Democrat President-elect Joe Biden announced on Sunday that his administration will prioritize economic aid for businesses based in part on race and gender, an announcement that sparked strong criticism.
“Our focus will be on small businesses on Main Street that aren’t wealthy and well-connected, that are facing real economic hardships through not fault of their own,” Biden said in a video that was posted to his administration’s official transition Twitter account. “Our priority will be Black, Latino, Asian, and Native American owned small businesses, women-owned businesses, and finally having equal access to resources needed to reopen and rebuild.”
“But we’re going to make a concerted effort to help small businesses in low-income communities in big cities, small towns, rural communities that have faced systemic barriers to relief,” he continued. “Think of the mom and pop owner with a couple of employees who can’t pick up the phone and call a banker, who doesn’t have a lawyer, an accountant, to help them through this complicated process to know if they’re even qualified or who simply didn’t know where this relief is available in the first place.”
Saying we went through this “when we brought Detroit back off its knees,” Biden concluded: “And as we saw in this morning’s jobs report, restaurants, bars, and hospitality industry have been slammed by this virus. We’re going to direct to those businesses and others that have been so badly hit — hit the hardest. We owe them that support to help them get through the other side of this crisis.”
WATCH:
"Our priority will be Black, Latino, Asian, and Native American owned small businesses, women-owned businesses, and finally having equal access to resources needed to reopen and rebuild." — President-elect Biden pic.twitter.com/pIyDuhf5pH
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 10, 2021
Biden’s announcement that he will prioritize minority and women-owned businesses follows a study by the National Bureau of Economic Research, which found that African American, Latino, Asian and female-owned businesses saw declines in business activity of 41%, 32%, 26% and 25%, respectively, from February until April, while white-owned businesses experienced declines of 17%.
Responses to Biden’s remarks were overwhelmingly negative online, with most of the pushback coming from the right and the center and very little from the left.
“Whites need not apply. Unbelievable,” Obianuju Ekeocha wrote. “Would you want to also just round them up while we are at it? #ThisIsNotOfGod”
Whites need not apply.
Unbelievable.Would you want to also just round them up while we are at it? #ThisIsNotOfGod https://t.co/IPkuEefjZM
— Obianuju Ekeocha (@obianuju) January 11, 2021
Alliance Imitative Executive Director Noah Pollak responded: “Asians have the highest median household incomes of any racial group in America, and it’s not even close — $87K vs $65K for whites, the next highest group. Why should they get preferential treatment? Identity politics is garbage.”
Asians have the highest median household incomes of any racial group in America, and it's not even close — $87K vs $65K for whites, the next highest group. Why should they get preferential treatment? Identity politics is garbage. https://t.co/3lc4yokwZS
— Noah Pollak (@NoahPollak) January 11, 2021
Ricochet Editor-in-chief Jon Gabriel wrote: “Can we please just help Americans without further dividing us into competing subgroups?”
Can we please just help Americans without further dividing us into competing subgroups? https://t.co/jGPEfj5FLQ
— Jon Gabriel (@exjon) January 11, 2021
Political commentator Leonydus Johnson wrote on Twitter: “This is actual institutional racism.”
This is actual institutional racism https://t.co/eRlLz8kBUj
— Leonydus Johnson (leave/me/alone) (@LeonydusJohnson) January 11, 2021
Attorney Marina Medvin wrote on Twitter: “Discrimination based on race and sex of white men remains unlawful under federal law.”
PSA: Discrimination based on race and sex of white men remains unlawful under federal law. https://t.co/3tJ3KRqJsP
— Marina Medvin 🇺🇸 (@MarinaMedvin) January 11, 2021
Political commentator Wu Lebao wrote: “Are you implying minorities and women unlikely to own large businesses? That’s racist.”
Are you implying minorities and women unlikely to own large businesses? That's racist. https://t.co/jADVuJjLBP
— Wu Lebao (@MerlotN) January 11, 2021
Writer Rav Arora wrote: “Asians are doing economically far better than whites. One of the many flaws of the ideological ‘POC’ / ‘white’ model.”
Asians are doing economically far better than whites. One of the many flaws of the ideological "POC" / "white" model. https://t.co/5cBSaozwpV
— Rav Arora (@Ravarora1) January 11, 2021
Daily Wire columnist Matt Walsh wrote on Twitter: “If you’re wondering what systemic racial discrimination actually looks like, the Harris Administration is about to give you a tutorial.”
If you're wondering what systemic racial discrimination actually looks like, the Harris Administration is about to give you a tutorial https://t.co/gvUTDwj76o
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) January 11, 2021
This article has been expanded to include data from NBER.