Law-Forums.org

[maddox]

http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/stories/2010/10/18/story1.html?b=1287374400^4101471

The title of the article at the link is "Women-owned firms to benefit" The article begins:

Traci Downs’ tech-oriented research company Archinoetics has been doing business with the federal government since it was founded five and a half years ago, but her position as the majority owner has had little impact on the bidding process.

The fact that Archinoetics is a women-owned business was noted, “but being a women-owned company there was no official benefit,” said Downs, who is president and chief operating officer of the Honolulu-based concern.

That may change for Downs and other women who own small businesses in Hawaii early next year when the U.S. Small Business Administration implements a federal contracting program for women-owned small businesses that has languished for 10 years.

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Isn't it disturbing that the government is going to discriminate against businesses owned by men when they hand out government contracts. Personally, I don't approve of government picking winners and losers in the market. I don't believe that the government should be awarding any contracts to private businesses, since I believe in the free market and don't want the government distorting the market. However, if the government is going to award contracts to businesses, they should be awarded by a fair and open bidding process without discriminating against businesses regardless of the race, gender, religion, or any other characteristic of the owner (I actually oppose anti-discrimination laws for private businesses, as I believe that they are unnecessary and a violation of property rights, but governments can certainly discriminate and stay in business).

Isn't it at least a little disturbing that this clearly sexist policy is being celebrated by a mainstream media outlet (Pacific Business News)? I'm sure everybody can imagine the outrage if the government were to discriminate against businesses owned by women or by racial minorities. However, isn't it hypocritical for the members of Congress who created this policy (which is finally being implemented) a decade ago, who presumably are against discrimination, to have helped implement a policy that discriminates against men?

If the government is going to discriminate against men (this is only one of numerous examples of discrimination against men), why should men continue to support a government that treats us as second-class citizens?

[tate8]

It isn't Your premise is false.