The American Dream Is Still Alive

While a lot of people are hoping that Governor Ron DeSantis will seek the Republican nomination for President against Donald Trump, I have found it interesting that among the first to actually announce they are in the race are two Indian Americans.

Former Governor Nikki Haley of South Carolina announced a month ago.

Last week Vivek Ramaswamy, a 37 year-old Harvard and Yale educated entrepreneur, announced he was also running for President.

Both Haley and Ramaswamy are first-generation children of immigrants from India.

It should not be surprising that Indian Americans are challenging for the highest political office in the land since they have long been the ethnic group with the highest annual household income per the American Community Survey completed by the U.S. Census Bureau (2013-2015).

Indian Americans had median incomes that are 79% higher than the average American and 67% more than White Americans.

In the 2019 Survey (the most recent), Indian Americans had increased their median household income to $126,700 compared to the overall population median of $65,700%---93% more.

Source: https://usafacts.org/articles/the-diverse-demographics-of-asian-americans/

Why are Indian Americans doing so well in an American society that we are told is stacked against people of color and immigrants?

70% of Indian American adults are college graduates compared to 28% for the overall population.

Many of those degrees are in higher paying STEM fields.

Nikki Haley's father has a PhD and was a college professor. Her mother earned a law degree in India and a Master's in the United States and was a public school teacher and later owned a local clothing store.

Vivek's father was an engineer for General Electric and his mother was a geriatric psychiatrist in Cincinnati, Ohio where Vivek was born and raised.

Indian Americans are hard working and industrious.

Those who are not in professional positions are often found in entrepreneurial endeavors where these attributes are valued.

For example, 60% of the hotels and motels in the United States are owned by Indian Americans.

Indian Americans are also significant owners of convenience stores and gas stations in the United States.

In many respects, these immigrants personify the American Dream.

Their children are taking the next step in pursuing political power.

Most people have heard of Nikki Haley who was the former Governor of South Carolina and Ambassador to the U.N. in the Trump administration.

Very few have heard of Vivek Ramaswamy.

He is running as a self-described "anti-woke" candidate.

Here is an example of Vivek's positions on some major issues.

Both Haley and Ramaswamy would have to be described as long shots at this point.

However, they both could fill unique niches in the race.

Haley could very well end up being the only female seeking the nomination unless Kristi Noem or Kari Lake decide to enter the race.

My guess is that Haley is positioning herself for a possible VP slot with this run.

Vivek's youth could introduce an interesting contrast to the older candidates.

Could Vivek find a way to connect with the under-40 voter who have heavily voted Democrat for the last 30 years?

Of course, I don't think many people realize that Ron DeSantis is only seven years older than Vivek and he has already been a Governor for four years and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for almost six years.

It appears to me that Vivek is running for President to enhance his personal brand and to better position himself for a future run for the Senate or Governor in Ohio.

Can Haley and Ramaswamy survive through the early debates and make it to the first primaries in 2024?

That is going to take money which might be difficult to raise running against Trump and DeSantis. Most of the traditional sources are going to be hard to tap.

However, the substantial wealth of the Indian American community (population of 4.5 million) may be able to sustain their efforts better than other candidates who face long odds in this race.

Of course, speaking of long odds, where else in the world would we see children of immigrants in the running to lead their nation?

I am happy to see both Haley and Ramaswamy in the race and how much it says in reaffirming that the American Dream is still very much alive today.