I am writing this little essay due to the political hot potato Project 2025, a blueprint for government change from a conservative point of view. Democrats vilify it. They claim that Project 2025 is the playbook for a possible next Trump term. The former President claims he has had nothing to do with it, that he has not read it and will not, and that it is not its playbook. The Democrats claim that Project 2025 is an extreme right-wing agenda that will set the country back. Republicans do not defend it but probably wisely say little because Democrats will pick and choose parts out of context and prosecute their case against Republicans on the basis of such misrepresentations. I read some of the names of those who gave leadership to different chapters or sections of the document and knew them to be brilliant, credible, and not extreme. However, were others extreme and suggesting extreme and dangerous policies? I have read many studies from the Heritage Foundation and other think tanks whose leaders were part of this project. Heritage is usually very credible.
So, what is a person like me to do? I am an informed person who seeks to apply biblical worldview thinking to politics. See my book Social Justice. In this book I promote the idea that love and Justice are one and that a truly just social order is one that promotes the lifting up of the greatest number of people. I argue that a free enterprise society with checks and balances on corporate and governmental power is the most successful. Justice is based on God’s law, the universals that can be derived from the Bible, and on empirical evidence of what works. With this understanding, I decided to review the 2025 Project. It is 880 plus pages, large dense pages. It was no easy task, but how can I evaluate the many claims that are being made? I could not find a good and comprehensive defense of the project or a fair and serious critique, so I decided to work my way through it.
Here is a very short summary of my key takeaways. No, it is not a radical crazy radical right-wing agenda but is the product of brilliant and serious thinkers whose articles should be read and weighed. The book is primarily dealing with the Executive Branch of the Federal Government and all its agencies. The administrative state, all its agencies, is so large and vast that it is difficult to get one’s arms around it. So, the 2025 Project gives more information on the vast federal government than anyone could want. It is an education. The Executive Branch of the Government is far larger than the rest of the government put together and very powerful. Here is my review.
The Massive Labyrinth and Its Waste
The project describes every agency and significant sub-agency. Each one is a vast labyrinth in itself with huge budgets and government administrators and sub administrators galore. The documented waste, duplication, inertia, civil service employees who resist change, corruption, and cronyism are beyond what we can imagine. Truly as Lawrence Peter argued, in government agencies inefficiency is ubiquitous since people are often promoted beyond their competence. (The Peter Principle.) This reminds us of Ronald Reagan and his Grace commission which sought to address this. But since then, the waste and corruption of government has grown back and is probably worse than ever. There must be a radical evaluation on the basis of efficiency and the government in size has to be radically reduced. Can anyone get their hands around these agencies and reform them? We hope so. They swallow up much wealth.
Agency Mission Creep, and Corruption
One aspect of the administrative state and its agencies is mission creep. Over and over again agencies and their leaders stretch the boundaries of their legal congressional mandates and involve themselves in regulations and initiatives that were not approved by Congress. This is a way for elites to gain progress in their political and social directions without the necessity of legislation and democratic debate. The various authors show this in agency after agency. I will detail some examples. It is the characteristic of leftist elites to bypass legislative and democratic processes to gain their end in hidden ways through the bureaucracy.
CRT. DEI, Transgenderism, ESG
A few years ago, we were told that Critical Race Theory was an academic theory and was not being applied in our schools or in government policy. This was a lie. The cultural formation left has made CRT ubiquitous in most government agencies. This began with President Obama, was somewhat halted under President Trump but now has returned with a vengeance. CRT promotes appointing and promoting people by their particular race and ethnicity above others who may be more qualified. This racial/ethnic orientation and quota system was not passed by Congress and not approved by the democratic process but is being applied throughout the agencies and in its policies promoted for other nations, in education and so much more. CRT partners with its twin ideas, DEI, diversity, equity, and inclusion. DEI is not interested in diversity of thought or political or religious views. DEI means that every government agency, every corporation, and every institution is to reflect the proportion of embraced groups that are disadvantaged. Blacks and Hispanics especially are favored, but Asians need not apply! There is a pecking order. Such racial discrimination was rejected by the Supreme Court, but the agencies of the Federal Government are fully promoting these unconstitutional directions. This replaces the right orientation for disadvantaged groups, programs, and opportunities for the poor that will qualify many for advancement.
CRT partners with transgenderism and the promotion of the LGBTQ+ agenda. These alternative lifestyles are endorsed and promoted and makeup one of the groups for special treatment and promotion. They were disadvantaged and are now to be promoted. These policies need to be eliminated.
ESG, Environment, Social, and Government is another left orientation that seeks to force corporations and banks to act to only favor those who embrace a more radical environmental agenda that can lead to much poverty, Social brings us back to DEI and go Government to leadership that promotes all of this. Businesses that run a full ESG and DEI can be refused financing and de-platformed. This discrimination must be halted.
Restoring and Incentivizing Marriage and Family
Contrary to false claims, Project 2025 does not seek to eliminate welfare but like the Clinton administration, seeks to incentivize work. It also seeks policies that incentivizes marriage and family stability as the building block of success. While there are successful children from single parent situations, the percentages of success show differentials that are huge and are in favor of an intact family with a mother and father. This may be one emphasis that is hated by the left that seeks to equalize all types of living arrangements. Incentivizing family should be expressed in welfare programs, education, and government programs in housing and adoption. This affects policies on adoption that should favor intact two parent families with a mother and father and should not discriminate against religious families that promote traditional marriage.
Rejecting transgenderism as a policy implies rejecting education that fosters transgender ideas in children in our education system and even promotes transgender transition for children. This can lead to confusion in children. It also rejects transgender biological men in women’s locker rooms, shower rooms, and sports. There is a rejection of Biden’s fiat re-interpretation of Title 9 to apply protections for women in sports to include biological boys and men who identify as girls or women. This also affects the Department of Health and Human Services in its policies promoting transgenderism.
Abortion, National, and International
Though our nation is divided on the issue of abortion the Agencies of Government are all in on promoting it, in Health and Human Services and even in foreign policy from the State Department and through the influence of the largesse of foreign aid. The 2025 project does not call for a ban on abortion but for regulation and an end to late-term abortion. Despite all the professions in favor of multiculturalism, contrary to our laws, the Federal Agencies dealing with foreign nations strong-arm these nations to embrace pro-abortion policies and the LGBTQ+ agenda This is profoundly contrary to the traditional cultures of many nations. Such policies and arm-twisting are seen as colonialism. And it is! Conservatives may be pro-life but generally seek to see abortion limited to the first trimester.
Education
The union monopoly education system in the U. S. is a disaster in many locales. Morals (Immorality) are promoted contrary to family religious beliefs. Think of the defense of the pornographic in the school and those who oppose it are claimed to seek censorship. Often performance in schools is very poor. The solution is that money should follow the parents who can choose their schools. This is the key for many of the poor underclass to escape their poor-performing schools and to escape poverty. This is a key policy that is greatly needed. If money follows the student the parents can choose religious schools, private schools, or public schools. Some think the Education Department should be eliminated. It imposes mandates against the will of many parents. Of course, funds can be given so that the poor can choose a better education, but that does not require a department. Education should be locally controlled. School choice is a key to a better future.
Environmental Ideas
The 2025 Project claims to be pro-environment but not in a radical way where we destroy the fossil fuel industry and do not by world statistics improve the environment but have policies that will lead to poverty. Banks should not be able to refuse business on the basis of this part of the ESG agenda. The Environmental Protection Agency needs to be reined in for it regulates beyond its congressional mandate.
Cancel Culture and Big Tech
It is crucial that cancel culture be opposed and Big Tech needs regulation to not de-platform and demonetize what is contrary to their politically correct ideas. Only calls for violence, pornography and real hate (not made-up hate such as promoting traditional marriage!) should be censored. Monopolist issues with Big Tech and the internet need to be addressed.
Trade
There is a very good discussion on international trade, tariffs and prosperity with different points of view presented. The dangers of trade with China and its nefarious behavior are dealt with.
The Department of Justice
The Department needs to be depoliticized. It is severe with pro-life demonstrators who slightly cross red lines but have been soft on violent behavior against pro-life centers. Crimes from the left (think of George Floyd, Minneapolis burning, and Seattle). It puts out warnings on parents at school boards but allows more serious crimes to be unprosecuted. A return to law-based enforcement is crucial
This is a very small summary. It is classic conservative not radical. So why the big reaction? It is that the authors are credible people whose positions threaten the Democratic elite. That is about it.
But do note, that though President Trump is not connected to the 3025 project, former members of his administration are. His own policy paper recently put out tracks with the 2025 project.