22FA ECON 290, Milestone 1

Hi Kyle,

I do agree with you, and our peers who commented on your post, that the government is tending towards more forced equality. This equality, unfortunately, is one of conditions and not just opportunity. It seeks to legitimize people groups while others still hesitate, on moral grounds, as to whether or not they should be legitimized. Alexis de Tocqueville, when looking at America in the 1830s, said "There is in fact a manly and legitimate passion for equality that spurs all men to wish to be strong and esteemed. This passion tends to elevate the lesser to the rank of the greater. But one also finds in the human heart a depraved taste for equality, which impels the weak to want to bring the strong down to their level, and which reduces men to preferring equality in servitude to inequality in freedom." Unfortunately much is done in the name of equality and Americans need to realize that trying to achieve total equality is impossible and we should instead seek to allow all to have the same opportunities and not the same outcomes. I believe it would be interesting to look into how America has been using the banner of equality for the LGBTQ+ community while making those outside of that community "less equal."

All the best,

-Ryley

Hi Kyle,

This is a very interesting and controversial policy: The Presidential Executive Order 14075: Advancing Equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Individuals. You keenly noted how such disparities found in this community of which represents only 7% of the population can also be found in other minority and majority communities as well. This reality does beg the question if such a policy would really be beneficial for the majority of America or does the costs of implementing such a policy outweigh the supposed benefits of improving this particular group’s social conditions? I agree with your statement that “Policies that aim to resolve inequality of outcome are doomed to create more inequalities.” This seems to be the goal of the Executive Order and, as you mentioned, it could prove ineffective and costly.

Your post offers nice variety to these policy proposals. Executive orders are interesting but risky ground to tread. The Bureau of Justice Assistance defines executive orders as “‘official documents … through which the President of the United States manages the operations of the Federal Government.’ The directives cite the President’s authority under the Constitution” (BJA). This gives specific limitations under the Constitution to the gravity of a President’s executive order. Though it has weight, it can have dangerous implications for the balance of power. This executive order specifically, is concerning in its nature as you have pointed out. It certainly is a collective action policy that will cause more problems than it attempts to solve. Namely, it is addressing the protection of LGBTQI+ children—a demographic which in my opinion should be left out of life-changing decisions at such young ages. “The Federal Government must take action to address the significant disparities that LGBTQI+ youth face in the foster care system […]” (Executive Oder 14075). This is concerning.

Works Cited

Bureau of Justice Assistance. “Executive Orders on Privacy and Civil Liberties and the

Information Sharing Environment.” Bureau of Justice asshttps://bja.ojp.gov/program/it/

privacy-civil-liberties/authorities/executive-orders

The American Presidency Project. (2022). “Executive Order 14075–Advancing Equality for

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Individuals.”

https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-14075-advancing-equality-

for-lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender-queer-and