I would like to know exactly what underlies the Trump/GOP obsession with DEI.

[Ocelot II]

81. The basic intent is obvious, but my question is directed more to

the reason for the degree of overkill and the sheer malice involved. They could have eliminated unwanted DEI programs easily without torching the entire executive branch simply by directing the agencies to close out the DEI initiatives in their HR departments, and to reassign employees to other work. Instead, DEI is being treated like accusations of Communism during the McCarthy era when in fact it's simply a pretty innocuous employee training program that doesn't discriminate against white people in any respect; it merely points out how to avoid bias against minority/LGBTQ/people with disabilities, etc. I get their desire to be sure mediocre white men keep their advantages but intentionally causing enormous collateral damage in the process seems like a pretty bizarre political strategy. The speculation in this thread that the whole thing is performative rather than substantive is the only thing that makes any sense. It will bite them in the ass eventually, but not soon enough.