July 12, 2024
While some of you may already be aware of Project 2025, to many this will come as news. Regardless of your level of knowledge, the project has rightly become an election issue worthy of your attention. This proposal by the conservative think tank Heritage Foundation and subtitled "Presidential Transition Project" (presumably for Trump's second term), promotes implementation of a “unitary executive” from whom all power flows. Project 2025, in conjunction with the recent Supreme Court decision giving the Chief Executive criminal immunity while engaging in official acts, institutionalizes extremism. Project 2025, which is believed to contain dystopian policies extremely damaging to personal liberties, holds the potential to remold the American democracy into a dangerous autocracy.
As a supporter of moderation and a citizen concerned with extremism, you are urged to become familiar with the elements of Project 2025 and make contact with voters this election season to express your objections.
While the Project 2025 document contains over 900 pages, an updated Wikipedia article provides a very balanced, and incredibly thorough but simple explanation of the blueprint for the second Trump administration. It also provides dozens of blue links where more information about individual aspects of the plan and the individuals who crafted it can be obtained.
It should be noted that the Heritage Foundation provided Ronald Reagan with a blueprint for governance in the 1980’s and he followed it quite closely. However, that was not a plan to radically transform the Federal Government by dissolving a civil service program created in 1883 and hiring into government only those that pass a loyalty test, after participating in an online training academy.
Project 2025, partially authored by Russell Vought, a former director of Management and Budget for Trump and now policy director of the RNC Convention, would, among other things:
Dismantle the Department of Education. This would eliminate Title 1 school funding (aid to educate low-income students), end free school lunches and Head Start, and place the future of Special Education in doubt.
The DOJ would be under the direct supervision of the President. The FBI will be “constrained” from investigating disinformation issues and will no longer be a free-standing agency within the Justice Department. It will be answerable to and directed by the Chief Executive.
Homeland Security would be dissolved.
Any federal research dollars would only go to projects aligned to conservative values.
All persons occupying State Department leadership positions would be removed from their positions by January 2025.
NOAA and its National Weather service would be dismantled and privatized.
Environmental and climate change related agency policy would be pro- fossil fuel.
Enforce the Comstock Act, which would prohibit the mailing of abortion drugs.
Infuse the government and society with "Christian values", undermining the Constitutional separation of church and state.
Impose policy elements determined to undermine the rule of law, the separation of powers and civil liberties guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.
These are only a few highlights of a 920-page document written in the Spring of 2023.
The Trump campaign is trying vigorously to disassociate themselves from this plan. There are links in the Wikipedia article that discuss this factor. In addition, the Washington Post editorial by Catherine Rampell which appeared in the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel provides additional commentary on Project 2025 and its association with Donald Trump.
Finally, some words of caution. There are many memes and articles on the internet falsely attributing all sorts of policies to Project 2025. An example of this would be that it bans “no fault divorce”. This is not a true statement. Although some of the conservative groups and organizations that make up Heritage may not agree with no fault divorce, it is not banned under the plan. The links in the Wikipedia article give reputable, not inflammatory, information on Project 2025. In addition, it has been reported that the Heritage Foundation may be shuffling Project 2025 page numbers as a means of making research more difficult and then discrediting critics who cite incorrect page numbers.
The American voter deserves to be informed of this plan. It is structured in a way that it can be in force in 180 days. The election is less than 120 days away.
Thanks to Ann Hasley for the research on Project 2025 and her contribution to the major portions of this email.
Restore the Balance Board of Directors
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