Guest analysis: Project 2025 is the radical conservatives' machination
There is a dangerous political storm brewing in America. Radical conservatives are attempting to change our democracy to an authoritarian-type government for the benefit of the elite. Their strategy is a classical approach to bringing down a great nation from within. It is based on redefining the truth, controlling future generations of Americans' thinking, establishing a new political philosophy and controlling the nation's identity of nationalism. Current social and political conditions make America susceptible to converting our democracy to an authoritarian dictatorship based on these four issues.
Disrespect for our government is driven by some politicians' personal conduct and their disregard for ethics and established laws. Congress’ inability to function properly is more evident daily. Efforts to deny the 2020 presidential election results have severely damaged Americans’ confidence in our democracy and political election system. Technology-driven social media is afloat with lies, threatening conspiracies and misinformation that is compounded by the use of artificial intelligence. Public schools are being changed to meet radical conservative philosophies. Efforts are being made to establish a new nationalism by condemning Americans for their beliefs, culture and orientations.
The Heritage Foundation, a political nonprofit, is taking advantage of these nation-dividing conditions to promote a program called Project 2025. It builds off Heritage’s “Mandate for Leadership.” The Trump administration relied on Heritage’s “Mandate” for policy guidance during his term as president. Project 2025 is described as "The Conservative Promise," which lays out how to use many tools, including how to legally fire supposedly “un-fireable” federal bureaucrats. Project 2025 is also referred to by the originators as the "Presidential Transition Project." It is a document of almost 1,000 pages. After reading through these documents and enduring the questionable political rhetoric, it seems more like the “The Radical Conservatives Machination.”
Launching Project 2025 to coincide with the 2024 presidential election campaign is aimed at avoiding the pitfalls encountered by former President Trump’s first years in office, when he and his inexperienced team were not capable of providing proper leadership. Former President Donald Trump’s policies were met with resistance by lawmakers, existing government workers and even his own appointees who refused to violate regulations to please him. In short, our democracy was working to stop dictatorial behavior.
The 30 departments under control of the president ― including the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of State, and others ― are all subjects of political criticism by the authors of Project 2025. The most critical department addressed, in my opinion, is described in "Central Personnel Agencies: Managing the Bureaucracy." It is focused on restaffing the administrative offices of the president to install radical conservatives in all departments. It describes the need to replace long-time career staffing with individuals specially trained to support the new president.
The originators of Project 2025 claim most current staffing has existed too long and are loyal to past leadership or opposing political parties.
Directors of Project 2025 are currently recruiting an “army” of Americans from across our nation to move to Washington, D.C., as new presidential staffers. Recruitment began at the 2023 Iowa State Fair. The plan is to have indoctrinated human resources available on Day One of a new president to commandeer, reshape and do away with what these conservatives call the existing “deep state” bureaucracy.
All new presidential staffing and others will undergo training that will be accomplished through a special Presidential Administration Academy established by Project 2025. It is an online educational system taught by “experts” from the Heritage Foundation conservative coalition. This training will explain how the “new” government will function. In-person seminars will be offered to set the bar for what is expected of them. It has been reported these new staffers will replace as many as 50,000 federal workers across all presidential-controlled departments.
Chapter by chapter, Project 2025 offers a how-to manual for the conversion of our democracy to an authoritarian style government. It can best be described as an insurrection from within. It is the “thunder and lightning” before a nation's devastating tornadic storm.
Any individual elected U.S. president that uses the Project 2025 document to guide our nation presents a significant threat to our democracy. It plants the seeds of rebellion to change our United States of America from a democracy to an authoritarian-style dictator government. Project 2025 echoes the steps taken that led to the rise of Nazi Germany.
It reflects an insidious effort against our democracy.
Our government has problems, but processes currently exist to address and remedy them. Resistance to efforts that destroy our democracy begins by voting for individuals who have the fortitude, if elected, to protect our democracy. This means holding those we elect responsible for taking legal actions against insurrectionist and political criminals, regardless of their titles. It is up to voters to choose such representatives for our America, not some radical political party.
Yes, OUR America. It belongs to every citizen equally.
My opinions are based on analysis of Project 2025 documents and from listening to political comments by former President Trump, who is referenced repeatedly in Project 2025 documents. I still believe democracy is the best form of government for our great nation. We must constantly fight against authoritarian-focused radicals.
Richard C. "Dick" Hall, of Norman, is an Army veteran who served 30 years in federal civil service and retired as a division manager.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Analysis of the Project 2025 plan for the next conservative president
