Joe Biden is the 2020 presidential candidate. He promised that his cabinet would be the “most diverse in U.S History” and that his administration would better reflect the country’s history.
The Washington Post published a September 2022 article in which it stated that Biden had “historic diversity.” This was a campaign promise President Obama kept.
The Biden Administration’s Cabinet & Senior Staff includes a wide range of races, ethnicities, and sexual orientations.
*Kamala Harris was the first woman, first African American woman, and first Asian American woman to be elected Vice President of the United States.
- Admiral Dr. Rachel Levine, the first openly transgender person to hold an office (Assistant Secretary for Health) that requires Senate confirmation.
- Deb Haaland was the first Native American woman to serve as Secretary of the Interior.
- Pete Buttigieg, the first openly gay cabinet member to be confirmed by the Senate, serving as Secretary of Transportation.
*Lloyd Austin, the first African American Secretary of Defense. - Janet Yellen, the first woman to serve as Treasury Secretary.
Biden’s picks for diversity questioned their suitability for positionsI think you can make a very strong case that, although these members of the President’s cabinet have impressive credentials, their performance in these jobs hasn’t reflected they were the best candidates for these positions.
It’s good to have diverse people with different perspectives and experiences. This will help you to solve more creative problems and make more informed decisions.
It is crucial to remember that diversity and inclusion should not be equated with competence and qualifications when making hiring or promotion decisions.
The President nominated Julie Su (the daughter of Chinese immigrants) to be his labor secretary. The current labor secretary will be stepping down to take over the NHL’s player union.
Both Senator Cortez-Masto and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (D-NV), both D-NV, pressed President Biden for Su. The White House East Room hosted a ceremony.
Julie was a civil rights attorney and was the leader of California’s largest labor department. Julie represented workers for more than two decades, many of whom had no college degree. They worked long hours to earn low wages, and they wanted some dignity for their families.
Senator Cortez-Masto said this about her nomination: “This was a huge victory for America’s Asian Pacific Islander community and working families.” Su has been a strong advocate for unions and is the person we need at the head of the U.S. Department of Labor.
While symbolic victories are wonderful, I don’t know if Ms. Su has the qualifications or competence to lead the U.S. Labor Department. There is a lot we can learn from her seven-year tenure as California’s Labor and Workforce Development Agency secretary.
Her job was to oversee the state’s Employment Development Department. This is an example:
EDD paid thousands in fraudulent benefits claims made by prisoners and organized crime groups. EDD then hired the contractor again after rampant fraud had been discovered.
It seems Su’s home state newspaper the Los Angeles Times is not a fan:
According to the U.S. Labor Department’s September audit, California EDD’s “improper payments” rate for the first six months after the pandemic was declared fraudulent at 36.6%. Scammers claimed they were prison inmates or Senator Dianne Feinstein to get COVID relief money.
Julie Su does not have the qualifications to represent Asian Pacific Islanders. Joe Biden might give another unqualified person to us as a payoff to a fellow Democrat, or to the Diversity Patrol. The Senate should reject this nomination.
