Conservative groups draw up plan to dismantle the US government and replace it with Trump’s vision—The Associated Press (AP)
Summary:
Radical-right groups prepare for a possible Trump comeback in 2024: A coalition of right-wing organizations led by the Heritage Foundation is recruiting and training thousands of Americans to be ready to serve in a potential second term for Donald Trump or a similar candidate.
The goal is to dismantle the federal bureaucracy and the "deep state": The project aims to replace as many as 50,000 federal workers with conservatives who share Trump's vision of reducing the size and scope of the government, by using a controversial executive order that would make it easier to fire civil servants.
The project has a detailed handbook and a broad agenda for the next president: The nearly 1,000-page "Project 2025" handbook offers a how-to manual for the next administration, with proposals ranging from overhauling the Department of Justice and the Pentagon, to abolishing diversity and inclusion initiatives, to reinstating service members who refused the COVID-19 vaccine.
CPAC speaker asserts the end of democracy and implies a transition to a theocracy.
The project seeks to avoid the mistakes and resistance of Trump's first term: The organizers claim that they learned from the pitfalls of Trump's first years in office, when he faced difficulties in appointing his Cabinet, implementing his policies, and dealing with the opposition from lawmakers, government workers, and his own appointees.
The project is inspired by Trump, but not limited to him: The project is open to any candidate who aligns with their ideals and can defeat Joe Biden in 2024, and some of the proposals are echoed by other GOP rivals such as Ron DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy.
The project challenges the constitutional balance of powers and the rule of law: The project advocates for a unitary view of executive power that would allow the president to act alone without congressional oversight or judicial review, and to bypass the Senate confirmation process by installing loyalists in acting roles.
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