Staff Reports
President Biden’s DEI initiatives hit roadblocks
President Joe Biden has been making a lot of noise about diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, but it seems like his plans keep hitting potholes. When he first got into office, Biden vowed to tackle racial disparities in the United States, but it looks like programs with similar goals have been facing major setbacks. For instance, critical race theory and the Black Lives Matter movement have hit roadblocks, including a Supreme Court ruling against affirmative action.
Biden stands by diversity priorities as politics shift around him https://t.co/ljA3mJxKKv pic.twitter.com/EIQTj7XEgF
— ForthRight Strategy (@ForthRightStrat) February 7, 2024
Biden has been trying to tout his record with Black Americans, especially after winning the 2024 Democratic primary in South Carolina. During a White House event for Black History Month, he spoke about having the most diverse administration in history and credited the Black community for his presidency and Vice President Kamala Harris’s historic role. But with criticisms about low turnout in the primary, it seems like his commitments are being questioned.
While Biden talks the talk, Republican-led states like Utah, Texas, and North Dakota have been scaling back or even banning diversity programs at public colleges and government offices. Even Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida has been against these initiatives, calling them discrimination, exclusion, and indoctrination. It’s clear that Biden’s DEI agenda is rubbing some the wrong way.
Many have suggested that Biden is pushing these initiatives because they are popular nationally, according to a poll conducted by the Suffolk University Political Research Center. The poll revealed that a majority of respondents see DEI as important, with 80% labeling it as at least important. But some critics, like former President George W. Bush’s White House press secretary, Ari Fleischer, believe that identity politics is a weakness for the Democrats and argue that it has alienated certain groups of voters.
In response, Biden’s camp has been defending his record on racial justice and diversity, pointing to how he’s appointed a diverse slate of judges, including the nomination of Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. Not to mention his executive order to promote diversity within the federal workforce and his efforts to address racial equity.
However, the Supreme Court’s rulings against affirmative action have had ripple effects on diversity and DEI programs, with state governments and private companies pulling away from these initiatives. It seems like Biden’s path to diversity and inclusion is proving to be more complicated than he initially thought.
