The Biden-Harris “Racial Equity” Plan

President-elect/candidate Joe Biden recently Tweeted the website “Build Back Better”.

We take a look specifically at this stated plan:

“Advance Racial Equity”

There is no clear definition on the website of what exactly is meant by “racial equity”, and how it differs from “racial equality”.

Equality, in a social context, is “being treated as equals”. It is the act of treating every human being in the same way. Whether we are talking about “racial equality”, “gender equality” or any other social issues, the principle is the same: every human being has equal opportunities to create whatever life they choose, and everyone adheres to the same set of societal values, standards and laws.

Equity, is driven by the principle of equal outcome. Within social movements it is defined as giving every person what they need in order to strive and be successful in an equal way to each other. It is defined by many social organizations as “being treated in a manner which is just and fair”.

Excerpts from BuildBackBetter.gov

We examine a few excerpts from the Racial Equity plan.

• [Biden will create]… “An economy more vibrant and more powerful precisely because everybody will be included in the deal. An economy where Black, Latino, Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI), and Native American workers and families are finally welcomed as full participants.”
  • It begins with the promise that the economy will be more powerful because “everybody will be included in the deal”. By this, the statement means that the mentioned racial groups are not included in the economy. It is unclear what the seemingly conspiratorial “deal” refers to.
  • What is a “full participant”?
  • Who is not a “full participant” and why? By this paragraph we gather that Black, Latino, Asian American, Pacific Islanders and Native Americans are not able to participate in the economy. How is this so?

• “As part of his commitment to uplifting Black and Brown communities, Biden will also work to build an economy where every American enjoys a fair return for their work, and an equal chance to get ahead.”
  • What is a “Brown community”? A certain percentage of me (maybe 15% or so) is “Brown” (Middle Eastern). Would I “get ahead” relative to that percentage of my genes?
  • What does it mean in practice to be given more of an “equal chance”?
  • “Get ahead” in business? Ahead of others in the same business?

• [Biden will]… “Make a historic commitment to equalizing federal procurement.”
  • What does it mean to “equalize procurement”?
  • Would I have 15% more chance of my business succeeding when it comes to federal procurement given the percentage of my genes which are non-white?
  • How does this affect the law and rules designed to ensure competition and protect taxpayers from abuse and fraud?

• [Biden will]… “Boost retirement security and financial wealth for Black, Brown, and Native Families.”
  • Would you give me 15% retirement security according to my “Brownness”?
  • Do people need not responsibly plan for their retirement anymore?
  • What does it mean in practice to “boost financial wealth”?

• “The Biden-Harris administration will address longstanding inequities in agriculture.“
  • What are “agricultural inequities”?
  • How do you plan to address them?

Different Treatment & Expectations Based on Race

The problem with the concept of equity in a social context, is that it must exist on the basis and belief that certain races / religions / nationalities / sexual orientations do not have opportunities which others have, and also do not have the capability to create said opportunities.

This bigotry can only end in resentment and an apathetic workforce.