Honorable Gov. Howard Dean:
The Indian American community would greatly appreciate your answers to the following questions. Your responses would be publicized widely to the community.
Question 1: There has been growing defense cooperation between the US and India. In recent years, it has taken the form of joint exercises, exchanges, lifting of import restrictions, etc. As President, would you support continuing this cooperation? (100 words)
Yes, I would. As President, I will strengthen America’s security and economic relationship with India in order to build regional security throughout Asia.
I support the enhanced defense cooperation and engagement that has developed between India and the U.S. in recent years. I will continue to support ongoing efforts designed to normalize US-Indian defense relations against the backdrop of our broad and mutual security goals.
India is also an important trading partner for the United States and has exhibited impressive economic dynamism in recent years. I support strong, enforceable trade agreements with India and will negotiate trade agreements that lead to a trade system bound by clear, continually improving rules. This means including common sense labor and environmental standards, which are necessary for a sustainable, mutually beneficial trade relationship that avoids both protectionism and destructive trade disputes. Trade should lead to improved standards of living for all Americans and also for our trading partners.
Question 2: As President, how would you balance the need of the American corporations to remain competitive by outsourcing back-office operations to countries like India with the concern of the American people with job losses at home? (100 words)
Question 3: In your opinion, what role should US play in resolving the India-Pakistan dispute on Kashmir? As President, would you put pressure on Pakistan to stop cross-border terrorism in Kashmir? (100 words)
I believe the U.S. should actively seek to prevent conflict between India and Pakistan by promoting understanding and fostering joint efforts towards cooperation between the neighbors. As President, I will work with Pakistan to clamp down on militant infiltration into Kashmir and will seek to move President Musharraf toward domestic and civil reform in Pakistan as an integral component of long-term stability in the region.
Question 4: Given its size and strategic importance, many have argued that India deserves to have a permanent seat in the Security Council. As President, would you support India’s case? (100 words)
I believe that in keeping with India’s importance in the world and its prominent role in the United Nations, and in preserving international peace and security, India should have a leadership role in the United Nations. But this question raises larger issues about overall inclusion, participation, and representation in the United Nations Security Council. These issues must be dealt with in a comprehensive manner, taking into consideration the unique roles that nations play in the international community. This is not a matter to be decided by the U.S. alone, and as President, I look forward to engaging in this dialogue with the other permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and India.
Question 5: The Patriot Act gives sweeping new powers of detention and surveillance to the Executive branch of government and law enforcement agencies, and deprives the government of judicial oversight to ensure that these law enforcement powers are not being abused. Indian Americans and other minority communities feel particularly vulnerable to the abuses of the Patriot Act. What is your opinion on this issue? As President, would you repeal provisions of the Patriot Act that have seriously undermined the civil liberties of American citizens and non-citizens? (100 words)
As President, I will devote myself to protecting Americans from terrorism. However, as we fight the war on terror, we must be vigilant in protecting civil rights and freedoms. The rule of law and due process must continue to be the hallmarks of our judicial system. There is no contradiction between protecting the country from terrorism and ensuring the protection of our basic freedoms every step of the way.
This Administration has unnecessarily compromised our freedoms in the name of fighting terrorism. While its overzealousness diminishes the rights of all Americans, it has taken its greatest toll on communities whose cooperation we need in the fight against terror. Policies that single out immigrants for special registration procedures and coercive interviews amount to ethnic and religious profiling. These tactics antagonize minority communities without enhancing security. The detention of thousands in secretive federal custody for weeks and months, sometimes without formal charges, is also unacceptable. And recently the Justice Department’s Inspector General identified credible allegations that detainees have suffered physical abuse in custody.
I am deeply troubled by some provisions in the USA Patriot Act, which was enacted in the wake of 9/11 without meaningful debate. The Act gives overly broad investigative and surveillance powers to the government and strips federal courts of their traditional authority to curb abuses of power by the executive branch. Now the Attorney General is seeking to supplement the Patriot Act with Patriot Act II, included in the Administration’s so-called “Victory Act” proposal. Rather than expanding the Patriot Act, we should reconsider the wisdom of the original bill.
Question 6: Post 9/11, there has been an increase in hate crimes towards Indian Americans and other minorities. As President, what would you do to reduce the incidence of such crimes? (100 words)
Crimes motivated by the victim’s race, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, and so on, are an affront to the core America values of tolerance and inclusion. As President, I will direct my Attorney General to vigorously prosecute federal hate crimes. In addition, I support enactment of the Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act to help states investigate and prosecute bias crimes. More generally, my administration will promote respect and understanding of different cultures and religions in American society, which is the best way to prevent hate crimes from occurring.
Question 7: As a growing community, which has many accomplishments, the Indian Americans feel grossly underrepresented in all branches of the government. Would role do you envisage for Indian Americans in your administration? Would you seek them out for senior positions? (100 words)
One of the things I admired about Bill Clinton is that he said he would build an administration that looks like America - and he did. But we can do even more. It's not enough for an administration to look like America. The real measure of progress is whether an administration genuinely represents and reflects our nation's wealth of diversity.
Not only will I appoint Indian Americans to my administration, but all my appointees - whether they are African American or Hispanic – Gujarati or Tamil - all will be men and women of conscience, talented individuals who will appreciate the immense diversity of your communities, who will understand your needs and interests, and who will give a voice to all Americans.
Question 8: Do you have any message for the India American community in the United States? (200 words)
I am running for President to restore the ideal of the American community. Whether you define community by geography, ethnicity, religion, or shared experience, our democracy is built on a foundation of mutual respect and equal opportunity for all our diverse populations.
For more than forty years, Indian American immigrants have made valuable contributions to our society. From the engineers and doctors of the 1960s and 1970s to the hospitality industry and high tech workers of the 1980s and 1990s – Indian Americans have helped to change the landscape of America for the better. Now is the time for the immigrant generation and the rapidly growing second generation to demonstrate their political might.
I hope we will remain engaged in a dialogue on these and many other issues over the course of my Presidential campaign. I encourage you to learn more about my candidacy at www.DeanForAmerica.com and www.aapifordean.com.
Jai Hind!
Question 9: How can the Indian American community get involved with you campaign? Who do we contact for this purpose? (100 words)
My campaign is built on a very simple premise: people, not politicians, are the key to changing our country. That is why I have worked to build the largest grassroots campaign in the history of modern politics. The key to this grassroots movement is engaging people who have, for too long, been left out of the process or chosen to remain uninvolved. To-date, almost 550,000 people have already joined my campaign to take back our country – and we are doing even more. In the coming weeks, grassroots volunteers will be launching Desis for Dean – a network of Indian American supporters who are organizing voter outreach, fundraising, volunteer activities, and more, specifically for the Indian American communities.
For more information about opportunities to get involved with my campaign, please contact:
