Republicans Are Letting DEI in through the Back Door

Dei is on the ropes. Or at least it seems so from recent headlines. Universities across America have grudgingly removed race as a factor in college admissions, with some statewide university systems swearing off “diversity, equity, and inclusion” altogether. In corporate America, many corporations have softened or at least adjusted their DEI policies, while institutional investors now face significant legal liability for investing based on race. And the Biden administration continues its miserable losing streak in court, most recently being ordered to open the Minority Business Development Agency to all Americans regardless of race.

But DEI seems stubbornly durable. The Biden administration frequently announces new DEI initiatives and race-based funding programs. So if DEI is truly on the ropes, then why is the federal bureaucracy pointed firmly in that direction? Republicans may be partly to blame.

About the Author

Dan Lennington

Dan Lennington serves as Vice President & Deputy Counsel at the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty. He is a former federal prosecutor who also teaches Civil Rights Litigation at the University of Wisconsin School of Law.

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Dei is on the ropes. Or at least it seems so from recent headlines. Universities across America have grudgingly removed race as a factor in college admissions, with some statewide university systems swearing off “diversity, equity, and inclusion” altogether. In corporate America, many corporations have softened or at least adjusted their DEI policies, while institutional investors now face significant legal liability for investing based on race. And the Biden administration continues its miserable losing streak in court, most recently being ordered to open the Minority Business Development Agency to all Americans regardless of race.

But DEI seems stubbornly durable. The Biden administration frequently announces new DEI initiatives and race-based funding programs. So if DEI is truly on the ropes, then why is the federal bureaucracy pointed firmly in that direction? Republicans may be partly to blame.

About the Author

Dan Lennington

Dan Lennington serves as Vice President & Deputy Counsel at the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty. He is a former federal prosecutor who also teaches Civil Rights Litigation at the University of Wisconsin School of Law.