Race Flashcards
(20 cards)
3 measures promoting racial equality
-Elections and representation
-Laws passed by congress
Affirmative Action.
Evidence of failings in making congress representitive?
Only around 1/4 of congress identify as anything but non-hispanic white, compared to 42% of the population.
What failings has insufficient representation in congress led to?
Failure to represent minorities in policy: failure to pass George Floyd justice in policing Act
Evidence of over-representation of white people in parts of government.
Obama first non white president, and Harris first non- white VP in history.
Only 3 non white state governors.
Every state legislature under-represents its non white population- eg. Oklahoma- population 34% vs 7% of the legislature.
Evidence of limits on voting for black people.
Voter ID laws.
Long waiting times in Georgia in predominantly black neighbourhoods.
Evidence of improvement in representation in congress.
Current congress is the most ethnically and racially diverse in history- with non white members more than doubling since 108th congress.
What measures have helped to improve diversity in congress?
Parts of the democratic party like the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the Congressional Black Caucus.
Evidence of democrat success in mobilising the black vote?
Turnout of African- American voters rose in 2008 to 65% when Obama was candidate. Similar rise in 2020.
Evidence of mobilisation of black vote in Georgia?
Stacey Abrams’ efforts in combatting voter suppression successfully registered 800,000 new voters.
What, in recent years, has become a focus of congress in terms of race, and why?
Systemic racism, particularly in the criminal justice system.
Evidence of successful in-state reforms.
In Minneapolis, the city council approved a measure to replace the police department with a community-led public safety system.
California limited occasions on which the police are permitted to use force.
Evidence of support for reforms to promote racial equality in congress?
George Floyd Justice in Policing Act supported by democrats in congress.
Evidence of improvement in racial equality undermined by the SC?
Voting Rights Act of 1965 undermined by Shelby County c Holder- allowing voting practices which disenfranchised African Americans; led to voter ID laws in Mississippi, Alabama and Texas
Evidence of failure to pass legislation to promote racial equality.
George Floyd Justice in Policing Act was rejected by GOP in the senate and not passed.
BREATHE Act failed to get legislative traction
Evidence of congress’ failure to pass immigration reform to improve racial equality.
Failed to impose any legislation to gain undocumented immigrants who arrived to the USA as minors a pathway to citizenship; GOP used fillibuster to block the DREAM Act in the Senate, leading to DACA via executive order, which provides much less protection.
When was Affirmative Action introduced? What does it do?
Introduced by JFK by executive ordered and expanded by president Johnson to ensure education and employment applications were free of racial bias.
Evidence of SC upholding AA.
Upheld University of Michigan’s affirmative action policy in Grutter vs Bollinger since it helped to tackle educational inequality.
How has affirmative action been promoted in the workplace?
Through the Federal Government’s Equal Employment Opportunity Commission- seeks to hire employees from diverse backgrounds- prevalent in Google.
Evidence of the SC ruling against affirmative action in recent years?
2023 Students for Fair Admissions v President and Fellows of Harvard College declared affirmative action in college admissions unconstitutional.
How has Trump hindered progress for ensuring racial equality?
Banned all DEI measures in government
