By ZOYA KHAN
With Donald Trump’s now decisive victory in the 2024 presidential election, speculation as to what the future holds for the American government is circulating. A political initiative was published by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, detailing a specific plan for the future, entitled, “Project 2025.”
Although Trump has stated that he is not affiliated with the project, many people have found similarities between his presidential plan and that of the project. Many fear that its proponents will jeopardize democratic principles, and others support the changes it makes to the government. Here is a paired down version of someof “Project 2025’s” salient points.
What is Project 2025?
The project began as a structural suggestion plan for the United States and quickly gained traction from many in the Republican party. It aims to create a detailed plan for governing if a Republican wins the presidency in 2024. It discusses such issues as the economy, healthcare, immigration, energy, and education, and suggests concrete steps to achieve conservative goals in these areas. All of these proposals emphasize traditional conservative principles, like lower taxes for the rich, less government regulation, and a strong national defense.
Who wrote Project 2025, and how did it come about?
Although Project 2025 was developed by the Heritage Foundation, it involved contributions from various scholars, policy experts, and former government officials. Kevin Roberts, the president of the Heritage Foundation, played a crucial role in helping the initiative to align with broader conservative goals. The writing process was very collaborative, involving input from economic, healthcare, and national security experts, many of whom have ties to past Republican administrations.
How is Project 2025 connected to Donald Trump?
Since Project 2025 is designed as a plan for a future Republican administration, and since Trump has now won, the project says that it aligns with his goals and vision for governance. However, Trump has done his best to distance himself from the plan, as many Americans, even Republicans, believe that the project restricts democratic ideals. Still, the proposals outlined in Project 2025 reflect many of the policies Trump has previously championed. Additionally, CNN found that at least 140 people, more than half of its authors, who worked in or around the Trump administration contributed to Project 2025.
If Project 2025 were to be implemented, what would our government look like?
One of the more prominent structural changes in the project is the encouragement of executive orders to bypass Congress on certain issues that allow the president to easily implement policy changes. It suggests reorganizing cabinet positions to ensure alignment with conservative priorities, potentially creating or eliminating departments to streamline government functions, specifically federal agencies. Project 2025 aims to identify and eliminate what it views as “unnecessary regulations” across various sectors, particularly in energy and healthcare, that will allegedly foster economic growth. The initiative also proposes forming task forces within agencies to review and repeal what they see as outdated regulations, and it calls for the establishment of specialized teams focused on key areas like healthcare, education, and energy. It suggests that these teams would be responsible for executing specific policy initiatives and ensuring accountability. Project 2025 also lays out a strategy for appointing conservative judges who adhere to originalist interpretations of the Constitution (mainly conservative), to reshape the judiciary significantly. It advocates for a rigorous vetting process that prioritizes candidates with a commitment to conservative judicial philosophy. They also plan to devolve certain federal powers back to state and local governments, arguing that they are better positioned to address specific community needs instead of the federal government. Specifically, it proposes increasing the use of block grants to give states more flexibility in how they allocate federal funds for programs like education and healthcare.
How is Project 2025 similar to RNC policies?
In terms of tax cuts, the RNC and Project 2025 both advocate for reducing taxes by supporting policies aimed at lowering corporate and individual tax rates to stimulate economic growth. Both also emphasize reducing government regulations to promote free market principles and encourage business growth. The RNC and Project 2025 also prioritize strong military and national defense and advocate for increased defense spending and stronger responses to global threats. In terms of judiciary policies, both integrate appointing conservative judges who interpret the Constitution in a strict, originalist manner which has been a critical aspect of the Republican platforms for years. A significant similarity between the two involves opposition to abortion and other healthcare policies, which has turned the heads of many Americans, especially women across the country.
How is Project 2025 different from RNC policies?
While both the RNC and Project 2025 share foundational conservative principles, Project 2025 offers a more detailed, actionable approach to specific policy areas. This specificity might appeal to voters looking for clear commitments and strategies, while the RNC provides the broader, more traditional Republican framework that encompasses a wider range of perspectives. The RNC generally supports market-based healthcare reforms but is less specific about mechanisms. Project 2025 proposes detailed reforms, such as expanding Health Savings Accounts and restructuring Medicare, for a more comprehensive overhaul of the healthcare system. The RNC Supports border security and reform but often presents a mix of enforcement and pathways to citizenship. Project 2025 takes a stricter stance on immigration enforcement, specifying a complete revamp of the immigration system to prioritize border security and merit-based immigration. The RNC focuses on traditional issues like family values and religious freedom but has more of a neutral tone on certain social issues. Project 2025 more aggressively promotes conservative social policies, talking explicitly about issues like parental rights in education and opposing critical race theory more pointedly.
Why is understanding Project 2025 important for us as high schoolers to understand?
Understanding Project 2025 is important for high schoolers for many reasons. It encourages us as young and impressionable students to engage with current political issues and understand the policies that shape our lives and communities. Learning about specific policy proposals and how they coincide with or restrict our democratic rights helps us as students and citizens develop critical thinking skills and realize our rights in this country. The policies discussed in Project 2025 could affect students’ futures in areas like education, healthcare, job opportunities, and the environment— all things that are important to our futures in America. Understanding these policies can help us advocate for our interests and important rights.