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Home
July 6 - July 12, 2000
Home
POWs Waiting for Apologies
(in National News)
API Advisory Commission Visits S.F.
(in Bay Area News)
Asian Food Markets in the Bay Area
(in Business)
Lampo Leong's Forces • Contemplation
(in A&E)
Reasons to Celebrate
(in Opinion)
Asian Americans Celebrate Norm Mineta’s Nomination As Commerce Secretary
By Phil Tajitsu Nash and Wire Reports
Asian Americans across the country and across the political spectrum were ecstatic at President Clinton’s nomination last week of former San Jose mayor and Silicon Valley Congressman Norman Mineta as Secretary of Commerce. Mineta, who now serves as a senior executive at Lockheed Martin in Bethesda, Md., would be the first Asian American to serve as a leader of a presidential department.
“He brings an in-depth understanding of American business and a strong sense of the needs of our high-tech economy,” President Clinton said at an Oval Office announcement ceremony on June 29. “But he also has a deep concern for the people, for the people in places who are not yet fully participating in this economy.”
Mineta is expected to win strong support in the Senate. If confirmed he would succeed William Daley, who is stepping down July 15 to run Vice President Al Gore’s presidential campaign.
As Secretary of Commerce, Mineta would head the Department of Commerce (www.doc.gov), which includes 30,000 employees grouped into 16 major bureaus, services and offices. These include the Census Bureau, the International Trade Administration, National Weather Service and the Patent and Trademark Office. According to its mission statement, the Department of Commerce “promotes job creation, economic growth, sustainable development and improved living standards for all Americans by working in partnership with business, universities, communities and workers .”
Furthermore, his confirmation would leave only the Vice Presidency, the Presidency, and service as a Justice of the Supreme Court as top political positions that an American of Asian ancestry has not served.
“This has been a tremendous week in Asian American history,” said Daphne Kwok, Executive Director of the Organization of Chinese Americans. “The Asian American community is constantly talking about how we have to be at the table —now we have made it to the political table. Politically it raises the stakes for the next president. The pressure is on the next president to appoint the next Asian American cabinet position.
“For Asian Americans, it shows how important it is to be political. The Asian American community is totally thrilled because it couldn’t have happened to a more deserving person.”
California and National Democratic Party leaders such as Alicia Wang noted that, “The Clinton Administration has shown a commitment to appointing Asian Americans to high level organizations. Gore will only continue this [practice].”
Republican Asian Americans added their praises of Mineta, although they pointed out that President Clinton had an opportunity to “do the right thing” four years ago with Mineta, Berkeley Chancellor Tien, and others, but didn’t do so partly because of the 1996 fundraising scandal that implicated John Huang and other Asian Americans.
While not disparaging Mineta, they point out that President Clinton might be making the appointment in the heat of an election year.
“I think it’s a smart political move,” said former California Sate Treasurer and Republican Senate candidate Matt Fong. “It would certainly make a lot of Asian Americans very happy to see this Clinton appointment. Whether that translates to support for Al Gore remains to be seen.” Asked whether he has received any indication that Governor George W. Bush would appoint an API to his Cabinet, Fong said, “I have not received any indication about a potential cabinet position, and any speculation at this time is inappropriate and premature.”
The son of immigrants from Japan, Mineta said his nomination was a triumph of the American dream. “The substance of your actions…must never be underestimated or forgotten,” Mineta stated last Thursday. “Mr. President, you have the eternal gratitude of not just Japanese Americans or Asian Pacific Islanders but I believe every American.”
Born November 12, 1931 and raised a Japanese American in pre-World War II California, he was still a youngster when he and his family were interned at the Heart Mountain relocation camp in Wyoming. Even then, Mineta exhibited loyalty to the country his parents immigrated to: On the day he left for the camp, he proudly wore his all-American Cub Scout uniform.
Upon returning from camp, Mineta graduated from San Jose High School in 1949 and the University of California, Berkeley in 1953. After college, he served in the United States Army from 1953-56, and then went into the family’s insurance business.
One early influence on Mineta was Mike Masaoka, a leader of the Japanese American Citizen’s League and (JACL) and his future brother-in-law. Masaoka, who went on to serve as Washington representative for the JACL for decades, was courting Mineta’s older sister Etsu. During that time, leaders of the Japanese American community visited the Minetas and discussed the key issues of the day in the family’s parlor.
Although many early leaders of the JACL were moderate Republicans, including Masaoka, Mineta received support from politically-active Japanese Americans as a base for fund-raising and political contacts as he made his way up the Democratic party ladder.
Their cross-party support no doubt is one reason why he continues to be a leading non-partisan advocate for Asian American empowerment.
Mineta’s political career began in 1962 as a member of the San Jose Human Relations Commission. He served on the board of directors for the San Jose Housing Authority in 1966. In 1967, he was elected to the San Jose City Council and later served as mayor from 1971 to 1974. In 1974, Mineta was elected to the United States House of Representatives, rising to become chairman of the House Public Works and Transportation Committee in 1993, but then losing that title after Republicans won control of the House in 1994.
Throughout his career, Mineta has been a highly visible supporter of the API community. He had the vision to create and serve as first chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. And he presently serves as chairman and co-founder of the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (www.apaics.org), a private public-interest group that encourages education about and service in government affairs for Asian Pacific Americans. He was also was recently appointed by the president as chair of the Advisory Commission on Asian American and Pacific Islanders.
“Considering his long, outstanding public service career, there is nobody more deserving of the honor of being the first API Cabinet Officer. OCA applauds President Clinton for nominating a supremely qualified man, as well as for taking another giant leap forward in making his administration reflect the face of America,” said OCA president George Ong.
Democratic colleagues such as Daniel Inouye, Senator from Hawaii, added that, “Norm Mineta will be a great Secretary. As a friend, I’m very proud of him. As an American of Japanese ancestry, I’m most grateful to the President for this special recognition.”
As a legislator, Mineta is widely hailed for his decisive leadership on the Americans with Disabilities Act, bills that re-authorized the Voting Rights Act, and the bill that gave redress to Japanese American internees (the Civil Liberties Act of 1988).
During the announcement ceremony, Clinton noted that Mineta, leaving the internment camp after the war, “vowed to work to make sure that kind of injustice could never happen to anyone else.” Clinton added: “He never stopped fighting for justice.”
Besides civil rights, he was also the leader of efforts to build high-tech transportation systems. His handiwork was apparent in the 1991 transportation law, which included $660 million for research into intelligent highway systems. His reputation is held in such high regard that San Jose State University’s College of Business created the Norman Y. Mineta International Institute for Surface Transportation Policy Studies.
In 1995 Mineta resigned from Congress midterm to join Lockheed Martin, the nation’s largest defense contractor, as senior vice president of its transportation systems and services division. Although Lockheed Martin received $12.7 billion in defense contracts in fiscal year 1999, Mineta’s role was in helping the company lessen its dependence on a shrinking Pentagon pie. His company, Lockheed Martin IMS, builds and operates electronic toll collection systems designed to allow vehicles to go through booths without stopping.
Nevertheless, Mineta’s nomination has raised questions about how he would distance himself from decisions affecting his former company.
“Certainly there is the potential for conflict there,” said Charles Lewis, head of the Center for Public Integrity, a government watchdog group. “The question is how does he handle that potential. If he’s smart he will recuse himself for a period of time. The normal time is usually a year or two years although some have done even longer than that.”
In Mineta’s case, the Clinton administration will leave office in less than seven months. Along with ethical questions, the short tenure has left some wondering what Mineta could accomplish.
“I am encouraged by the appointment that we are being recognized,” said Marina Tse, Co Chair of Bush for Asian Americans. “But I don’t know how much he can do, unfortunately, since it’s only six months. It would have been better if the nomination was made four years ago.”
In his remarks, Mineta took issue with the notion that he would not have enough time in his job to make a difference. “Six months is a virtual eternity in the new economy,” Mineta said.
POWs Waiting for Apologies
(in National News)
API Advisory Commission Visits S.F.
(in Bay Area News)
Asian Food Markets in the Bay Area
(in Business)
Lampo Leong's Forces • Contemplation
(in A&E)
Reasons to Celebrate
(in Opinion)
Asian Americans Celebrate Norm Mineta’s Nomination As Commerce Secretary
| POWs Waiting for Apologies (in National News) API Advisory Commission Visits S.F. Asian Food Markets in the Bay Area Lampo Leong's Forces • Contemplation Reasons to Celebrate |
By Phil Tajitsu Nash and Wire Reports
Asian Americans across the country and across the political spectrum were ecstatic at President Clinton’s nomination last week of former San Jose mayor and Silicon Valley Congressman Norman Mineta as Secretary of Commerce. Mineta, who now serves as a senior executive at Lockheed Martin in Bethesda, Md., would be the first Asian American to serve as a leader of a presidential department.
“He brings an in-depth understanding of American business and a strong sense of the needs of our high-tech economy,” President Clinton said at an Oval Office announcement ceremony on June 29. “But he also has a deep concern for the people, for the people in places who are not yet fully participating in this economy.”
Mineta is expected to win strong support in the Senate. If confirmed he would succeed William Daley, who is stepping down July 15 to run Vice President Al Gore’s presidential campaign.
As Secretary of Commerce, Mineta would head the Department of Commerce (www.doc.gov), which includes 30,000 employees grouped into 16 major bureaus, services and offices. These include the Census Bureau, the International Trade Administration, National Weather Service and the Patent and Trademark Office. According to its mission statement, the Department of Commerce “promotes job creation, economic growth, sustainable development and improved living standards for all Americans by working in partnership with business, universities, communities and workers .”
Furthermore, his confirmation would leave only the Vice Presidency, the Presidency, and service as a Justice of the Supreme Court as top political positions that an American of Asian ancestry has not served.
“This has been a tremendous week in Asian American history,” said Daphne Kwok, Executive Director of the Organization of Chinese Americans. “The Asian American community is constantly talking about how we have to be at the table —now we have made it to the political table. Politically it raises the stakes for the next president. The pressure is on the next president to appoint the next Asian American cabinet position.
“For Asian Americans, it shows how important it is to be political. The Asian American community is totally thrilled because it couldn’t have happened to a more deserving person.”
California and National Democratic Party leaders such as Alicia Wang noted that, “The Clinton Administration has shown a commitment to appointing Asian Americans to high level organizations. Gore will only continue this [practice].”
Republican Asian Americans added their praises of Mineta, although they pointed out that President Clinton had an opportunity to “do the right thing” four years ago with Mineta, Berkeley Chancellor Tien, and others, but didn’t do so partly because of the 1996 fundraising scandal that implicated John Huang and other Asian Americans.
While not disparaging Mineta, they point out that President Clinton might be making the appointment in the heat of an election year.
“I think it’s a smart political move,” said former California Sate Treasurer and Republican Senate candidate Matt Fong. “It would certainly make a lot of Asian Americans very happy to see this Clinton appointment. Whether that translates to support for Al Gore remains to be seen.” Asked whether he has received any indication that Governor George W. Bush would appoint an API to his Cabinet, Fong said, “I have not received any indication about a potential cabinet position, and any speculation at this time is inappropriate and premature.”
The son of immigrants from Japan, Mineta said his nomination was a triumph of the American dream. “The substance of your actions…must never be underestimated or forgotten,” Mineta stated last Thursday. “Mr. President, you have the eternal gratitude of not just Japanese Americans or Asian Pacific Islanders but I believe every American.”
Born November 12, 1931 and raised a Japanese American in pre-World War II California, he was still a youngster when he and his family were interned at the Heart Mountain relocation camp in Wyoming. Even then, Mineta exhibited loyalty to the country his parents immigrated to: On the day he left for the camp, he proudly wore his all-American Cub Scout uniform.
Upon returning from camp, Mineta graduated from San Jose High School in 1949 and the University of California, Berkeley in 1953. After college, he served in the United States Army from 1953-56, and then went into the family’s insurance business.
One early influence on Mineta was Mike Masaoka, a leader of the Japanese American Citizen’s League and (JACL) and his future brother-in-law. Masaoka, who went on to serve as Washington representative for the JACL for decades, was courting Mineta’s older sister Etsu. During that time, leaders of the Japanese American community visited the Minetas and discussed the key issues of the day in the family’s parlor.
Although many early leaders of the JACL were moderate Republicans, including Masaoka, Mineta received support from politically-active Japanese Americans as a base for fund-raising and political contacts as he made his way up the Democratic party ladder.
Their cross-party support no doubt is one reason why he continues to be a leading non-partisan advocate for Asian American empowerment.
Mineta’s political career began in 1962 as a member of the San Jose Human Relations Commission. He served on the board of directors for the San Jose Housing Authority in 1966. In 1967, he was elected to the San Jose City Council and later served as mayor from 1971 to 1974. In 1974, Mineta was elected to the United States House of Representatives, rising to become chairman of the House Public Works and Transportation Committee in 1993, but then losing that title after Republicans won control of the House in 1994.
Throughout his career, Mineta has been a highly visible supporter of the API community. He had the vision to create and serve as first chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. And he presently serves as chairman and co-founder of the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (www.apaics.org), a private public-interest group that encourages education about and service in government affairs for Asian Pacific Americans. He was also was recently appointed by the president as chair of the Advisory Commission on Asian American and Pacific Islanders.
“Considering his long, outstanding public service career, there is nobody more deserving of the honor of being the first API Cabinet Officer. OCA applauds President Clinton for nominating a supremely qualified man, as well as for taking another giant leap forward in making his administration reflect the face of America,” said OCA president George Ong.
Democratic colleagues such as Daniel Inouye, Senator from Hawaii, added that, “Norm Mineta will be a great Secretary. As a friend, I’m very proud of him. As an American of Japanese ancestry, I’m most grateful to the President for this special recognition.”
As a legislator, Mineta is widely hailed for his decisive leadership on the Americans with Disabilities Act, bills that re-authorized the Voting Rights Act, and the bill that gave redress to Japanese American internees (the Civil Liberties Act of 1988).
During the announcement ceremony, Clinton noted that Mineta, leaving the internment camp after the war, “vowed to work to make sure that kind of injustice could never happen to anyone else.” Clinton added: “He never stopped fighting for justice.”
Besides civil rights, he was also the leader of efforts to build high-tech transportation systems. His handiwork was apparent in the 1991 transportation law, which included $660 million for research into intelligent highway systems. His reputation is held in such high regard that San Jose State University’s College of Business created the Norman Y. Mineta International Institute for Surface Transportation Policy Studies.
In 1995 Mineta resigned from Congress midterm to join Lockheed Martin, the nation’s largest defense contractor, as senior vice president of its transportation systems and services division. Although Lockheed Martin received $12.7 billion in defense contracts in fiscal year 1999, Mineta’s role was in helping the company lessen its dependence on a shrinking Pentagon pie. His company, Lockheed Martin IMS, builds and operates electronic toll collection systems designed to allow vehicles to go through booths without stopping.
Nevertheless, Mineta’s nomination has raised questions about how he would distance himself from decisions affecting his former company.
“Certainly there is the potential for conflict there,” said Charles Lewis, head of the Center for Public Integrity, a government watchdog group. “The question is how does he handle that potential. If he’s smart he will recuse himself for a period of time. The normal time is usually a year or two years although some have done even longer than that.”
In Mineta’s case, the Clinton administration will leave office in less than seven months. Along with ethical questions, the short tenure has left some wondering what Mineta could accomplish.
“I am encouraged by the appointment that we are being recognized,” said Marina Tse, Co Chair of Bush for Asian Americans. “But I don’t know how much he can do, unfortunately, since it’s only six months. It would have been better if the nomination was made four years ago.”
In his remarks, Mineta took issue with the notion that he would not have enough time in his job to make a difference. “Six months is a virtual eternity in the new economy,” Mineta said.
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