John Yoo: Why Aren’t Asians Republicans?

I’ve enjoyed the thought-provoking posts on why Asian Americans went for Obama in such large numbers — at 70 percent, more than any other ethnic group aside from African Americans. My AEI colleague Charles Murray makes some excellent points, as do Rob Long and Ricochet member TheSophist, who sounds like he was separated at birth from me. In fact, having spent some time talking with Norman Podhoretz, author of the excellent Why are Jews Liberals?, on the National Review cruise, I’ve been inspired to write a book on Asians and politics. Taking off on Norman’s book, I may perhaps call it “Are Asians Liberals?”

To me, the similarities between Jews and Asians are compelling. Both have higher incomes and educational levels than the average American. Both hail from a number of different countries and often emigrated here with high amounts of human capital but low levels of material capital. Both come from cultures — despite the broad definition of Asian — that respect and prize scholarship and intellectuals.

 Both are discriminated against — unconstitutionally, in my view — in college and university admissions, and once, no doubt, in government hiring and contracting. Both prize family values and seem to be more religious than the average voter.

Continue Reading → http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/334436/why-arent-asians-republicans-john-yoo#