In detailing his plan for a multitrillion-dollar relief package to address the COVID-19 pandemic and keep the economy afloat, President-elect Joe Biden said he would prioritize everyone except for white, male-owned businesses.
“Our focus will be on the small businesses on Main Street that aren’t wealthy and well-connected and that are facing real economic hardships through no fault of their own,” he said during a news conference in Wilmington, Delaware.
“Our priority will be on Black, Latino, Asian, and Native American-owned small businesses, and women-owned businesses, finally having equal access to the resources needed to reopen and rebuild,” he continued. “We will make a concerted effort to help small businesses in low-income communities, in big cities, small towns, and rural communities that have faced systemic barriers to relief.
“Think of the mom and pop owner with a couple of employees who can’t just pick up a phone and call a banker, or who doesn’t have lawyers and accountants to help them through the complicated rules to know if they even qualify, or who simply didn’t know there was even relief available in the first place,” Biden added.
The Biden Transition Team highlighted that clip from his Friday speech on Twitter, which led critics to point out that was discrimination.
"Our priority will be Black, Latino, Asian, and Native American owned small businesses, women-owned businesses, and finally having equal access to resources needed to reopen and rebuild." — President-elect Biden pic.twitter.com/pIyDuhf5pH
— Biden-Harris Presidential Transition (@Transition46) January 10, 2021
PSA: Discrimination based on race and sex includes white men and remains unlawful under federal law.
— Marina Medvin ???? (@MarinaMedvin) January 11, 2021
This is racial discrimination. Joe Biden should be impeached already.
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) January 11, 2021
This seems like a blatant violation of the civil rights act, if not the fourteenth amendment
— Jeremy Frankel (@FrankelJeremy) January 11, 2021
Hahahaha it’s entertaining to see the implementation of racism to eradicate racism, segregation to desegregate, and division to bring unity. It’s like watching a dog chase it’s tail!! ????
— Danny Gokey (@dannygokey) January 11, 2021
'Our priority will be establishing a racial caste system. Equality!' https://t.co/e4ruKA6MgL
— Michael Knowles (@michaeljknowles) January 11, 2021
This is completely illegal https://t.co/ZWuZqX1Dte
— Jack Posobiec ???? (@JackPosobiec) January 11, 2021