I don't think fast and solid demarcations b/w "Indians" and "South Asians" or even "Ist gens" v. "2nd gens" are particularly helpful. Most people probably vote along a spectrum - at one extreme you may have singe issue India voters, and, at the other, you have those who are not concerned about India at all. But the large middle is likely occupied by people who care about India to some degree, though its probably not their most important concern. In the shift towards the left in the days ahead, I think its very important to keep in mind that free market policy did contribute to lifting many, many people in the Third World, particularly in Asia, out of poverty. When looking at the world from a global perspective, that should matter, imo.

There is also a group called SouthAsians for McCain but they have less material on their website and they are really an Indian-American group

South Asians for Obama is largely Indian as well despite the best efforts of its organizers to find common ground. It's a fickle union, most religiously observant Pakistanis/Bangladeshis will return to the GOP (they supported Dubya in 2000)once the world settles down. Obama's carrot (i.e. aid to civil society, health & schools) and stick (i.e. hot pursuit of jiadis into Pakistani territory) is a hard pill to swallow for some. The narrative that many young Pakistani-Americans have chosen to adopt is that the radicalization of their society is entirely the fault of the US so they resent the "stick". While I reject the "South Asian" label and thank Dubya for the Indian nuke deal, I prefer Obama because I think that the "carrot" will make Pakistan a better neighbor over the long run. Especially considering the GOP can't resist making $$$ selling the Pakistanis gear that will never be used in the WoT.

My love is like
the juicy red apple.
crunchy and oh so perfect.
i am in bliss.

My love is like
the watercolor of an apple.
dreamy, wistful but not quite real.
i wish it were true.

My love is like
a dusty cardboard apple.
what the fuck do i do with a fake apple?
die bitch die.

moral: poop by another name smells just as nasty but it's important to be regular. so eat your fiber and drop your votebombs you pretty people you.

I don't think fast and solid demarcations b/w "Indians" and "South Asians" or even "Ist gens" v. "2nd gens" are particularly helpful. Most people probably vote along a spectrum - at one extreme you may have singe issue India voters, and, at the other, you have those who are not concerned about India at all. But the large middle is likely occupied by people who care about India to some degree, though its probably not their most important concern

You're assuming that the two terms are synonyms, or terms that vary only in terms of their emphasis on America. The starker difference between the terms is that one excludes Pakistani-Americans, Bangladeshi-Americans, Sri Lankan-Americans, etc. The two GOP groups have written off non-Indians in their message.

The two GOP groups have written off non-Indians in their message.

Yes. But, according to Razib, the other sub-groups comprise a grand total of 10% of South Asians - perhaps its a messaging decision. If anything, Obama has been much tougher on Pakistan than the GOP, though the GOP is far tougher on "radical Islam."

Agree with Ennis at #4. Words matter.

Agree with Ennis at #4. Words matter.

These class divides will only deepen. Fear and anxiety will probably get worse. And a strange kind of reactive populism, much worse than anything we have seen before, could be on the rise. Unless Mr. Obama can fashion a broad, inclusive appeal that extends the benefits of the creative economy to working and service economies, the bitterness he himself acknowledged, in a moment of candour, will grow deeper.

i see dark clowns in the horizon. it's hysterical.

i am against identity politics

Racism: You get penalized for not being white
Against identify politics: nobody should be penalized for not being white but everybody should be treated as if they were white. So you HAVE to take Sunday off even if you don't want it, and you don't get to take any other time off, even if you do. etc.
It also ignores the fact that we're not on a level playing field. So no efforts are made to correct racism, because that means putting "special" efforts for one group and not another. etc.

Khoof - I'm with you on the dark clowns, and I personally thought Richard Pryor was hysterial, but you and I don't see I-to-I with I and I on this matter.

So no efforts are made to correct racism, because that means putting "special" efforts for one group and not another. etc.

Actually I came across an interesting news which highlights an equally important (prob more) as choosing Obama or McCain. You have got only one day to make up your mind if you have not thought or heard about it before. There is going to be mini referendum on so called state propositions (156 totally) or ballot initiatives on a whole gamut of socio-economic issues in 36 states. Some of them are common to the debate issues amongst the presidential candidates but many propositions give the decisions to people at local/state level.

Here is a link to listing of various state propositions on which people will have to vote in 36 states.