Monthly Archives: September 2020

How did I get here? My personal political evolution

I came to USA as a student in 1970 and became a naturalized citizen in 1986. One of my clearest memories of the process of becoming a US citizen is during the citizenship interview, the immigration officer asking me “Who is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court?” I had memorized names of Senators and Presidents and even Representatives, but never thought of the equally important third branch of our government. I answered “uh … Warren..?” and hesitated…. Should I say Earl (for Earl Warren) or Burger (for Warren Burger)? Fortunately, I picked the right one! 

I did not know much about American politics for many years, and very little about American history. Arriving here in the 70’s during the height of the Vietnam war, and seeing student riots on my campus, and then going through Watergate in my first few years in this country, you would think I should have known better, but I was not very political. I did not even bother to vote for many of my early years as a citizen. Like many first-generation immigrants, I was focused on the economic betterment of my family, to the neglect of civic duty, politics and many other aspects of life. I did well economically in this land of opportunity, but I now realize besides building a family and wealth, it’s important to speak up for what I believe in… it’s important to vote. 

Over time, I have learned the importance of making my voice heard, even if it is in the minority, and this blog is one small way to make up for lost time. There is no single seminal moment that caused this change in me, but a series of big and small events and experiences have made me realize the importance of voting. Perhaps the biggest realization came with the election of Mr. George W. Bush, who won the Presidency by the slimmest of margins. Local politics were revealed when I helped canvass votes for a neighbor running for city council, and did a fundraiser for my local congressman. And another big wakeup call was when my 8-year-old daughter wrote to President Clinton to stop the bombing in Iraq in February 1998.

Most of us are immigrants, whether 1st or 2nd or nth generation, and we all came to USA to find a better life. Some of us came for economic betterment, others for freedom of expression, still others to escape political repression. As citizens of USA, whether we were born here or naturalized, it’s up to us to help make the best of our great country. The most effective way we can do that is by choosing the best people to lead our country, whether that be for President, or the leaders in our local city council, and the way to choose is to vote!

Am I getting the best deal? Economic implications of voting

Like many of us, I spend many hours trying to get the “best deal” for major and minor purchases, such as TV’s, cars, financial services, groceries, etc. We all research the product or service for features that suit us best, and we try to pay the lowest price. 

Do you ever think about your taxes? Yes, I know, most of us hate to pay taxes, but we need the roads and schools and defense and other services these taxes buy for us. Shouldn’t we research these tax expenditures and get the “best deal” for our tax dollars?

About 25% of the money you earn in your lifetime will be paid as taxes – federal, state, property, sales and other taxes.[1] If you earn on average $50,000 per year, and you work from age 25 to retirement at age 65, you will have earned $2 million dollars in your lifetime, and you will have contributed $500,000 of your earnings to taxes. If your earnings average $100,000 per year, your tax contributions over 40 years of work will be $1 million dollars! (Likely more, as you will be in a higher tax bracket :). That’s probably far more than you will spend on any other major purchase, like a house or a car. Shouldn’t you spend at least a small portion of your time getting the “best deal” for your tax dollars?

The people you elect will spend your tax dollars. You determine the “best deal” for your hard-earned tax dollars by voting to elect those most aligned to your way of thinking. You have the power to decide what features you want in your government spending, and how much should be spent or saved, by voting for the right person. Spend a little time on google to research the issues, whether they involve how your local School Board chooses to spend money on lunches and computers, or your city on police training, or how the Federal Government spends money on defense, infrastructure, or healthcare. And spend a little time getting to know your candidates’ positions. Vote for the person you think will spend your tax dollars the way you would.

You can let your views be known to your elected officials, whether senators or city council, whether it was the candidate you voted for or the other party. It only takes a few minutes to email them. You will be surprised at how effective your voice can be, but first, you must elect the right people this November with your vote.

[1] Tax Policy Center. “Tax Policy Center Briefing Book.” May 2020 https://www.taxpolicycenter.org/briefing-book/how-do-us-taxes-compare-internationally .