The incoming Trump administration has been adamant about its intention to seek out and eliminate wasteful government spending with its proposed advisory Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) has been shining a spotlight via recent posts on X highlighting the costs of federal diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, both fiscally and socially.
Lee shared data from the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty which highlighted more than $125 billion in spending on 10 federal DEI programs ranging from diversity in federal contracting to the socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers program.
Lee’s opposition to the programs appears to be based primarily in their lack of constitutional standing.
If you hate the Constitution
You’ll love DEI https://t.co/v4XRtYoPPk
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) January 17, 2025
The Senator from Utah also shared a post highlighting evidence of the negative social effects that DEI programs have had according to Rutgers Network Contagion Research Institute.
That data shows that DEI training actually causes deeper societal divides rather than fighting perceived bias and improving attitudes toward minorities.
The Rutgers study showed those with DEI training were 35% more likely to see non-existent microaggressions, 26% more likely to assume harm and 21% more likely to detect discrimination where there was none.
By fighting perceived bias with more bias, participants trained on DEI materials were 16% more likely to demand unjust punishment against imaginary offenses and 12% more likely to call for suspending employees over perceived biases, leaving people more divided and less trustful in the workplace.
Lee notes that it’s almost as if DEI was designed to create conflict and division.
It’s almost like DEI was designed to make racial tensions worse
Much worse
Actually, it’s exactly like that https://t.co/7EQH8e4M7b
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) January 17, 2025
On its own merits, DEI is objectionable based on its track record of creating more division through ideological conformity, reverse discrimination and exclusion.
Lee is correct to call out the unconstitutionality of the federal government’s involvement in administering such programs and paying for them with taxpayer dollars.
The Trump administration and the DOGE team has their work cut out for them.
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