is lacking is the political will to do so.

Defeatism is a self-fulfilling prophecy.


28 posted on 11/28/2009 9:45:25 AM PST by EternalVigilance ("No person shall be deprived of life without due process of law." - The U.S. Constitution (TWICE))
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To: mad_as_he$$

“Thanks for this very humorous article. Kalifornia was a very different place back then and now the looters outnumber the responsible people. No chance in hell of a conservative agenda. The looters simply do not care about what is being done to the regular folks.”

One of the lessons from NJ is that the Democratic “machine” will weaken considerably when vote-buying and other corruption is exposed. As U.S. attorney, Christie launched a major offensive against vote-buying in Hudson County, NJ, which resulted in the prosecution of a majority of the local elected officials, and, drastically lower turnout for the November election.

If you take away the “walking money”, the free cigarettes, the “pay-to-play” government jobs, the “looters” may just not show up to vote. That sort of person only votes when there is something “in it” for them.


29 posted on 11/28/2009 9:47:22 AM PST by nj26 (Say NO to Socialism! Government is NOT the Answer.)
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To: rbg81; Neidermeyer

California’s lost unless they get the illegals off the voter rolls.
There in lies the problems. While many middle class folks may find wisdom, the Liberals and illegals will keep voting Democratic. The end result will be a transformation of California from golden land of opportunity to a fetid, crowded kleptocracy like.....Mexico! Sadly, Political Correctness will prevent the right lessons from being learned from this disaster. “

Indeed!

California Broke, Thanks Mexico
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2370681/posts

Leading countries of birth of new citizens were:{(California also has the largest # of Illegal aliens! over 3 million, not counting anchor babies)

Mexico (122,258), India (46,871), Philippines (38,830), China (33,134) and Vietnam (27,921)

Largest number of people naturalizing lived in:

California (181,684), New York (73,676) and Florida (54,563).

SOURCE: Office of Immigration Statistics, Department of Homeland Security
http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/WestVolusia/wvlHEAD03WEST012209.htm


30 posted on 11/28/2009 9:47:59 AM PST by AuntB (If Al Qaeda grew drugs & burned our forests instead of armed Mexican Cartels would anyone notice?)
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To: EternalVigilance

lol..I left in 1997 and took my businesses with me. I for told of the exact scenario that the State is in at this moment- even predicted the date. As i said in other posts the looters do not care and they outnumber the workers. Unless there is a mass extinction of looters overnight there will be no change.


31 posted on 11/28/2009 9:48:35 AM PST by mad_as_he$$ (Beneath this mask there is an idea, Mr. Creedy, and ideas are bulletproof. V for victory)
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To: nj26
Excellent point. The courts and the politicos will not even begin to let such and effort get started in Klifornia.
32 posted on 11/28/2009 9:49:55 AM PST by mad_as_he$$ (Beneath this mask there is an idea, Mr. Creedy, and ideas are bulletproof. V for victory)
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To: 17th Miss Regt

I agree. The rocks are still a ways below and California has not yet fallen far enough. They MUST smash themselves on the rocks before any meaningful change can take place. I expect that this will include a very high level of civil unrest.


I have to agree with you. I think that is our national course as well.


33 posted on 11/28/2009 9:59:40 AM PST by Psalm 144 (What did you think NEW WORLD ORDER meant? The Constitution? States' rights? Individual liberty?)
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To: mad_as_he$$

Unless there is a mass extinction of looters overnight there will be no change.


Which does happen from time to time.


34 posted on 11/28/2009 10:02:08 AM PST by Psalm 144 (What did you think NEW WORLD ORDER meant? The Constitution? States' rights? Individual liberty?)
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To: Psalm 144; mad_as_he$$
Unless there is a mass extinction of looters overnight there will be no change.

------------------------------------------------

Which does happen from time to time.

When and where has this happened before?

35 posted on 11/28/2009 10:27:51 AM PST by thecodont
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To: americanophile

I look at Cali as I see Atlanta. There is very little hope of saving either of them and I can’t imagine why anyone would even want to try and be voted into office. That is, unless, they are that corrupt that getting voted into office means garnering additional personal wealth from corrupt sources.


36 posted on 11/28/2009 10:35:42 AM PST by freeangel ( (free speech is only good until someone else doesn't like what you say))
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To: hoosier hick

Gotta agree. The koolaid drinkers run that state. There will have to be utter disaster along with starvation in the streets to change the political zeitgeist.


37 posted on 11/28/2009 11:04:39 AM PST by glorgau
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To: EternalVigilance

“I get sick and tired of folks writing off our largest and most prosperous state.

Save California or lose the republic. That’s my motto.”

“Sure it can. All that is lacking is the political will to do so.

Defeatism is a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

Please tell us your practical strategy for accomplishing this.

It’s a matter of triage, IMO: California cannot be saved. Economic, political and emotional resources are better allocated elsewhere. If by some miracle it seems not to have perished, but has turned a corner and is recovering, or if all other more hopeful cases are stabilized and recovering, then it will warrant some resources. Triage.


38 posted on 11/28/2009 11:16:38 AM PST by dagogo redux (A whiff of primitive spirits in the air, harbingers of an impending descent into the feral.)
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To: EternalVigilance
Save California or lose the republic. That’s my motto.

People who think the forces taking California down aren't also afflicting their own state are only fooling themselves.

They'll get to the same place as CA. It may just take a little longer, thats all.

39 posted on 11/28/2009 11:22:46 AM PST by skeeter
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To: freeangel

Well at least a Republican woman has hopes of becoming mayor of Atlanta. (don’t know how conservative she is), CA I hope the rest of the country doesn’t become YOU.


40 posted on 11/28/2009 12:26:27 PM PST by JSDude1 (www.wethepeopleindiana.org (Tea Party Member-Proud), www.travishankins.com (R- IN 09 2010!))
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To: thecodont

Unless there is a mass extinction of looters overnight there will be no change.


Which does happen from time to time.

When and where has this happened before?


Pretty much anywhere economies dropped to subsistence level, and irreconcileable factions needed the same resources.


41 posted on 11/28/2009 2:08:35 PM PST by Psalm 144 (What did you think NEW WORLD ORDER meant? The Constitution? States' rights? Individual liberty?)
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To: AdaGray
Or the likes of Steve Poizner.

-PJ

42 posted on 11/28/2009 2:20:17 PM PST by Political Junkie Too (Every child will be a natural born criminal until their parents add them to their health care plan.)
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To: americanophile

Mexifornia is hopeless; it belongs to the illegals now.


43 posted on 11/28/2009 4:01:40 PM PST by Trod Upon (Obama: Making the Carter malaise look good. Misery Index in 3...2...1)
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To: wardaddy
I see conservative values in the Filipinos I have contact with including some high up in the city of San Francisco.

I have alot of contact with Chinese and Koreans, same conservative values. Maybe their children will become more policitcal active and run for office.

Don't see many more options to get us out of this mess.

44 posted on 11/28/2009 7:04:18 PM PST by votemout
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To: votemout

that may be but voting stats don’t lie...I woulda figgered some Japanese to vote right wing too but alas


45 posted on 11/28/2009 8:07:35 PM PST by wardaddy (The movie Valkyrie was excellent...I was surprised. What a cast.)
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To: wardaddy

Please provide the voting stats for Chinese and Korean Americans.


46 posted on 11/29/2009 8:33:09 AM PST by votemout
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To: votemout; dixiechick2000; puroresu
You challenged my claim you go do the research. Don't be lazy. When I try to refute someone here I ALWAYS offer proof....or make something up that looks official../sarc

James Street , a southerner historian from the old days back before they all became Western Civ deconstructionists used to epilogue his books with a note to his detractors.

Something along the lines of “I don't make stuff up, if you think I'm wrong then you prove it”

Arrow respectfully shot in your direction.

PS: since I am feeling charitable on this God's morning here in Williamson county TN ...a bucolic place if ever there was one...think Cotswolds in the South...here is one link:

Asian Americans in L.A. County voted in record numbers in 2008, supported Obama

47 posted on 11/29/2009 9:33:10 AM PST by wardaddy (The movie Valkyrie was excellent...I was surprised. What a cast.)
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To: wardaddy

I presented an opinion based on some knowledge of the communities under discussion. You said it was wrong. I was asking you to be specific. When I get interested enough, I’ll research as I want. In the meantime, your comment has no more weight than mine.


48 posted on 11/29/2009 9:48:13 AM PST by votemout
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To: votemout
I gave you a link Mr Obtuse because I knew you would just talk.

Now you present one to bolster you surmisal.

Till then my proffer most certainly has more weight than your’s.

Since you are extra lazy here is another few to help you out.

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20090615-210616/Did-Asian-Americans-vote-for-Obama

http://www.racialicious.com/2009/11/11/the-growing-asian-american-vote/

http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=44144

http://www.hcs.harvard.edu/~perspy/2009/02/why-asian-americans-voted-for-obama/

http://www.asianamericansforobama.com/cnn-national-exit-polls

http://newsinitiative.org/story/2008/07/25/asians_shading_blue

http://www.indypressny.org/nycma/voices/347/series/O_1/

http://www.asian-nation.org/headlines/2008/11/14-exit-poll-statistics-about-obamas-victory/

Ok, now I've done your work for you. Go find me any proof that Obama carried any majority Chinese or Korean vote..anything. get off yer lazy butt and be a real freeper.

For some personal reason (are you Chinese?) you would like to believe that Asians are more conservative than they are....it's easy to feel that way mainly since they do favor strong traditional families, traditional women's roles and are anti-homosexual activism. But they have been trending more and more Democrat now for several cycles except the SE Asians who like the Cubans and a few other minorities vote (R). Most minorities identify the Democrats as the anti-white majority party which is easy to do given that whites are the vast bulk of the GOP...and in this age of “identity based politics with policies favoring anything minority”, Asians too fall for this siren call now.

Now...I will be waiting but if you are too lazy to find your own data then don't bug me.

49 posted on 11/29/2009 10:09:36 AM PST by wardaddy (The movie Valkyrie was excellent...I was surprised. What a cast.)
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To: votemout; wardaddy
Check paragraphs 6, 7, 8 and 9 of this. Vietnamese-Americans supported McCain over Obama 2:1. Filipino-Americans and Korean-Americans supported Obama but not with overwhelming margin. All other Asian-American groups supported Obama by wide, wide margins. Granted, this was about a month before the election, but it should be pretty representative.
50 posted on 11/29/2009 10:15:27 AM PST by SFConservative
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