Tag: HillbillyElegy

From Yale Law School to the National Spotlight: The Remarkable Journey of JD and Usha Vance

Staff ReporterUSA 0

Before JD Vance was chosen as Donald Trump’s VP candidate, Vivek Ramaswamy was a leading contender. Both Ramaswamy and Vance are strong candidates for Trump’s VP spot. Interestingly, according to The Guardian, JD Vance and his wife Usha were classmates at Yale Law School. During a debate, Vivek Ramaswamy mentioned that Usha is a family friend. Notably, one of their three children is named Vivek. JD and Usha Vance’s children are named Ewan, Vivek, and Mirabel. Usha Vance has a notable career, having served as an editor for the Yale Law Journal and managing editor of the Yale Journal of Law & Technology. She also earned a master’s in philosophy from the University of Cambridge, focusing on “the methods used for protecting printing rights in seventeenth-century England,” as per her university biography. Usha met JD Vance at Yale Law School, where they co-organized a discussion group on “social decline in white America,” a key theme in his bestselling memoir, Hillbilly Elegy. The book explores his upbringing in a poor Appalachian family and the start of his relationship with Usha, played by Freida Pinto in the 2020 Netflix adaptation. Despite seeming like an unlikely match, JD describes Usha in Hillbilly Elegy as a “Yale spirit guide” who helped him navigate campus life. “She instinctively understood the questions I didn’t even know to ask, and she always encouraged me to seek opportunities that I didn’t know existed,” he wrote. Usha told NBC News, “We were friends, and I liked that he was very diligent. He would show up at 9am appointments.”

Usha Vance’s career is marked by significant legal achievements and influential roles. She began her career as an editor for the Yale Law Journal and managing editor of the Yale Journal of Law & Technology. In 2014, the same year she married JD Vance, she clerked for Brett Kavanaugh on the DC Circuit. Kavanaugh was later nominated by Donald Trump and confirmed to the US Supreme Court. Usha also served as a law clerk for Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts during the 2017-2018 term, where Roberts wrote a crucial ruling upholding Trump’s travel ban. After her clerkships, Usha joined the 200-lawyer firm Munger, Tolles & Olson, focusing on civil litigation and appeals, representing clients like the Walt Disney Company and the Regents of the University of California. Although a registered Democrat who voted in the party’s primaries until 2014, Usha supported her husband during his 2022 Republican Senate campaign. In 2024, amid speculation about JD becoming Donald Trump’s running mate, Usha emphasized her supportive role in their family’s public life. In July 2024, Usha announced her resignation from Munger to support her family, including their three children: Ewan, Vivek, and Mirabel. Her career reflects her substantial contributions to the legal field and her adaptability to her family’s evolving political landscape.

The Vances’ partnership extends beyond personal life into their professional journeys, showcasing their individual and joint contributions to legal and political realms. JD’s memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, which discusses themes of social decline in white America and his personal journey from a troubled upbringing to academic and professional success, was instrumental in his rise to prominence. The memoir not only brought attention to his story but also highlighted Usha’s influence in his life. The Netflix adaptation of Hillbilly Elegy further cemented their story in the public eye, with Usha’s character portrayed by Freida Pinto. JD’s description of Usha as his “Yale spirit guide” illustrates the depth of their connection and her role in his success. “She instinctively understood the questions I didn’t even know to ask, and she always encouraged me to seek opportunities that I didn’t know existed,” JD wrote in his memoir. Usha’s perspective on their relationship, as she shared with NBC News, highlights their mutual respect and admiration. “We were friends, and I liked that he was very diligent. He would show up at 9am appointments,” she said.

Usha Vance’s career trajectory is marked by prestigious roles and significant accomplishments. Starting as an editor for the Yale Law Journal and managing editor of the Yale Journal of Law & Technology, she quickly established herself as a formidable legal mind. Her clerkships with Brett Kavanaugh and Chief Justice John Roberts provided her with invaluable experience and insight into the highest levels of the judicial system. Her role in Roberts’ pivotal ruling upholding Trump’s travel ban showcases her involvement in significant legal decisions. Joining Munger, Tolles & Olson allowed Usha to further hone her legal skills, representing high-profile clients and handling complex civil litigation and appeals. Her decision to support JD during his 2022 Senate campaign, despite her previous Democratic affiliations, underscores her commitment to her family’s evolving political journey. Usha’s announcement in July 2024 about resigning from Munger to focus on her family and support JD’s potential role as Trump’s running mate reflects her adaptability and dedication to her family’s public life.

JD Vance’s potential selection as Donald Trump’s VP candidate brings both him and Usha into the national spotlight. The couple’s journey from Yale Law School classmates to prominent figures in the legal and political arenas is a testament to their resilience and partnership. Usha’s legal expertise and her supportive role in JD’s political career highlight the unique dynamic of their relationship. As JD and Usha navigate the complexities of public life, their story continues to inspire and captivate audiences, reflecting the power of dedication, support, and mutual respect in achieving personal and professional success.

Usha Vance’s remarkable legal career and her role as a supportive partner in JD Vance’s political journey underscore the significant contributions she has made both individually and as part of a dynamic duo. From their days at Yale Law School to their current positions in the public eye, the Vances exemplify the intersection of personal dedication and professional excellence.

A VP called Vance, and a Chilukuri called Usha- an Indian intriguing hope!

Dr. Mathew JoysNews 0
As former President Donald Trump seeks to return to the White House, Ohio US Senator JD Vance has been selected as his vice president nominee. James David Vance is an American author, venture capitalist, and politician who has served as the junior US Senator from Ohio since 2023. He is a member of the Republican Party and is the party’s nominee for the post of Vice President in the 2024 election.
But what intrigues Indians is another matter. The wife of Vice President Nominee Vance Usha Chilukuri is of Indian origin. Biden has Indian-born Kamala Harris as his vice president. I don’t know how history will change. It is not wrong for the Indian of the time to dream that this Usha Chilukuri may become “another Kamala” of the future.
Mr. Vance’s wife, Usha Chilukuri, now realizes that Vance has many credentials and a deep connection with Indian values ​​and culture. Usha Vance, a litigation lawyer at a national firm, is the daughter of Indian immigrants from Andhra. Born as Usha Chilukuri, she forged a career in law, clerking for Supreme Court Justices John Roberts and Brett Kavanaugh before Mr Kavanaugh was nominated to the bench. Mr. Vance, a 39-year-old Republican serving his first term in the Senate, was born and raised in Middletown, Ohio. He joined the Marines and served in Iraq, then graduated from Ohio State University and Yale Law School. He also worked as a venture capitalist in Silicon Valley.
Mr. Vance made a name for himself with his 2016 bestseller “Hillbilly Elegy,” published when Trump was first running for president. Even among the working class and among rural white voters, The book made Mr. Vance famous as a New York businessman who helped Trump win the presidency. “Hillbilly Elegy” also introduced Mr. Vance to the Trump family. Donald Trump Jr. loved the book and got to know Mr. Vance when he went to start his political career. And Trump, now 78, developed a great friendship and equation with Vance, half his age. Our Indian lady helped Mr. Vance organize his thoughts about social decay in rural white America, which inspired Vance’s best-selling memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy.” In the past, she has made some rare appearances with Mr. Vance when he sought an Ohio Senate seat.
Ms. Usha grew up in the suburbs of San Diego, California. Some of Usha’s academic achievements should also be known. After four years of intensive extracurricular activity at Yale, he continued his studies as a Gates Fellow at Cambridge, mingling with leftist and liberal groups. He holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Yale University and a master’s degree in philosophy from Cambridge University. No kidding, she was a registered Democrat in 2014. Ms. Usha and J.D. Vance first met at Yale Law School and were married in Kentucky in 2014, with a Hindu priest presiding over the special ceremony. The couple has three children: Ivan (born 2017), Vivek (born 2020) and Mirabel (born 2021). Usha Chilkuri is a Hindu, and her husband is a Roman Catholic. Vance was born James David Bowman in Middletown, Ohio. His grandfather and grandmother raised him.
 “Ushaji knows Indian culture and India. She can help her husband navigate the great relationship between the USA and India, and Indians can hope for something.”

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Dr.Mathew Joys

Trump Reinforces Hard-Right Agenda with Vance as VP Pick, Emphasizing Loyalty and Youth

Staff ReporterProfile 0

In selecting Senator J.D. Vance from Ohio as his running mate, Donald Trump aimed to bolster his hard-right agenda. Vance, who gained national attention as the author of the best-selling book “Hillbilly Elegy,” initially criticized Trump in 2016 but fully endorsed him by 2022, securing Trump’s endorsement and winning a Senate seat.

Since then, Vance has been a staunch supporter of Trump’s base. He declared the 2020 election was “stolen,” labeled the hush money trial a “sham,” called those arrested for the Capitol attack “political prisoners,” argued that Trump should be immune from criminal prosecution, blamed the attempted assassination of Trump on the Biden campaign’s messaging, and claimed he would not have certified the election results had he been vice president on January 6. Furthermore, Vance suggested that Biden and the Democrats are intentionally poisoning middle Americans with fentanyl as revenge on GOP voters, advocated for Trump to fire all bureaucrats and replace them with MAGA loyalists, and tweeted in 2023, “my education policy is that we should stop funding institutions that teach American kids to support terrorist killers…”

By choosing Vance, Trump opted for a younger, more handsome, and articulate version of himself, thus reinforcing his own message.

Presidential candidates have traditionally chosen vice presidents based on various models, some newer than others. Historically, vice presidents were chosen to “balance” the ticket, whether geographically or ideologically. For example, John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts chose Southerner Lyndon B. Johnson, while Southern conservative Jimmy Carter picked Northern liberal Walter Mondale. Sometimes these pairings worked, but often they led to strained relationships, resulting in vice presidents being sidelined or assigned trivial duties.

When balance was the criterion, it often meant the vice president had an uneventful role. Powerful senators who became vice presidents, like Harry Truman and Lyndon Johnson, found themselves out of the loop and marginalized. Truman, for instance, was unaware of the atomic bomb project until he became president after Roosevelt’s death. Johnson, as the powerful Senate Majority Leader, faced constant belittlement from Attorney General Bobby Kennedy.

This balancing model was primarily driven by electoral necessity. Before primaries settled nominations, conventions often saw multiple candidates and ballots, leading the frontrunner to make deals with rivals, offering the vice presidency as an incentive. However, in recent decades, the balancing model has been replaced by a new approach.

The new model emerged on July 9, 1992, when Bill Clinton asked Al Gore to join his ticket. Unlike traditional pairings, there was no balance between Clinton and Gore; both were young Southern politicians from the conservative wing of the Democratic Party. Headlines at the time highlighted this break from tradition: “Gore is a smart echo of the guy who chose him” and “Clinton Picks Gore as Running Mate in Break with Tradition: Democrats: Arkansas governor rejects geographical balance in choosing the Tennessee senator. Strategists believe his moderate positions can help unite divided party.”

Clinton’s choice of Gore surprised many who expected him to pick New York Governor Mario Cuomo, a Northeasterner and liberal who would have balanced Clinton’s southern roots and New Democrat ideology. But Clinton believed reinforcing his message was more crucial than balancing the ticket. In his biography, Clinton explains:

“His [Gore’s] selection defied the conventional wisdom that the vice-presidential candidates should provide political and geographic balance: We were from neighboring states. He was even younger than I was. And he, too, was identified with the New Democrat wing of the party. I believed his selection would work precisely because it didn’t have the traditional kind of balance.”

The reinforcing model has since become popular due to its advantages in both campaigning and governing. In a polarized political climate, voters seek clear stances from candidates, and a “balanced” ticket can confuse them. If Clinton had chosen Cuomo, those attracted to his centrist approach might have questioned its authenticity with a traditional liberal on the ballot.

In government, the reinforcing model ensures the president and vice president are aligned, facilitating smoother collaboration. Historically, when vice presidents were chosen for balance, they often disagreed with the president, leading to friction. With the reinforcing model, the vice president can genuinely support the president’s agenda.

The importance and influence of the vice presidency have grown with this model, starting with Al Gore and increasing with Dick Cheney. These vice presidents likely exerted more policy influence than all their predecessors combined.

The partnership model has been the norm since Gore’s selection. Unlike the fictional Selina Meyer from “Veep,” who frequently checked if the President had called (he hadn’t), Presidents Clinton, Bush, Obama, and Trump regularly communicated with their VPs, delegated significant power, and treated vice-presidential projects as presidential priorities.

This change was driven by the nomination process itself, which has diminished the importance of balance and increased the importance of message reinforcement.

Trump’s choice of Senator Vance reflects this shift. Vance will not only reinforce Trump’s core messages but also provide a reliable presence as vice president, particularly important given Trump’s age of 78. The idea of a younger, less erratic Trump excited Republicans when Governor DeSantis entered the race, though voters quickly realized he was not a suitable replacement. Vance, however, will energize the MAGA base, support an aging president in achieving his goals, and continue the fight effectively. As the Trump-Vance ticket gains momentum, Democrats, already concerned about their own weaknesses, will likely feel increased pressure.

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