Lee Fang's Blog

Less nonwhite students at Michigan, Feds reviewing Princeton for racial bias

Lee — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 18:04:26 EDT

One and a half application cycles after the state of Michigan banned the use of race in admissions, underrepresented minorities at the University of Michigan will make up 10.5 percent of the incoming freshman class, the Michigan Daily
reports. Last year, which was only partially affected by the ban, the number was 10.8 percent, down from the 2006's 12.6 percent. Always looking on the bright side, university officials are "delighted" that this year's decrease was not more drastic.

Princeton University said the Education Department broadened its investigation of possible discrimination against Asian-American applicants.
In 2006, federal officials began investigating a claim from a student that Princeton rejected him because of his race and national origin. The student, 19-year-old Jian Li, initially enrolled at Yale University and is now at Harvard. Princeton says it didn't discriminate against Mr. Li

In Defense of DINO Hunting

Lee — Thu, 08 May 2008 03:02:35 EDT

Thursday morning in the Wall Street Journal, Club For Growth head Pat Toomey has an oped ("In Defense of RINO Hunting") defending the success and legitimacy of his organizational's primary election efforts. For those unaware, Club For Growth is an ultra-conservative PAC with the goal of making the Republican Party even more rabidly anti-tax (for the rich) and friendly to the policies favorable to big business. The Club for Growth raises large amounts of money - both for right wing challengers to semi-moderate GOP incumbents, and for conservatives in competitive races with Democrats.

Though it is very difficult to seriously compare the expansion of the progressive movement and the transformation of the Democratic Party to the nefarious Club for Growth, some of the Toomey's rhetoric is interesting. After noting that the Republican establishment usually writes the CFG off as "stupid" (Tom Cole) and "wrong" (Newt Gingrich), Toomey makes a rather critical point:

Thus comes the demand for an uncompromising obeisance to the bottom line: Elect as many Republicans as possible, regardless of how they will vote once in office.

AsianAmerican group attacking Obama, emailing misinformation

Lee — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 19:20:42 EST

An e-mail campaign from the Asian American political organization called "80-20" has been circulating Asian American interest list servs and community e-mail lists. The text of this blog post is on the e-mail and it is sent from the founder of the organization and former Lt. Gov. of Delaware, S.B. Woo. The e-mail relates to a series of demands (they call it a questionnaire) 80-20 sent out to all the Presidential candidates asking them to either respond Yes to every question or face "defeat." Many of the claims within the e-mail are outright false while the entire premise and tone raises serious questions about 80-20.

Fox News launches pilot right wing 'Daily Show'

Lee — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 19:11:58 EST

We knew it was coming. Throughout last year, there were various reports that Fox News had an interest in promoting a conservative version of the Daily Show. Last June, MediaBistro.com blogged that conservative talk show host Laura Ingraham was rumored to be hosting the pilot. The tipster revealing the secret pilot described it as a "terrible rip off the Daily Show" and that the "writers and producers should be embarrassed to show this one to Roger [Ailes]."