DEI Is on Its Way Out. We Still Need Fair Employment Protections.
with Rajiv Sethi
In his first days in office, Trump is trying to make good on his promise to eliminate DEI programs from the federal government and, to the extent that he can, the private sector. But there’s a risk here that the administration, if it moves too incautiously, may eliminate not only anti-meritocratic DEI initiatives but necessary anti-discrimination policies. In this clip from this week’s episode, economist Rajiv Sethi and I discuss the Lyndon Johnson’s recently revoked 1965 Executive Order 11246, which protected the principles of fair employment in the hiring of government contractors, but without an undue emphasis on diversity for diversity’s sake.
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I don't believe eliminating Johnson's 1965 order prevents those who create a hostile work environment, for whatever reason, from being sued. I have never liked the phrase "reverse discrimination" because it implies there are different kinds of racial discrimination. It's similar to the use of the word "transwomen" and also biological woman/man. There are racists of many pigments and they all practice racism.
I hope Glenn will address Trump's claim that the Fed's focus on DEI, trans rights and climate change has somehow impacted interest rates. I think he can say nonsense like this because many people don't know what the Federal Reserve does.