The recent United States Presidential Election of 2020 took the country and the entire world by storm and has begun many conversations, celebrations, predictions, and arguments among many other things after President-Elect Joe Biden emerged victorious over President Donald Trump. Joe Biden is expected to be sworn into office in January of the new year, 2021. Now, it is up to Joe Biden to meet the expectations of the American people and Democrats, especially during these tough times.
A key expectation Biden supporters hope he will meet is the diversification of his presidential cabinet. However, there are many important factors to consider in regards to focusing on making a more diverse cabinet. Is it worth only paying attention to diversity? What are the risks involved with possibly prioritizing diversity over experience and qualification? What actions has Biden taken and what actions will he take in the future? Will people agree with them?
What Does the Presidential Cabinet Consist of?
For starters, the presidential cabinet can be described as the President of the United States’ group of advisors who provide advice regarding national and international issues. The cabinet consists of 23 members, including the heads of 15 executive departments, some being the departments of Health, Education, Commerce, and others. These individuals are integral to the decisions made by the President, as they usually directly influence them.
The fact that most of these advisors are responsible for the executive departments that enforce federal laws makes it clear why people would be concerned about who these advisors will be.
Pressure Biden Faces to Diversify his Cabinet
As more and more Democrats and democratic civil rights groups and lawmakers come together in the wake of Joe Biden’s future inauguration, Biden faces more pressure to diversify his cabinet. President Trump’s cabinet consists of Caucasian individuals with exceptions like Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson, Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, and others.
Democrats wish for more minorities like Latinos, African Americans, and Asians to be represented in positions of the government. Having Biden choose cabinet members who represent minorities would arguably be the most accessible and best way to touch on diversity in higher government positions.
A common democratic belief is that “groupthink” can be harmful, especially in higher government positions. Groupthink can be described as a psychological phenomenon in which people in a group strive to establish uniformity and sameness, whether that uniformity or sameness be in regards to beliefs. This uniformity leads to the solidification of a group’s identity. The group identity then tends to behave, according to Psychology Today, “coldly toward outsiders.” Using this logic, Democrats see that it would make sense to increase the diversity of Biden’s cabinet to prevent a cabinet to adopt a groupthink type mentality.
Pros and Cons Regarding Focusing on Diversity
Increasing diversity in Biden’s new cabinet and in the workplace in general can and will have many benefits. For example, in terms of innovation, a diverse cabinet will be more likely to have different perspectives and experiences, allowing for problems to be solved from different angles. A more diverse presidential cabinet also allows for minority groups to be largely recognized among the general public and among international leaders. But how much focus on diversification is too much?
The issue that arises when speaking of focusing on increasing diversity within governmental positions, specifically the presidential cabinet, is how much focus is too much. According to the U.S. Census Bureau population estimates, the most common age for Caucasians is much older for minorities. In 2018, the most common age among whites was 58 years. Among Hispanics, Blacks, and Asians, the most common age was 11 years, 27 years, and 29 years respectively.
Looking at these statistics, it would be much more likely for a younger individual of an ethnicity other than Caucasian to be chosen to be a part of the Presidential Cabinet. Generally speaking, younger candidates would have significantly less experience in governing than older candidates who have spent most of their time in government positions.