By Sujeet Rajan
NEW YORK, July 3, 2024 – Indian American technology entrepreneur Vinson Xavier Palathingal was named by President Donald Trump as a member of the President’s Export Council, in 2020. He was initially a Democrat, but in 2016, turned to the Republican party.
The winner of the SBA Small Business Exporter of the Year award in 2013, Palathingal has vast experience with engineering and technology industries over the last three decades ranging from buildings and road construction to block chains and artificial intelligence.
In 2015, he started the Indo-American Center, a free-market think tank spreading the message of liberty and small government ideals in both India and the US. He was also a member of the State Central Committee of the Republican Party of Virginia, 2020-2021, and Member, Lee County, Florida, Republican Executive Committee, 2023.
In an interview to India Overseas Report, Palathingal said he was attracted to President Trump’s proactive and commonsense “America First” action plan and became a Trump supporter in early 2016. He firmly believes in “boldly correcting past omissions and mistakes of American politicians to reinvent the concept of American exceptionalism.” The role of the politicians in leading the American recovery from a broken domestic manufacturing, a failed immigration system, a fragile foreign policy, indoctrination of children with the woke ideology, and massive and unproductive government spending is more than ever, he explained in the interview.
Excerpts from the interview:
What are the factors that prompted you to become a Republican?
Growing up in Kerala, India, the first significant province in the world where communists came to power through the ballot, I have seen how centrally planned socialist economies fail the common man by limiting opportunities and promoting significant government dependencies. I was never a fan of the distribution of wealth philosophy from the get-go. However, I wasn’t exposed to alternative thought. Both political fronts in Kerala shared socialism as their motto and big government as their solution to get there. The only difference was that the Marxist Communist Party had accepted even physical violence too as part of their political maneuvering and as a tool to silence the opposition. American life only exposed me to the philosophy of liberties, limited government, respect for private enterprise, serial entrepreneurship, and easy credit availability.
As a student in India, I was instrumental in organizing students against communist advocates who dominated the campuses through violent and terror tactics. I also witnessed how minority and religious appeasement and pandering policies of various socialist parties in India were a disaster for the majority and minorities alike. Upon arrival in the US as a master’s student, I was excited to experience the free market capitalist economy, where the rule of law and the protection of property rights are foundations for freedom, justice, and security. Still, I have to admit that I have not made significant efforts to understand the ideological difference between the political parties, the Democrats and the Republicans, in the first 10 years in this country.
When President George W. Bush went to war with Iraq in 2003, deceiving the American public by floating the non-existing WMDs of Saddam Hussein as a reason, I was very furious. I started losing faith in the American system, and I understood that the US government could also be a partner in corrupt deal-making for personal gains, even when such pursuits diminish national security.
Ironically, 2003 was the year I became an American citizen! 2004 was the first presidential election after I became a citizen. Watching the 2001 vote count fiasco, I thought it was unfair to decide this country’s presidency by the Supreme Court because there was not enough time to count all the votes. I was also frustrated with Bush-Cheny’s illegal war America was waging for the personal monetary gains of many. I realized my conscience wouldn’t allow me to support President Bush at any cost. All the elders in the Indian community that I am aware of too were supporting Democrats. Against the backdrop of all of these, and since I was not educated enough to make a better decision, I also decided to vote for the Democrat nominee.
One other thing that I was not happy about in America was the racial tensions that flared up from time to time in various parts of the country. I always remembered African Americans with a deep sense of gratitude. We all see immigrants becoming highly successful in this country. But we were able to build our successes because the parents and grandparents of African Americans made our paths and kept it all ready for us when we came. They toiled on this soil, shed blood, gave lives, suffered big time, but endured, and opened up the gates for all of us to come and enjoy the fruits of their suffering. I feel outright irresponsible and ungrateful to enjoy our American Dream when some children and grandchildren of those who prepared the way for us and made our paths straight are still suffering prejudices and injustices. This is especially true when many of them are still trapped in the vicious cycle of dependency created and maintained by unscrupulous politicians who only care for their votes.
I firmly believe that “change” is long overdue. We are all one American people. There is no reason to have all these color labels when dealing with serious issues. High achievement happens when all the resources and ingredients are in place and the same for everyone. If those opportunities are available to all, which I felt they were, why do we have such persistent inequality in the system? I hoped a capable, unifying black president might someday solve America’s race problems.
In the middle of a busy life with hands full of responsibilities from work, family, and community, I still never bothered about state and local elections as they came and went. The presidential election is the only political thing I paid attention to. In the 2008 presidential election, I heard President Clinton’s wife, Hillary Clinton, was a candidate. Growing up in India, when the Nehru family pretty much controlled almost the entire period of my Indian citizenship, I was against dynasties in democracy. While being so frustrated with the Bush-Cheney Iraq war, so much against the family rule, and still so ignorant about the fundamental differences between the parties, there was no wonder I fell in love with the young and charismatic speaker and anti-war candidate Barack Obama. Obama said “hope & change” is what he stands for. I didn’t bother to ask ‘hope’ for what and ‘change’ in what direction. I have knocked on doors for him and even hosted meetings for his volunteers. If I ever knew that his economic philosophy was the distribution of wealth, taking from the rich and giving to the poor, I would have never supported him. I ran away from such philosophy from Kerala, and to support it, here again, should be foolish. But that is precisely what I did!
Obama won big and started showing his true philosophy of redistribution of wealth right away by passing Obamacare. Employer’s health insurance premiums skyrocketed, resulting in most small businesses dropping their insurance coverage, making them less attractive to prospective employees. He went in there promising to shut down the military-industrial complex. Instead, he became their ring leader. He expanded drone attacks and bombing and opened new war fronts in the entire Arab world. As if the destabilization of the Middle East under Bush-Cheney was not enough, he actively pursued the ‘Arab Spring’ that destabilized the entire region. His actions there were directly responsible for the rise of ISIS and other Islamist terrorist organizations. He was scared to deal with the terrorists firmly. He weakened the American military by sequestration. He opened the Pandora’s box of gay marriage recognition that gave birth to all the transgenderism movements we see today. In the police brutality incidents against blacks, he almost always sided with blacks against the police without remaining an independent arbiter and custodian of fairness and justice. He made things much worse than when he came in.
Then, I was ready to learn more about the political parties in America. I understood that while Republicans are individualists, the Democrats are more collectivists. Democrat socialism is precisely what denied me the opportunity and hence forced me out of India in pursuit of better economic opportunities; why should I support the same philosophy here in the United States? That approach may place my American-born children in the same predicament I was in in my mid-20s, not finding enough opportunities to get ahead. I learned more, which made me open to the Republican Party. By about 2015, I was going to Fairfax County Republican events and became a solid Republican by 2016.
I never lived in New York and was never used to the Trumpian style. I was never a big fan of those. However, Donald Trump clearly articulated his America First economic philosophy and foreign policy priorities, and I liked what I heard. Being against dynasties and Clinton’s charitable foundation that was amassing wealth so that they could spend it on whatever they wanted sounded corrupt to me. I supported Trump wholeheartedly, predicted his win against many odds, and have been called all the disparaging names for doing so. Many in my liberal left-voting Indian community, despite their conservative personal beliefs and lifestyles, looked very hypocritical to me. Many of them excommunicated me from their circles due to my Trump support. I decided that friendships that cannot sustain differences in political opinions are not worth keeping anyway. I started attending Trump rallies and started openly campaigning for him. And before I knew it, I had officially become a proud Trumper!
The Republican Party has been perceived to be racist towards minorities. What’s your opinion on this?
Absolute nonsense. There are more whites in the Republican party than the Democrat party. However, from my experience, Democrats think too much about skin color, and that is why their attitudes and actions reflect more race consciousness than Republicans. Republicans are more individualistic and seem to be least bothered about skin color and so treats everyone equally. I hate to be loved and considered favorably by someone due to my skin color. I like equal treatment, which I get in the Republican party.
Numerous polls have suggested that a large percentage of Indian American voters are Democrats. Do you think this trend will change in the coming years? If so, why?
It has already changed. Indian Americans were overconfident and complacent about American dominance in the world prior to Biden. Biden’s America is in serious decline, Indian Americans see it, and it was a strange awakening for them. Republicans are the alternative, so they are embracing Republicans in bigger numbers. Trump’s perceived better relationships with Modi compared to Biden’s dalliance with Islamists of the world is irritating Indians even more. Majority of Indians will be in the Republican camp in a matter of few years.
What’s your perception of two high profile Republican personalities like Nikki Haley and Vivel Ramaswamy contesting in the Presidential primaries. They have different viewpoints, with Haley more centrist, playing identity politics, and Ramaswamy toeing the far right, following Trump’s vision. Has this divided the Indian American community politically?
Nikki Haley represents the establishment and the military-industrial complex of the United States, which is the evil side of the leadership America exerts on the world scene. For the same reasons I was against Bush and his made-up WMD theory and unnecessary Iraq war, I have to be against Nikki because she will listen to the intelligence and the Military-industrial complex without critical thinking and understanding of the ground realities. Combined with such naivete, she also seems corrupt, having businesses that are peddling influence to get defense contracts.
On the other hand, Vivek is rich and doesn’t seem to be keen on benefiting monetarily from his public life. Plus, he is a critical thinker and won’t blindly follow the intelligence community to get involved with international conflicts that are not critical to American National security. He is not far right at all, in my opinion. He represents the common sense of a regular American citizen, and his first priority is America, not international stuff.
You campaigned for Ramaswamy. What is your takeaway from that experience?
Vivek Ramaswamy’s foray into conservative politics has been nothing short of remarkable. From his bestselling book, “Woke, Inc.,” to his presidential campaign, he has quickly become a rising star within the conservative movement. His ability to articulate conservative principles and engage with voters across the political spectrum has resonated with many.
While his 2024 presidential bid may not have resulted in victory in the Iowa Caucuses, it has laid the groundwork for a promising future in conservative politics. His impact on immigrant communities and his ability to challenge stereotypes within the Republican Party make him an asset for the conservative movement.
As Vivek continues his political journey, he has the potential to inspire a new generation of conservatives and bridge the gap between immigrant communities and the Republican Party. His dedication to common-sense conservatism and commitment to the values that make America exceptional make him a compelling figure in today’s political landscape.
In conclusion, Vivek Ramaswamy’s candidacy represents more than just a run for the presidency. It symbolized the changing landscape of American conservatism, the power of representation in politics, and the potential for new leaders to emerge and shape the conservative movement’s future. While his campaign faced challenges, it has left a lasting impact on the conservative movement and offers hope for the robust growth of conservatism among immigrant and minority communities.
In your opinion, will more or less a number of Indian American voters embrace President Trump in the upcoming Presidential polls? Why?
I think it will be more than the percentage of the 2020 Indian American Trump voters. More independent-minded Indian Americans will vote for Trump, watching the political persecution that he is facing from the Biden Democrat party. However, a small number of Republicans who have too much belief in the American Judicial system that it doesn’t truly deserve may think Trump is a convicted felon and vote against him. However, since they all don’t like the country’s plight under Joe Biden. So, in the end, I think there will be slightly higher percentage of Indian Americans will vote for Trump compared to 2020.
In 2013 there was only one Indian American in Congress. By 2023 that number increased to five, apart from Kamala Harris becoming a Senator, and later Vice President. Over the years, one sees more Indian Americans contesting as Democrats than Republicans. What’s the reason for this?
Indian American parents seemed to be too color-conscious, and that is why their children mostly embraced the party that used skin color as the primary campaign tool. However, this is changing. With the help of folks like Vivek Ramaswamy, more and more intelligent Indian Americans who understand issues without the skin color lens will embrace the Republican party and run for office as Republicans. Indians really have nothing to gain by associating with Democrats.
What is your advice to aspiring politicians?
Read history, learn the Constitution, and understand America. Base your thought process on real issues people face, not skin color and ethnicity. We all share the same country and the same problems. Open your mind and think critically with a strong foundation in common sense before picking your political affiliation. Even after you pick your side, be ready to be a corrective force at the party that you are in.
Do you have any ambitions of contesting for local office in the future?
I like public service and political activism based on the needs of the common people. I will remain active, and if I see an area or a role that requires my participation and running for office, I will not shy away. No plans as of now..
(Sujeet Rajan is the Editor-in-Chief of India Overseas Report.)