I think all DIE does is put more pressure on every other group of people except white Americans. Thanks to this, now so many black folks will just be considered "diversity hires" which is a negative connotation. This doesn't benefit them IMO, but perhaps it may encourage them work even harder to prove they aren't just there because if their skin color. Meh.
This is everything MLK Jr was against BTW. He wanted black people to be represented the exact same way as whites, not put into a category of "we deserve it because of color". Not segregated into these types of "categories". There always be a "minority victim" with this. Not what MLK wanted.
Going into wages. It's always a tricky concept. Every business has to be looked at individually. There are good companies and bad companies. Some offer more time off, some offer 401k and better health insurance. Some aren't meant to be careers. Some truely could pay their employees much better. The issues is that all wages are based on a market rate. I don't like that, but its what it is. It should be based on how well the company does compared to its peers in the zone economy, and provide a higher wage if they are doing better to gain the advantage of a better workforce. Pay doesn't always achieve a better workforce though. However you'll be able to get better candidates who want the higher pay and therefore achieve better results.
The issue is. One cannot identify what a "livable market rate" is. They say, "should be able to afford rent, food, car, gas, or what have you, what they don't say is, what apartment/where? What food, what type of car, ect. That is the tricky concept. Then you'll have all companies trying to emulate that, which may drive down standard of living as more companies will just resort to paying that minimum standard.
Then they say, if they cant hire someone with a "livable wage" , they shouldn't be allowed to own a business or hire someone. This inturn makes it much easier for large corporations to thrive. They will go ahead and prevent you from owning a business because it's not going to be able to have the cash to pay their idea of a "livable wage". So you will go back to working at the larger Corp that can. You want your 13 year old kid to work the register to grow and learn how to work at an early wage? Forget about it. You won't be allowed to have him work. And oh btw, you have to pay this guy whose been in prison for 10 years the same as old Betty over there whose been working here for 20 because we cannot afford to have fluctuations in pay as we must pay every 25 an hour, even the 17 year old high schooler. It just doesn't make sense not to have a hierarchy in business. And one who think management jobs are easier has never been a manager. That's the biggest red herring in the book.
These days, companies should be paying as much as they can to get and retain the best talent. It's very easy to change jobs when you are young. Once you gain experience you have it for life. Oh and yes, trying hard in school does matter.