Hirono and Duckworth vow to oppose Biden nominees over lack of diversity

[NJCher]

snip

Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois is threatening vote against any of President Joe Biden's nominees who aren't minorities over her fury that the Cabinet lacks Asian Americans, adding she found it "incredibly insulting" that a top White House official had pointed to Vice President Kamala Harris' South Asian roots as sufficient in defending the diversity of the administration.

Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii will join Duckworth in opposing nominees until there's movement by the White House to diversify the administration with Asian American appointments, according to her office. If the two Democratic senators carry through with the threat, the confrontational stand could put executive branch picks in jeopardy in a 50-50 Senate if all Republicans vote against one of the President's nominees -- and the move is already imperiling a top Pentagon pick whose nomination is on the brink of collapse.

Duckworth told CNN on Tuesday that she's voting "no" on all of Biden's upcoming nominees until the President makes a commitment and appoints Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to key executive branch positions. Duckworth was the first Thai American woman elected to Congress and the first female double amputee in the US Senate.

A lack of AAPI diversity in top roles in the new administration has come under increased scrutiny amid a rise in anti-Asian violence across the United States against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic. Last week, eight people -- six of whom were Asian women -- were killed in Atlanta-area shootings at three spas.

snip

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/hirono-and-duckworth-vow-to-oppose-biden-nominees-over-lack-of-diversity/ar-BB1eTgVx?ocid=msedgntp

[JohnSJ]

1. Perhaps they might consider going on fox to push that instead of engaging with Biden directly

[MadLinguist]

4. wait so it's sarcastic, does that mean you think they should engage Biden directly?

I don't get why you'd need sarcasm to say that. Is there any reason to suppose that they wouldn't have communicated with him in addition to appearing on CNN?

[JohnSJ]

17. The sarcasm was in my not serious suggestion of appearing on fox. My point was they should engage

directly with the Biden administration, instead of through the news media

[awesomerwb1]

2. Wow

It never ends.

[Loki Liesmith]

3. Lol our Vice President is Asian!

[onetexan]

13. Right? 2 of my fav lady senators, of all people. Dear Senators Hirono & Duckworth, we have several

positions appointed for Asians (east asians count too - they are still asians) - Dr. Murthy, Katherine Tai, Vanita Gupta - not to mention others in lower posts.
These are all very important, honorable positions!

[Dem4Life1102]

5. Not a constructive way to address this

Republicans will just claim democrats are playing identity politics and the media will push the’Dems in disarray’ meme.

[NJCher]

6. I see this as fallout

from the failure of the Tanden nomination and the shootings of Asian women last week.

Not saying their claims are not legitimate--not at all. But I think these two events exacerbated this.

When your ethnic group is experiencing everything from disrespect and public beatings on the street all the way to an outright mass-shooting, it underlines the emergency that is at hand. I don't think Duckworth and Hirono had a choice. They have to do their job.

[maxsolomon]

7. Its the most diverse cabinet in American history.

The GOP is laughing at us.

[NJCher]

8. who gives a rat's ass

What republicans do or don't should be of no concern.

[maxsolomon]

10. They are developing an effective media narrative based around "Cancel Culture"

they already have one based on "Identity Politics". It works on MOR voters, AKA misinformed idiots like my relatives. we have an extremely tenuous grip on power. I want to preserve that grip past 2022.

so I care when we (or Dem Senators) hand them propaganda cudgels to beat us with. I am not alone.

[NJCher]

15. not effective

I'll bet your relatives, AKA misinformed idiots by you, will temper their feelings when they see the good the strategy that Biden has devised does. This is a long-term attitude change and you won't see it overnight, but you will see it. I work in communication and I see the value of what he is doing. I can't put it any better than this, from the NY Times:

snip

The Biden administration appears to have adopted a two-pronged strategy to reduce the corrosive impact of hot-button social, cultural and racial issues: first by inundating the electorate with a flood of cash via the $1.9 trillion Covid relief act and second by refusing to engage fractious issues in public, calculating that deprived of oxygen, their strength will fade.

The sheer magnitude of the funds released by the American Rescue Plan, the White House is gambling, will shift voters’ attention away from controversies over Dr. Seuss, who can use which bathroom and critical race theory. So far, the strategy is working.

snip

from: "Biden Wants No Part of the Culture War the G.O.P. Loves
The generosity of his $1.9 trillion relief bill has the added benefit of shifting attention where he wants it."
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/17/opinion/biden-stimulus-culture-war.html

I could go on with even more links about Biden's changed communication, but I can't. I have something else that needs to be done, but if you still have questions about this, I can maybe answer them or provide you with more articles later or tomorrow.

Long story short: republicans can babble on about Dr. Seuss and potato heads, but you can't have a one-sided conversation. Biden's response is to do his job. This makes republicans look like fools in comparison.

[Fiendish Thingy]

16. Since all but one Secretary has been confirmed, this threat applies to lower level appointees. Nt

[maxsolomon]

20. valid point.

I'm sure they're still reveling in this internal division.

[bdamomma]

19. We are

laughing at them they have no plan and no party.

[maxsolomon]

21. I'm not laughing at them. Fascism isn't funny.

And that's clearly where they want to take this nation.

They'll regroup. 2022 is close, and they have enough money and media to sell lies till America believes it.

[bdamomma]

23. We need

to fight back hard we did in Nov 2020, we can do it again.

[NJCher]

26. and we will do even better

because tangibly changing peoples' lives counts at the ballot box.

[Celerity]

9. Katherine Tai (Chinese) is US Trade Representative, which is Cabinet-Level, she was confirmed 98-0

The only Cabinet level nominee who did not have a single Rethug vote against them.

[FBaggins]

11. "Cabinet-level" but not part of the cabinet. Nt

[Loki Liesmith]

12. Well Vice President is.

[NJCher]

14. read the whole article

there's also a story along the same lines at the NY Times. V-P, they say, is just not enough.

[Loki Liesmith]

18. Yes I read it and that's a silly argument.

[Celerity]

22. all the Cabinet positions are filled

1 Black/Asian female
2 Jewish males
1 Jewish Female
1 Gay White male
2 Latino males
1 Jewish Latino male
1 Black male
1 Black female
3 White Males
2 White females
1 Native American female

there are only 2 cabinet level positions left

OMB (this one is where the trouble starts)

An African American female, Shalanda Young was just confirmed (with a lot of Rethug votes as well) by the Senate as the Deputy Director, and she has tremendous backing in the Senate, BUT, she is probably going to be denied as this is the only slot left for another Asian American, and that is going to piss off (Young not getting it) a lot of Dems.

Presidential Science Advisor, a Jewish male, Eric Lander is awaiting the final vote

The only 2 ethnic groups that are truly overrepresented out of the 23 total positions are the Jewish members (5 males, 2 females) and African Americans (5 females, 2 males)

Jewish members make up 7 out of the 23

30%

when their percentage of the US population is around 2%


African Americans 7 out of the 23 (counting Harris and Young)

30% (26% if no Young)

when they make up 13.4% of the population


the Cabinet Secs that Biden could have placed an Asian in are (this is just my opinion)

Especially Vilsack, he was my least favourite of all the Cabinet picks, by far. He has a poor civil rights record and is far too cosy with Big Ag



or



or

[NJCher]

25. very interesting post

I'm saving that.

Lots to think about here.

[kacekwl]

24. I'm disappointed in my Senator Duckworth and Senator Hirono

issuing an ultimatum like this in one of the most diverse administrations ever. There are other ways to voice your concerns other than threats.