Inventing racism: Obama Labor nominee's love of "disparate impact" theory

As American society attempts to move beyond racial politics and racism in society, Thomas Perez the Obama administration's nominee to head the Department of Labor is hell-bent on turning back the clock by advocating a controversial legal doctrine which imagines racism and assumes guilt on the part of businesses with no evidence of wrongful actions or malicious intent necessary.

The doctrine of "disparate impact" is a legal doctrine which assumes that discrimination can be proven simply by looking at outcomes. If no discriminatory practices or malicious intent can be identified, the finding that a policy or practice resulted in outcomes in which "protected groups", such as women and minorities, were disqualified more or qualified less is all that is needed to assume some form of "unintentional discrimination" took place - no actual evidence of discriminatory intent is necessary.

A recent Wall Street Journal story discussed Perez' ambitious efforts to aggressively pursue actions by applying disparate impact theory while an Assistant U.S. Attorney General, even to the point where he may have undermined civil cases to seek a deal which protected his efforts from going to the Supreme Court:

Obama nominates career gov't lawyer to lead Labor Department

If you've ever heard of Thomas Perez, you might've been involved in the court battle over South Carolina's Voter ID law. But if you haven't heard of him and work in the private sector, you might get to learn more about him soon.

And we're betting you won't like what you see.

Perez, who will be nominated by the Obama administration to lead the Department of Labor, is currently an Assistant Attorney General in the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, where he led failed efforts to try to block South Carolina's Voter ID law. He also worked to expand the scope of the Americans with Disabilities Act, one of the most anti-employer laws on the books.

Imagine what Perez, who has never worked a day in the private sector, would do as Labor Secretary if confirmed.

While you're thinking about it, call your Senators and ask them what they're going to do about the Perez confirmation. We will.