In the waning days of Biden's presidency, one thing has become abundantly clear: the insistence that every federal dollar must pass through a filter of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) has been a colossal drag on American efficiency and prosperity. From the high- minded goals of Build Back Better to the elaborate DEI standards strapped to climate, broadband, and energy projects, we find ourselves staring down the final months of 2024 with little to show for billions spent. The administration's obsession with making sure that every project is stamped as "equitable and inclusive" has ensured that, rather than swift action and progress, federal programs are bogged down in bureaucracy and misdirection.
Consider, for instance, the rural broadband initiative under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, which was part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) passed in November 2021. This initiative was supposed to be a major step forward, finally closing the connectivity gap between urban and rural America. Instead, what do we have? $42.5 billion allocated, mandates outlined, community benefits plans filed—but as of late 2024, not a single new household has been connected. Rural America is still waiting for those broadband cables to be laid, partly because every step of the process has to ensure that contractors meet DEI criteria.