Project 2025

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The Flag

Good morning and Happy Friday! Here are the Flag’s Top Five stories that should be on your radar to start the day:

  • US: Ex-Uvalde schools police officer pleads not guilty to charges of child endangerment and abandonment in 2022 massacre (CNN)

  • World: Typhoon Gaemi hits China’s coast after leaving 25 dead in Taiwan and the Philippines (AP)

  • Business: Southwest Airlines is getting rid of open seating (CNN)

  • Technology: Data breach exposes US spyware maker behind Windows, Mac, Android and Chromebook malware (TechCrunch)

  • Sports: The NBA’s new TV deals put a lot of games on Amazon’s Prime Video starting in 2025 (The Verge)

And of course, some good news: Miss Kansas speaks out after going viral for sharing her allegations of abuse.

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Right: Damage Control for a Failed Presidency, Jesse Watters, FOX News

Right: FBI 'Crisis of Confidence’, Miranda Devine, New York Post

Left: Biden Should Have Given This Speech a Year Ago, Anthony L. Fisher, MSNBC

Left: Harris Has an Opportunity on SCOTUS Reform, Hassan Ali Kanu, American Prospect

Left: What Does Biden Do Now? Nicole Narea, Vox

2024

Project 2025

Today’s Top Story in One Sentence: With the 2024 general election well underway, greater coverage has been directed at the 2025 Presidential Transition Project, commonly known as Project 2025, an initiative organized by the Heritage Foundation that aims to promote conservative policy proposals to reshape the U.S. federal government and consolidate executive power if Donald Trump wins the 2024 presidential election.

Reporting from the Right: Trump distances himself from Project 2025 to Democrats’ dismay (Washington Examiner)

Reporting from the Left: J.D. Vance wrote foreword of upcoming book from Project 2025 architect (Axios)

RIGHT-LEANING SENTIMENT

Overblown Hysteria

The Top Argument From The Right: Stop the hysteria about Project 2025, Brad Polumbo, Washington Examiner: “…hysterical notions have spread across the internet, all centered on one thing: ‘Project 2025.’ … But what is Project 2025, exactly, and would Trump actually implement it if reelected? Project 2025 is essentially a very, very long white paper put out by conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation in collaboration with many other right-of-center groups. It has no direct connection to Trump, but many of the people involved in its creation did work in the Trump administration and have extensive links to Trumpworld. … Most of the panic has centered on Project 2025’s policy proposals and recommended presidential actions, some of which are admittedly quite extreme. They include typical conservative policy ideas such as cutting taxes, building a border wall, and expanding school choice programs. But, as the BBC explains, it also includes much more controversial right-wing ideas such as banning nearly all pornography, removing the abortion medication mifepristone from the market, and enacting large-scale mass deportation of illegal immigrants. … To be clear, Trump is not being entirely honest when he says he doesn’t know the people behind Project 2025 or anything about it. Many of those involved were high-up in his administration, and he is certainly well acquainted with them. But he is being truthful when he says that Project 2025 is not his agenda…”

Honorable Mention #1: Democrats Continue To Spew Lies About The Contents Of Project 2025, Monroe Harless, The Federalist.

Honorable Mention #2: What Is Project 2025? A Republican Party Wish List for a Trump Presidency, Ginger Adams Otis, The Wall Street Journal.

LEFT-LEANING SENTIMENT

Concerning Assault on American Democracy

The Top Argument From The Left: Project 2025 shreds American values, Larry Hogan, The Washington Post: “This 900-page proposal from the Heritage Foundation was published last year — with the input of many former Trump administration officials and those with close ties to the former president — to serve as a blueprint for a future administration. To call many of these ideas ‘radical’ is a disservice. In truth, Project 2025 takes many of the principles that have made this nation great and shreds them. …Project 2025 sends this disturbing trend [of toxic politics] into overdrive, casting aside the checks on presidential power that have protected our democracy for more than 200 years. One of Project 2025’s primary targets is federal workers, including about 150,000 Marylanders. Project 2025 proposes to eliminate civil service protections for most of these workers, instead creating more political appointees chosen by the president. The goal is to remove nonpartisan civil servants, most of whom patriotically do their jobs without fanfare or political agendas, and replace them with loyalists to the president. Republicans who believe this power grab will benefit them in the short term will ultimately regret empowering a Democratic president with this level of control. … This radical approach is out of touch with the American people. Most Americans — regardless of party affiliation — have more in common than many realize.”

Honorable Mention #1: Project 2025 shreds American values, Andrew Prokop, Vox.

FLAG THIS

Growing Awareness and Opposition

A recent Navigator Research poll shows rising awareness and opposition to Project 2025. From July 11 to 14, 54% of 1,000 registered voters reported familiarity with the 900-page proposal by the Heritage Foundation, a 25-point increase since late June. Of those aware, only 11% view it favorably, while 43% have an unfavorable opinion, reflecting a 24-point increase in negativity (Newsweek).

Do you agree or disagree with the overall direction Project 2025 proposes for the United States government?

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WATERCOOLER

National Security Act, Overrated Trips, EV Before it Was Cool

On This Day in 1947, President Harry S. Truman signed the National Security Act, which became one of the most important pieces of Cold War legislation. The act established much of the bureaucratic framework for foreign policymaking for the next 40-plus years of the Cold War.

Today I learned In 1900, about a third of vehicles were electric.

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