In today’s segment we talk to 2 Filipino American representatives for both the Republican and Democratic parties, to discuss their support for their respective presidential candidates in the upcoming #November2020 #uspresidentialelections
First we have Mayor Ron Falconi, who was originally from Ohio, ran for Mayor of Brunswick in 2014 unopposed and was re-elected for a second term in 2017, also unopposed. He is the only Republican Filipino-American mayor who has been elected in the office of Ohio. He is one of 26 Asian American leaders appointed for the advisory committee of Trump’s re-election. For Falconi, it’s been a “thrilling and exciting” experience to be able to meet people who have the same political beliefs and are fighting for the same cause.
Being 1 of the 7 Fil-Ams who are part of the 26 APA advisors who are part of the campaign to re-elect President Trump, Falconi points out that this would be the most interesting campaign in modern history. He notes that the differences between the two presidential candidates (Trump and Biden) “could not be farther apart”. Falconi says Trump stands for a strong economy, America First Foreign Policy, border security, preserving the American history by protecting monuments, law and order, pro-life on abortion, pro-small business, and tax cuts.
According to Falconi, adversaries on the left have taken the death of George Floyd to a different level where they have started taking down statues along with the history of America. It is no longer about the death of George Floyd. We should see that almost all these big cities, with Democrat leaders leading the City will have problems trying to make cities safe again.
His comment on Trump being called a racist is that he doesn’t think it’s wrong to call out where the pandemic [virus] originated from, which was in China. “That’s just the truth there” – he added. According to Falconi, Trump has taken steps in the past to ensure that the disease is being contained while finding the best practices to keep people safe. All this and still making sure that the economy moves forward.
When Jannelle asked Falconi if he thinks the current President is still the best person to lead America – “Yes, he is the best person to lead America again. Republicans are very excited about voting to re-elect him in November.”
On the other hand, Atty Loida Lewis, who is a Filipino American lawyer and philanthropist, has played an active part in political campaigns since she was a young girl. She says she’s always had the social responsibility to fight for what is right.
She was active in Barrack Obama’s campaign, Noy Noy Aquino, Obama’s second term and recently for Hilary Clinton. Atty. Lewis finished her B.A. in Humanities from St. Theresa’s College of Quezon City and subsequently earned her Bachelor of Law from the University of the Philippines. She is the first Asian woman to pass the New York Bar. She had a major impact as an immigration lawyer especially in the rights of Filipino Immigrants in America. She served as CEO and Chair of TLC Beatrice International, after her husband passed away.
She thinks that government is important and the president is important. She says that “Whoever leads the country has an effect on our daily lives which a lot don’t realise.” She is doing primarily doing this for the future of her children and the United States. This is because she thinks that the current president is undoing all the things that America has achieved in the past 50 years.
When asked about what’s at stake in the coming US presidential election. Lewis notes that true freedom and democracy against a tyrant and demagogue, as well as justice in our criminal system and #BLM. She added that the slogan “Make America Great Again” is a code for “Make America White Again”.
Lewis knows that many of her generation of Filipinos who grew up in the Philippines are Conservative. She recognises that there is a form of racism in the Philippines too. She finds that It is difficult to convince Filipinos whose minds are only for pro-life as they fail to look at what the current president has done during this pandemic. She adds that he [Trump] is very irresponsible by calling it [Covid-19] a hoax and so many have died due to this. “The way he’s treating the migrants and people putting children in cages is not pro-life.”
Lewis goes on to explain the impetus behind the formation of the group FilAm 4 Biden. But her over all message to everyone is that it is important for Filipino Americans to gain knowledge by researching all the facts before voting.