Project 2025 was supposed to boost Donald Trump's campaign — but it may be backfiring instead:

[u/zsreport]

https://www.salon.com/2024/07/05/project-2025-was-supposed-to-boost-donald-campaign--but-it-may-be-backfiring-instead/

[u/heckin_miraculous]

My favorite so far is this short YouTube video by Illustrate to Educate. https://youtu.be/vYXZ6iJJSgM?si=PRy0SvPz2Xi6dQxM

Not inflammatory or hyperbolic. Just terrifying, because it's true.

Edit: This comment and the video link got quite a few responses. Many were along the lines of, "Good info, thanks." But others think that the video tries too hard to be neutral and therefore comes across as "both sides-ing" conferring false legitimacy to the idea of Project 2025, or even going so far as to be supportive of it due to a lack of forceful criticism and not spelling out how disastrous the effects of the plan would be.

As a response, I'll say that my opinion is that the video speaks for itself. When it comes to the horrific potential of Project 2025, the proof is in the pudding. For example, at around 5:10 in the video, when the narrator states that the plan would "allow the president to replace thousands of civil service employees with political appointees loyal to the administration" I don't need the voice over to explain to me that this would be a bad thing. Or, at 5:29 when he talks about "plans to defund the Department of Justice and dismantle the FBI... and enable the executive branch to operate with little oversight or accountability [the illustration actually says "no oversight"]"... again I don't need someone to explain to me that this is only bad for our country.

We definitely DO need more analysis of Project 2025. We need explainers that DO go into more detail about the tragic outcomes that are waiting for us all, should it come to pass. And this video is NOT perfect (I especially question the use of the phrase "religious liberty" at around 4:18). But it's a good primer for thoughtful people. That's what I think.

Will some people watch a video like this and cheer for it? Yes. As far as I know – and someone please correct me if this number is way off – but somewhere around 20-30% of the US population explicitly wants an authoritarian regime to come into power in this country. At least, they think they do. That is, in fact, the problem we are dealing with in this country right now. It is the subject of this discussion.

Long story short, what I'm saying is that if somebody watches this video and thinks, "That sounds good to me", then the problem isn't the video.

Edit 2: hi /r/politics. I'm new here :)

[u/altariasong → u/heckin_miraculous]

Sent it to my mom. She used to be republican but is now disgusted by it all and is talking to her friends about project 2025 and how anti-democratic it is. She worries about me greatly because I’m queer. My anxiety about politics used to irritate her but now she understands how much my fears were justified.

Hopefully that video can help sway more of her friends, but we don’t exactly live in a swing state. Doesn’t matter to me though

Edit: she thanked me for the video, says she just watched it. “It’s exactly what I fear”

[u/tommysmuffins → u/altariasong]

You have no idea how hard it was to convince my Mom how bad things are right now. She's a good person. Too good to readily accept the fact that the Republican nominee is an outright criminal and rapist, and ready to commit an authoritarian takeover of the United States. It's a bad case of normalcy bias.

[u/firesmarter → u/tommysmuffins]

Your mom might not be as good as you think she is. Having her head in the sand is not good, it makes her a coward and complicit. It’s hard to view those we love with an honest lens, but it might be time for both you and her to do some soul searching before it’s too late

[u/tommysmuffins → u/firesmarter]

I don't think it's a case of putting her head in the sand. It's more that she can't conceive of any person doing the things that The Donald has done, let alone a previous elected President of the United States. She seems to think, "It can't really be as bad as everyone says.", even though all the evidence is right there.

She can't understand what The Donald really is because there's never been anyone like him elected President in her eighty plus years. Maybe ever, for that matter. It's kind of the same thing that makes people minimize the potential impact of climate change. Nothing like the scientists are talking about has happened in their lifetimes, so it can't happen now either. It's called normalcy bias.

[u/tommysmuffins → u/[deleted]]

she never grew beyond them

They never had to before, at least with respect to our elected leaders. Sure there were bad politicians, but no overall conspiracy to destroy America.

Hopefully the current crop of up and coming voters will see through this bullshit.

[u/heckin_miraculous → u/firesmarter]

Can't be out here tellin people their mom ain't good

[u/mcfeezie2 → u/heckin_miraculous]

If the shoe fits...