"I want an American President to be a leader and not merely a politician," quite a punch from a young leader, father, and career man.
Emiljun "EJ" Rapada is one of such rare breed of men who can multi-task. He who works in a manufacturing company in New Jersey, dotes on his three young children Eliana, Evana, and Elie, makes time to his wife Kristine, and manages an organization as Board Secretary to the family based organization Filipino American Community in America (FICA) New Jersey Chapter. He is also the Secretary of the Federation of Philippine Societies of NJ (FOPSNJ).As a leader, he believes in serving with unconditional love.
He graduated BS Computer Engineering and Masters in Public Administration and lives in Elizabeth, New Jersey with his family.
EJ shares with OSM! his political views on the current issues, and positive choices Gov. Mitt Romney to be America's next president.
Excerpts:
1. Why do you believe that Gov. Romney should be the next US President? What difference could he make?
My answer is based solely on the records of Governor Romney during his term and President Obama for the past four years.
The first that comes to my mind is the economy. Unemployment in October inched slightly higher to 7.9% and recovery is very slow compared to previous recessions. The value of the dollar is not coping with the increases in prices of basic provisions. Gas is pegged to more than $4 a gallon which is a 100% increased compared to 4 years ago.
I believe some of the economic policies of this current administration are poor because of the results that we are experiencing right now especially to the middle class. Pres Obama made a lot of promises 4 years ago but did not deliver the real economic recovery.
A study by Phil Gramm and Glenn Hubbard found that "Fifty-three months after the start of the 2007-2009 recession, employment in the United States is still down four million jobs, or 2.7 percent lower than when the recession began. The labor-force participation rate has dropped to 63.8 percent from 66 percent, as discouraged workers have exited the labor market. Real per capita GDP has declined by $964, and is 2.2 percent lower today than when the recession began."
I am very frustrated and eyeing for a better alternative because I don't want to live another four years of economic mismanagement and poor choices.
I am sure Gov. Romney can bring recovery and I want to bet on him because of his experiences as a businessman and governor of Massachusetts. Also, because he believes in small government, and plans to lowering taxes and cutting the federal deficit to balance the budget, which Pres. Obama promised to do the same before becoming President but actually increased the federal deficit to around 5 trillion dollars in just 4 years.
2. Didn't you think that Gov. Romney was isolating himself from the 47 million Americans who have entitlement benefits?
I prefer recovery than dependency.
America is now a country of entitlements as 47 million Americans are greatly depending on the government and is surely creating financial and social problems. I personally know someone who did not want to go back to the labor force after being terminated because of the extended and expanded government benefits.
Of course, to those who genuinely need temporary support while looking for a job or transitioning from unexpected challenges is morally acceptable but to those who plan to depend on the government is very irresponsible and unacceptable. The US government's public debt is now larger than the size of the economy.
3. As a young leader in the community, do you think the Asian American youth share this view? Why?Asian Americans are hard workers and take pride in our accomplishments. Fil-Am youths are very creative and competitive and if given the opportunity can manage to succeed despite the odds along the way. If the playing field is fair and resources are plenty then I don't see any reason why Asian Americans could not be successful here in America.
But if the government says that what you built is not yours and that your financial success should be equally distributed (by being taxed higher) to those who do not equally give their all is not empowering but rather creating a destructive social norm.
Through this perspective, I believe Asian Americans share the same view and so with other ethnic groups.
4. Why do you think Pres. Obama doesn't deserve reelection?
I want an American President to be a leader and not merely a politician.
President Obama's record of the past four years is an indictment of a poor decision making. The economy as the first obvious result of such bad decisions. Stubbornly high unemployment, huge federal deficits, trillion-dollar entitlement programs, downgraded credit rating and so on. Even foreign policies such as the latest controversy on the Benghazi Attack blaming it to a video is certainly a result of poor decision making.
Moreover, the transforming or even damaging of traditional American values such as the sanctity of life, institution of marriage and the freedom of faith and speech which makes this country great as well as the the lost of the 'puritan spirit' which is the foundation of American democracy becoming vulnerable is definitely not moving to the right direction.
5. What major concerns do the youth and young entrepreneurs have today? How should government support these?
As we heard from the past three presidential debates, entrepreneurs are indeed in big trouble if President Obama is to win another term. He made it clear that higher taxes will be imposed to successful individuals (sole proprietors) and partnerships (corporations) in order to fund a big government takeover.
For the past 4 years, the President enacted numerous business regulations more than his predecessors which give rise to higher cost of doing business in America. One of the biggest challenges of business owners is to conform with regulations especially on health care, banks and environment which may result to lesser hiring and fewer job generators.
To add insult to injury, he even suggested that successful businessmen did not build their own business because they are smart or work hard but owe their success to somebody else. This is offensive and demeaning to hardworking American entrepreneurs and foreign investors.
6. How should America maintain its power as world leader in the community of nations?
In order for America to maintain its power, it should:
a) Keep her firm reliance to the Divine Providence (God and its Christian foundation);
b) Respect and protect her people from their unalienable rights to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.
c) Keep her entrepreneurship (free enterprise) vibrant and friendly to local and foreign investors;
d) Keep her strong military that pursues and protects democracy (freedom of religion and speech) in the world; and
e) Keep her strong economy (debt free);
Therefore, the American people should ensure that the government is always in check, by making sure (properly electing) those who serve have the right motivation. Finally Proverbs 28:2 (NLT) states that "When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily; but with honest, sensible leaders there is stability.”
Great interview & very inspiring to hear a one of the strong voices in today's youth!
ReplyDeleteI just have to speak out about one point in particular: "To add insult to injury, he even suggested that successful businessmen did not build their own business because they are smart or work hard but owe their success to somebody else. This is offensive and demeaning to hardworking American entrepreneurs and foreign investors."
This statement is neither offensive nor demeaning, this is the truth. In fact, this notion is not originally his, it was actually borrowed from the courageous Senator Elizabeth Warren.
As a businesswoman who is balancing school, family/home & work; & as a daughter of another hardworking businesswoman who is also a single mother to 5 kids, I agree that we, let me speak for myself, I owe my success to somebody else--a whole lot of "somebody else's." From the people picking the weevils of the cotton, the cotton harvesters, the factory workers, the manufacturers, those who make the tags, people in charge of packaging & on-time transportation, the people who load & drive the vehicles, the people who built & maintain the roads, the artists, the retailers, the press, the web servers & hosts, the customers & other entrepreneurs like me, the IOU list just keep going...
Without everyone else's hard work, without the community & other people's support, without God's grace, my business is nothing & I am only a person with an idea or a hobby. I owe my success to everybody else & there is no shame in admitting that, I am very grateful. That said, we can all agree to disagree & still coexist peacefully, united in our essential goals as human beings. All the best & please vote responsibly.
Thank you Shanna for taking time for sharing this thoughtful view. Best wishes to you and the Fil-Am youth! We truly need sensible and well-spoken young people these day. Keep up your entrepreneurial spirit!
ReplyDeleteIt's good to see a young man like Mr. Rapada engaged in politics. I would like to suggest on the eve of this critical election that he take another look at President Obama especially as he watches him work with Gov Christie to help the people hit by Hurricane Sandy. President Obama is a man of faith, driven by the conviction that with public office comes responsibility for the well-being of people. This is the antithesis of Gov. Romney's pursuit of individual success and wealth, often at the expense of poorer working people. Shanna has placed the conversation about the debt we owe others for our success in the right context. As a businesswoman, faculty member at the University of Hawaii-- and an often dissenting Catholic, I write about the intersection of culture, politics and faith and would welcome your comments --and the comments of anyone else in this forum.
ReplyDeleteI inadvertently attached a Children's poem I had written in the comment I just posted. Please delete the poem or let me edit my comment. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteIts true that "No man is an island". We exist and co-exist with one another. We need each other to survive. But in a business realm, there are producers, consumers and a host of logistics in between. The people who helped us in our business have their own personal vested interests - which is the money in exchange of their products and services (its business for them as well and not volunteer or charitable work). Its mutual relationships. Will i thank them? Of course, especially my costumers and patrons. But will they thank me too? I believe so. I hope we are getting the point here. BUT a president of a country whose economy is so fragile and depends vastly on its free enterprise has no right to tell me that someone else's make my company successful (or a failure). I make the choices, i decide how to go about it, i work my ass to become successful. And nobody can say otherwise.
ReplyDeleteAs a student, even if the school provides the best teacher, the most advanced and cutting edge technology and the best environment if the student will not determine to study will be a failure. Bottomline, its my personal conviction and taking responsibility that matters most. And that defines success and failure or blessing and curse.
Have a blessed day and again let us pray for God's wisdom when casting our votes tomorrow.
If President Obama is thinking that what he has done after Hurricane Sandy is a good politics then he is utterly wrong and so is freecatholic808 if that is what she is suggesting. I think this is his job representing the government of the people. Again, a president should be a LEADER and not a POLITICIAN.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, 4 years is long enough for him to show me what he is capable of. Honestly, i was not better off from 4 years ago. Its time to pass the baton and let others do a better job in fixing this economy.
Peace be with you my fellow Catholic sister.
thank you so much for all your well-thought and decent remarks.
ReplyDeletethank you so much for sharing your thoughts, madame. keep the discussion coming. it is what we need for progress.
ReplyDeleteTop economists of our country, of the world & before our time have asserted that it takes 10 years for an economy to recover. We may not be where we want to be but we are in the direction we need to go. Our economy was losing 800,000 jobs a year in the past administration, albeit slow & could afford urgency + A LOT of improvement, that changed course in Obama's administration. The president has loads of work to do & he's been blessed with a second term to advance America before he passes on leadership to the next group of people. My heart & prayers goes out to those who are still in hardship. I do have to say thank you, however, even if there are challenges at hand, my family is so much better than it was 4 years ago when we were losing our house to due to foreclosure & now we can rest assured our son can be in our health insurance until he turns 27yo, women employees will get equal pay, no friends have to self-deport & seniors in our family do not have to deal with vouchers with their doctors. If we can't support the government, we owe it to ourselves & our neighbors not be a negative obstruction.
ReplyDelete