Thomas Zimmer: ICYMI – I got to discuss “Project 2025” with @chrislhayes.bsky.social: The radical Right wasn’t ready for Trump’s first presidency. In 2025, they will be. What should people know about these radical plans for an authoritarian takeover of government? 🧵1/ podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/w...

ICYMI – I got to discuss “Project 2025” with @chrislhayes.bsky.social: The radical Right wasn’t ready for Trump’s first presidency. In 2025, they will be. What should people know about these radical plans for an authoritarian takeover of government? 🧵1/ podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/w...

I wrote a three-part series about the worldview of the people behind “Project 2025,” the policy agenda and detailed plans it has produced, and what all this tells us about the radicalization of the American right. Some key takeaways: 2/ thomaszimmer.substack.com/p/what-proje...

What “Project 2025” Would Do to Americathomaszimmer.substack.com The Right has developed concrete plans to make America into a much nastier place for anyone who dares to deviate from the white Christian patriarchal order. That’s what is on the ballot in November

It is difficult to convey how much establishment conservatism has been taken over by anti-democratic extremism. “Project 2025” is actually helpful in that sense: Rightwing leaders are maximally clear about the reactionary vision they want to impose on the country. 3/

With “Project 2025,” rightwing leaders are making it maximally clear they do not accept an egalitarian, pluralistic vision of a society in which the individual’s status is no longer determined by race, gender, religion, and wealth and everyone is to be recognized as equal. 4/

They feel justified in taking radical measures to prevent that society from ever becoming a reality because they believe they are defending “real America” in service of a higher purpose: To restore what they see as the “natural” order, as it manifests in discriminatory hierarchies. 5/

“Project 2025” captures a radicalization of long-standing anti-democratic impulses. Rarely will you get such a clear view of the heightened version of the type of siege mentality and self-victimization underlying so much of what has been happening on the Right. 6/

This striking renunciation of the supposed pillars of modern conservative thought manifests most clearly in the open rejection of “small government” principles: Reactionaries don’t fear the authoritarian state, they want to mobilize it against their enemies. 7/

"To be led by a fool is to be led by the opportunists who control the fool." - Octavia E. Butler

This was a fantastic discussion!

🙏

Part of how they plan to execute Project 2025 is by having a "Unitary Executive ." While I get the overview of that idea, would you consider doing a breakdown on the Unitary Executive Theory? I believe it's Bill Barr's live work & why he backs the GOP ticket while loathing Trump.

We talk about it on the podcast and I wrote about it in my pieces too.

Thanks

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