PROJECT 2025

Six years ago, the IndyStar asked a group of people walking into Donald Trump's first Indiana campaign rally to find one word best describing him:

Authenticity. Brave. Needed. Executive. Good. Powerful. Demanding. Great.* Embarrassing. Visionary. Brash. Boastful. Awesome.* Change.

Hero. Honest.* Disgusting. Boorish. Greatest of All Time.* Driven.* Pro-American. American and America.* Fantastic. Ambitious. President.*

Smart.* Dynamic. High-energy. Strength. Non-political. Businessman. Motivated. Resilient. Amazing.* Terrible. Leader.* Passionate.*

Leadership. Winner. Bigot. Authentic. True.* Patriot. Strong. Non-corrupt. Strong-willed. Determined. Brave. Godlike. Friend. Rich. Dude. Wall. Strong.*

Traditional. Bold. Revolutionary. Genius. Brilliant. Boss. Clever. Ballsy.* Family. Capable. Bad-ass. Heroic. Winner.* Loud.* Greatness. Good. Expletive-crazy.

Powerful. Helpful. Charismatic. Rich.* Egomaniac. Fantastic. Transparent.

Two years ago, Rabbi John Rosove presented 166 words describing Donald Trump.

“Twice-impeached, convicted felon (34 counts), convicted rapist, convicted fraudster, 88-times indicted, one-man-crime-wave, corrupt, unprecedented, liar, dishonest, deceitful, grifter, denier, deceptive, insincere, untrustworthy, duplicitous, hypocritical, angry, argumentative, oppositional, divisive, aggressive, mob-boss-like, cyber-bully, intimidating, threatening, vindictive, vengeful, rage-filled, controversial, outrageous, arrogant, entitled, spoiled, intolerant, insensitive, uncaring, hardhearted, indecent, disrespectful, shameless, craven, hostile, hateful, ruthless, cruel, mean, malevolent, dystopian, dark, base, low, abhorrent, decrepit, egoistical, egotistical, self-centered, narcissistic, malignant, unwell, mentally ill, delusional, pathological, unhinged, nihilistic, self-serving, selfish, chaotic, unpredictable, childish, cowardly, manipulative, ignoble, shameful, deplorable, discreditable, licentious, lecherous, reprehensible, sexist, misogynist, racist, white supremacist, Islamophobic, homophobic, poisonous, odious, toxic, evil, bad, criminal, wrong-doer, amoral, immoral, ignominious, worst, catastrophic, calamitous, ruinous, disastrous, devastating, damaging, destructive, back-stabbing, double-crossing, two-faced, unfaithful, faithless, loser, weak, morally profligate, sacrilegious, soulless, disloyal, cheater, thief, fraudulent, scandalous, despicable, rancid, grievous, churlish, rude, ill-mannered, bad-tempered, cynical, appalling, profligate, ignorant, foolish, stupid, inflammatory, degenerate, debauched, imprudent, alarming, clownish, reckless, dangerous, murderous, violent, extremist, unworthy, unfit, dysfunctional, incompetent, ineffective, irresponsible, unaccountable, culpable, failed, subversive, illiberal, authoritarian, fascistic, anti-democratic, anti-constitutional, dictatorial, lawless, autocratic, seditious, traitorous, treasonous, insurrectionist, un-American.”    

Well, what about Joe Biden.  In a poll taken this year by the Pew Research Center, here are the results.

Well, considering Trump's failed coup attempt on 6January202, his court trial defeats--most recently being judged to be a convicted felon--and the 30 or so lies he mouthed in his recent debate with Joe Biden, any impartial extraterrestrial group observing the USA could surely not possibly arrive at the results found this month by FiveThiryEight, a polling organization, this month.

Then again, perhaps a person's character judged by Homo sapiens might not be all that crucial, for The Daily Mail provided these summaries:

The Democratic Party is totally confused today, for if they do nothing, it will be old Joe against confident Donald.  If they ditch him, then who?  And at this late date with only 120 days till 5November2024.

I suspect Joe Biden will prevail, and he will be the Democratic candidate.  The only strategy that could will overcome this obvious deficiency is if Democrats can refine their fear factor strategy.  Will the end of Democracy be a factor?

A good example  is Project 2025.  Joe Biden assailed this document and said it was written for him by his cronies.  Donald Trump said he knows nothing about this effort.  Sure, but he lies...all the time.  But why would he lie on this, for his close supporters were directly and publicly involved.

Okay, what is Project 2025?

• It is a 922-page plan to dramatically expand presidential power by firing 50,000 government workers, and replace them with Trump loyalists.  Normal partisan transition only involves about 4000 upper level roles.
• 
  Remarkably similar to Trump's Agenda 47.
• Crafted by The Heritage Foundation.
• An activist American conservative think tank based in Washington, D.C.
• Founded in 1973by the Nixon administration.
• The conservative version of the Brookings Institution.

• 
  Took a leading role during the Ronald Reagan presidency.
• Following Trump's victory in 2016 took a major role in the transition and administration, and 66 of their employees and alumni were hired by Trump.
• Anti-Black Lives Matter, is into climate change denial (heavily funded by ExxonMobil), opposes LGBT rights, opposed aid to Ukraine, and has promoted voter fraud claims.
• Says it has 710,000 financial contributors and an annual revenue of $106 million with a staff of 200.
• Will transform the U.S. into an autocracy.
• Will undermine the rule of law,  separation of powers, separation of church and state, and civil liberties.
• 
  President of the Heritage Foundation Kevin Roberts this month declared that they are in the process of the second American Revolution, and will be bloodless it at all possible.
• Will use the military for domestic law enforcement.
• Will take partisan control over the Department of Justice, FBI, FCC, FTC and Department of Commerce, dismantling the Department of Homeland Security, sharply reducing environmental and climate change regulations in favor of more fossil fuel production.
• There will be tax cuts for the rich, although this was downplayed
• Will reject abortion as health care.
• Will infuse government with elements of Christianity.
• DOJ will prosecute anti-white racism.
• Will promote capital punishment and speedy finality of sentences.
• There will be a lot vengeance, initially with a three-week reign of terror to go after conspirators in government and the media, even if they flee the country.
• Would eliminate the Department of Education, allowing more freedom to states.
• Would ease enactment of Trump views regarding immigration, nuclear policy, international affairs, NATO, etc.  For example:

Donald Trump has stated that if reelected he would immediately "begin the largest domestic deportation operation in American history."^[137] Heritage stated in April 2024 that Project 2025 policy includes "arresting, detaining, and removing immigration violators anywhere in the United States."^[32]

So Democrats have a blueprint for victory later this year.  The Republican Party has provided the reason why voters should not vote for them.  A close example is what happened to France over the weekend.  The Summer Olympics opens next week, and the country seemed close to upheaval until the elections yesterday.  

• 
  Keep in mind that their politics are not the same as here.
• They have three competing groups:  liberal (New Popular Front), centrist (Renaissance, led by Emmanuel Macron) and National Rally, Marine Le Pen--the far right extremist party...think Trump).

• 
  To the shock of everyone, they got very similar results, with NPF #1, R #2 and NR #3.
• The New Popular Front party was just formed last month, an amalgam of Socialists, Greens, Communists and the radical left French Unbowed.  Think Bernie Sanders.  Who leads the NPF?  Those who run these various other liberal groups.  No one person has stood out.  And none of them will be in the running to oust Macron, who has three years left in his presidency.

Basically, the NPF saw the sudden leap of Le Pen's extreme right party, and out of nowhere became the leading political organization.  

• It's like liberal Democrats, recognizing the frailty of Joe Biden, forming a New Democratic Party, pick a candidate to suddenly run against Biden and Trump on November 5.
• Well, not quite, for the U.S. system does not allow for that. Or at least its probably too late for this to occur because there are so many state requirements.
• The equivalent is for both houses of Congress to suddenly find itself with liberal Democrats having a few more votes than the traditional Democratic Party, which would end up with a few more votes than the Republicans.
• Of course, that won't happen this year, but even if it does, the key date for the U.S. presidency is November 5, when it will be Trump against Biden, plus a few weak third party candidates.

Okay, the bottom line is for Biden or another Democrat against Trump on November 5 counting on American voters being smart and patriotic enough to fend of the extremism of Donald Trump and Project 2025.  That is the FEAR FACTOR I've been writing about this month.  I don't think it matters who runs as the Democrat.  France is a good example of the masses being sensible.  I think we, too, are.

Yesterday, I posted on the five films I saw over the weekend.  Turns out I saw a sixth Sunday night, on Netflix.  The Accountant was released in 2016.  Got weak Rotten Tomatoes scores of 53/76.  About right.  If I had known these ratings ahead of time, I wouldn't have bothered to watch.  

Ben Affleck is a mathematics savant on the borderline of autism.  Could have been better directed and edited.  Oh, but there will be a sequel, with the same actors.  His brother will unite with him this time.  No mention about Anna Kendrick and a continuation of their interest in each other.  

But the final scene is of Kendrick opening a package from Affleck.  It is the much beloved (by him) Free Form (1946, below) by Jackson Pollock.  No one knows what it is worth, but  many Pollock's have sold for more than $100 million, with Blue Poles (1952,left) perhaps today worth $500 million.

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