The choice voters face in this year's presidential election could not have been clearer. The two candidates had different policy approaches to every major issue of our day. These policy differences between Democrats and Republicans are not intellectual abstractions, but tangible realities that have far-ranging consequences both here and abroad.

It is with these vastly different worldviews that Republicans and Democrats seek stronger relations with Indian Americans. And it is through an analysis of these sharply contrasting policies that Republicans and Democrats should be judged. 

For 'South Asians for Kerry', an organization that worked alongside the Kerry campaign since March 2003, only one judgment is possible: It is the Democratic Party - with its historic commitment to economic and educational opportunity, civil rights, social justice, and progressive internationalism - where the future of the Indian American community lies.

Acting on this conviction, its members actively campaigned for John Kerry. With the help of hundreds of volunteers, it facilitated direct South Asian-to-South Asian voter outreach on a scale never before seen.

Through its Battleground State Voter Outreach Project, it reached over 60,000 individuals across the country. The South Asians for Kerry phone banking effort was also a first, with over 100 dedicated South Asians from 13 different cities across the country placing calls to 35,000 South Asian voters.

As a political constituency of rising importance, Indian Americans enjoyed unprecedented attention from politicians in this election year. While greater attention and access may be rewarding in the short-term, it can cause us to take our eye off the ball.

To attain lasting, sustainable political success, Indian Americans must take the long-term view and identify and support policies that best serve the diverse interests of our community. The South Asians for Kerry believes the Democratic Party's policies do just that.

Democrats have consistently fought for the protection and expansion of civil rights and religious freedom. The post-9/11 climate of fear was a powerful reminder of the importance of civil rights protection.

After September 11th, hundreds of South Asians were attacked, often brutally, sometimes fatally.

Eighty-one hate crimes against South Asians were reported in the week after 9/11 alone.

While some were randomly assaulted, others like Balbir Singh Sodhi in Arizona and Waqar Hasan and Vasudev Patel in Texas were murdered simply because of the colour of their skin, the sound of their name, or the style of their dress.

Democrats have consistently fought to strengthen laws so that these hate crimes are properly punished, while Republicans like George W Bush have consistently fought against the enactment of hate crimes laws.

Democrats understand that America's principles of tolerance and equal protection under the law demand that we protect religious freedom.

For South Asian Americans, who encompass a multitude of ethnicities and religions, these issues hit painfully close to home.

In his article in the October 22, 2004 issue of India Abroad ("Indian Americans benefit from President Bush's agenda"), Ed Gillespie, chairman of the Republican National Committee wrote, "The Republican Party's successful outreach recognizes that minority families and voters want the same thing as the rest of Americans to fully achieve the American dream."

Can the American dream truly be realized when racial, ethnic and religious profiling is increasing; when the justice department unfairly detains and deports thousands of Muslims who had no connection to terrorism; and when immigrants guilty only of routine visa violations are held indefinitely?

Gillespie's failure to even mention the issue of civil rights and liberties in his piece comes as no surprise as the Republican Party has focussed on hollow appeals calculated to elicit applause, rather than acknowledging and remedying an issue that has negatively impacted so many South Asians.

A comparison of the record leaves no doubt on the issue of civil rights. John Kerry's agenda includes amending the Patriot Act; support for the End Racial Profiling Act; endorsement of the Hate Crimes Bill and co-authorship of the Workplace Religious Freedom Act. 

Democrats support immigration policies that balance fairness and national security. While the number of Indians born in the US continues to rise, the community still boasts a sizable immigrant population. Indians' strong sense of community makes policies that prioritize family reunification keenly important.

The community also believes that hard-working immigrants, whose daily contributions do so much to ensure the country's economic success, should be offered the opportunity for earned legalization. Bringing these individuals into the system will increase accountability and transparency, resulting in a safer America for all.

Democrats support immigration policies that focus on family reunification, and that strike a proper balance between fairness and national security. It is the Democrats, not Republicans, who support fairer, faster immigration procedures by, among other things, speeding up the naturalization process and reducing the wait for family visas.

After all, it was president Lyndon Johnson, a Democrat, who championed the 1965 Immigration Act that opened the doors of opportunity for so many South Asians.

Democrats support policies that will increase economic opportunities for entrepreneurs and low- income workers.

Though many Indians have achieved economic prosperity, a large number continue to work in low-income jobs, where a middle-class life seems far away, even out of reach.

Under President Bush, wages at the low end remained stagnant while a greater share of wealth was transferred to a select few. In a country founded on principles of hard work and fairness, this is unacceptable. 

Without a change, many low-income workers will never see a better life.  The Democratic Party stands for policies that increase opportunities for workers and their families, such as financial assistance for college education, fair wages, labour rights, workplace safety and affordable health care.

Indian entrepreneurs have started numerous businesses, creating jobs for thousands of Americans.

Bush's failed economic policies have driven up the debt into the trillions and benefited big corporations at the expense of small-business owners.  This has further exacerbated the obstacles a minority entrepreneur faces when competing for venture capital or government contracts.

Democrats understand the obstacles a minority entrepreneur can face and have fought to preserve affirmative action in federal small business assistance, and to expand the Small Business Administration's 8(a) program, which opens doors to federal contracting to minority-owned businesses.

It is also high time that misconceptions about Democrats' outsourcing position be laid to rest.

Democrats simply believe it is unfair to have tax laws that actually reward companies for taking jobs overseas.

From 1996-2000, 60% of American corporations paid no federal taxes. Such corporate handouts are antithetical to the basic precepts of free markets. Corporate giveaways can provide a crutch for companies to lean on, discouraging them from taking measures to compete and operate efficiently. Corporate welfare also gives large, multinational corporations an unfair advantage over small business owners, many of whom are Indian American.

Though Bush and the Republicans mouthed the rhetoric of free-markets, their policies are anything but. True free markets promote fairness and competition for all, not a select few. 

In fact, Bush's vague talk of 'free-markets' never specifically mentioned any support for outsourcing. And after Gregory Mankiw, Bush's chief economic adviser, endorsed outsourcing, many Republicans, including President Bush and House Republican leader Dennis Hastert, quickly and publicly rebuked him.

Hastert stated that Mankiw's pro-outsourcing comments, 'fail a basic test of real economics', and do not correctly state Bush's economic agenda.

Democrats put Indian-American workers and entrepreneurs first. It was President Clinton, with the help of Democrats like John Kerry, who balanced the budget and promoted research and development in new technologies. 

This is in sharp contrast to the Republicans, who see no problem with running up trillion-dollar deficits and with hindering scientific progress for the sake of political appeals to their all-important conservative religious base.

In matters of foreign policy, the Democratic Party believes in a progressive, muscular internationalism that respects other nations' views and works to cooperate with, not coerce, them.  Under the Clinton administration, US-India relations went from one of its lowest points, following the 1998 nuclear tests, to one of its highest, after President Clinton's momentous visit to India in 2000.

The Clinton administration's ability to weather a major crisis and positively transform its India relationship is testament to the Democratic Party's commitment to diplomacy and enduring relations with India. 

Would the Bush approach that favours might-makes-right over consensus building be able to as adroitly manage future challenges that may arise in bilateral relations?

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The Bush approach also favours viewing alliances through the narrow prism of terrorism. Where does such a parochial focus on terrorism leave issues like HIV/AIDS, for instance?

Democrats know that today's complex world poses a myriad of traditional and non-traditional security risks. That is why Democrats have led the global fight against AIDS, a disease that could potentially undermine the great progress being made in India.

The Democratic Party is a tested friend of India that is much more sensitive to India's concerns. Moreover, the Democratic Party's approach of engagement and multi-lateralism to world affairs is not only in the best interests of US-India bilateral relations but also complements India's own approach to global issues, promising even greater avenues of cooperation.

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Our community must pursue policy-driven political participation to ensure long-term success. On every important issue -- from civil rights to religious freedom to immigration to economic opportunity to foreign policy - the Democratic Party is strongly on the side of Indian Americans.

 Indian Americans should likewise be strongly on the side of the Democratic Party.

(This press release comes from South Asians for Kerry, an organization that has worked alongside the Kerry campaign since March 2003)