The public history of Project 2025 reveals a lot about how Trump understands power - and how the mainstream discourse (mis-) understands the extreme Right
What a fantastic and clear piece of writing. Thank you for putting it all together so cogently. The Heritage Foundation's mistake was to put the quite part in writing, out loud, and to brag about it. This was a miscalculation of how much control the radical right had at the time. And, that woke people up. Keep up the great work of shining the light on the mechanisms of power mongers.
What a comprehensive, enlightened article! It did seem longer than an essay to me. I am trying to maintain the hope and joy that 'everything is gonna be all right' and 'right' used in the correct way of right vs. wrong.
<< Only 4 percent of registered voters in the poll rated Project 2025 either “very” or at least “somewhat” positively >>
True, but a minority of voters -- with slim and/or tainted majorities in the swing states -- may propel Trump back to power and get these atrocities implemented as policy.
Anyhoo, in the 8 year scenario, it seems that all the Project 2025 folks need to do is bide their time, and in at most 8 years, Americans will hand them the levers of power, and Project 2025 will be able to be implimented. As the extremist rot in the GOP will not end with tRump, and Republicans being willing to play the long game (see "Mitch McConnell"), I figure the country has, at most, about a decade before the Republic falls into dictatorship. As the old saying goes, "Dictatorship delayed is not dictatorship denied."
I'd be happy to hear any and all counterarguments.
My concern is this: so lets say that Harris / Walz win the election, and even that they win again in 2028. As Americans usually do, after two cycles of the same party in power, they seem to invariably tire of "the same old thing" and bring the other side to power, as has happened many times.
Whoa... I guess someone needs to say that in order to wake people up to the reality of the radical right, and the need to strengthen our laws and institutions to prevent P. 2025 from occurring ever. As I see it, a Harris/Walz win is only the first step in response to understanding P. 2025.
Duh... Biden actually did very good things that are not acknowledged. Harris appears to have the character and drive to do more. We need to put the progressive agenda on the map and move forward. One piece of this would be to enlarge the progressive Squad. The Democratic party is currently dominated by too many centrists who impede progress.
Since World War Two (and 20 years of Roosevelt-Truman), the only party that retained power for more than eight years was the GOP (Reagan and Bush 41 = 12 years). Dems never seem to last longer than eight years.
Everything in this article is true and relevant. The one thing that is happening but not given adequate attention here is the grassroots groundswell against project 2025. This takes courageous individuals willing to speak out, especially in red states. But most of the elite media seems oblivious to, or worse complicit with, the authoritarians. If democracy fails here, it will cascade worldwide, and our media will bear a huge share of the guilt.
I am concerned that a lot of people still do not know about Project 2025. Also, while MSNBC produced good discussions earlier, right now they seem to have forgotten... political discourse seems to be business as usual.
Excellent essay that really summarizes and analyses Project 2025, the people behind it and it's relationship to Trump. It is remarkable that the MSM is so reluctant to report on Trump's obvious decline which is clearly visible by watching any rally of his because they don't want to criticize him personally (we now have a new word "sane-washing"), but at least they are willing to investigate and criticize Project 2025 and the people behind it. Democrats have also been able to connect the Red state abortion bans to Project 2025 along with the more extreme proposals to ban contraception (including condoms), IVF, same sex marriage, and a whole host of other ideas that are not in the least popular with voters. And let's not forget JD Vance and his clearly anti-women views. Maybe it was hubris for these men to broadcast Project 2025 and to completely underestimate how women and younger voters would react to their plans but, it put an urgency to the right's extremism and that's important.
When the NYT editors do want a story to have a lifespan, it happens.
Thank you so much for recording an audio version of this, really appreciate it.
What a fantastic and clear piece of writing. Thank you for putting it all together so cogently. The Heritage Foundation's mistake was to put the quite part in writing, out loud, and to brag about it. This was a miscalculation of how much control the radical right had at the time. And, that woke people up. Keep up the great work of shining the light on the mechanisms of power mongers.
🙏
Well done, as usual. Thank you for your efforts.
What a comprehensive, enlightened article! It did seem longer than an essay to me. I am trying to maintain the hope and joy that 'everything is gonna be all right' and 'right' used in the correct way of right vs. wrong.
Thank you for such an insightful and well researched essay.
<< Only 4 percent of registered voters in the poll rated Project 2025 either “very” or at least “somewhat” positively >>
True, but a minority of voters -- with slim and/or tainted majorities in the swing states -- may propel Trump back to power and get these atrocities implemented as policy.
FELICES HOW PROJECT
Thought interrupted ....
Anyhoo, in the 8 year scenario, it seems that all the Project 2025 folks need to do is bide their time, and in at most 8 years, Americans will hand them the levers of power, and Project 2025 will be able to be implimented. As the extremist rot in the GOP will not end with tRump, and Republicans being willing to play the long game (see "Mitch McConnell"), I figure the country has, at most, about a decade before the Republic falls into dictatorship. As the old saying goes, "Dictatorship delayed is not dictatorship denied."
I'd be happy to hear any and all counterarguments.
Don’t talk dirty.
VERY true!
My concern is this: so lets say that Harris / Walz win the election, and even that they win again in 2028. As Americans usually do, after two cycles of the same party in power, they seem to invariably tire of "the same old thing" and bring the other side to power, as has happened many times.
Whoa... I guess someone needs to say that in order to wake people up to the reality of the radical right, and the need to strengthen our laws and institutions to prevent P. 2025 from occurring ever. As I see it, a Harris/Walz win is only the first step in response to understanding P. 2025.
I suppose they could try actually doing good things for the public. I know, crazy idea, but it worked for FDR.
Duh... Biden actually did very good things that are not acknowledged. Harris appears to have the character and drive to do more. We need to put the progressive agenda on the map and move forward. One piece of this would be to enlarge the progressive Squad. The Democratic party is currently dominated by too many centrists who impede progress.
Since World War Two (and 20 years of Roosevelt-Truman), the only party that retained power for more than eight years was the GOP (Reagan and Bush 41 = 12 years). Dems never seem to last longer than eight years.
Insightful. A great read about a terrifying topic.
Excellent. Thank you, Professor.
Everything in this article is true and relevant. The one thing that is happening but not given adequate attention here is the grassroots groundswell against project 2025. This takes courageous individuals willing to speak out, especially in red states. But most of the elite media seems oblivious to, or worse complicit with, the authoritarians. If democracy fails here, it will cascade worldwide, and our media will bear a huge share of the guilt.
I am concerned that a lot of people still do not know about Project 2025. Also, while MSNBC produced good discussions earlier, right now they seem to have forgotten... political discourse seems to be business as usual.
Trump says he would only be a dictator on Day 1. What he doesn't say is that every day that ends in "y" will be Day 1.
No dictator stops on Day 1, least of all Trump.
Or the Day 1 dictator will use his dictatorial power for a day to declare himself "Dictator For Life"
Julius Caesar got himself appointed "Dictator for Life." Of course, his life ended shortly thereafter...
But the dictatorship continued...
Excellent essay that really summarizes and analyses Project 2025, the people behind it and it's relationship to Trump. It is remarkable that the MSM is so reluctant to report on Trump's obvious decline which is clearly visible by watching any rally of his because they don't want to criticize him personally (we now have a new word "sane-washing"), but at least they are willing to investigate and criticize Project 2025 and the people behind it. Democrats have also been able to connect the Red state abortion bans to Project 2025 along with the more extreme proposals to ban contraception (including condoms), IVF, same sex marriage, and a whole host of other ideas that are not in the least popular with voters. And let's not forget JD Vance and his clearly anti-women views. Maybe it was hubris for these men to broadcast Project 2025 and to completely underestimate how women and younger voters would react to their plans but, it put an urgency to the right's extremism and that's important.
Project 2025 should be dominating the political conversation. It is NOT. Most conversations feel like business as usual.
Your final section is particularly insightful. Well done!