Forty-nine members of the U.S. House of Representatives, including Democrat Robert Garcia of California, made their requests known in a letter to leaders of the Fortune 1000.
The lawmakers’ letter states that growing numbers of American consumers spend their money with businesses that champion inclusion and are unlikely to continue supporting companies that they see backing down on commitments to bring people together, The Associated Press reports.
Prior to the letter, various businesses from a variety of sectors did away with or scaled back their DEI initiatives. This, after a Supreme Court ruling against affirmative action in college admissions and activist groups targeting brands over DEI efforts.
Among major corporate names that have reduced or eliminated their DEI programs: Toyota, John Deere, Ford, Harley-Davidson, Coors, Brown-Forman, Tractor Supply Co. and Lowes.
There has been a great light
Stefan Padfield, Director of the National Center for Public Policy Research's Free Enterprise Project (FEP), thinks the Dems' letter is extremely problematic and for numerous reasons.
"First of all, a lot of the walking back of DEI that we're seeing right now is not because anybody is bullying corporations or lying to corporations," says Padfield. "It is simply because their DEI programs -- as they are formulated -- are simply being exposed to sunlight, and what the customers and other stakeholders are realizing is how awful that stuff is."
Padfield says DEI programs are "potentially illegal," because they "essentially boil down to being quotas" and form the basis for reverse discrimination claims that can be costly to companies.
Meanwhile, Padfield says companies risk upsetting their customers.
"Remember, DEI and the transgender ideology are basically inseparable," he continues. "So, what you're talking about is corporations going all in on pushing gender confusion on children and experimental surgery and chemical castration and all these horrific things and somehow thinking their customer base is not going to be completely turned off by that."
