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Culture War Roundup for the week of September 23, 2024

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Is there interest in a group summary project of Project 2025, similar to the Inflation Reduction Act project from the Old Place?

It seems likely that the boring non-headlining aspects will quietly inform the agendas of a Trump administration, or that independent-ish administrators will align with it without explicit direction from above, as we've already seen in leadership styles that rely on prospiracy to deniably communicate leadership priorities, eg Putin and Trump, so a good amount of benefit could come from a small investment of labor.

Edit: Project 2025 full text is available here.

I'm more curious whether there is actually desire to implement it etc. Trump has disavowed it multiple times and many contributors were kicked out of his past administration. On the other hand, Trump is insincere and the base generally likes it.

I would expect many trump underlings in a 2nd Trump administration to generally act in accordance with the overall thrust of the recommendations there, though the more radical the proposal and the more it diverges from the interests of major interest groups the less likely there are to be serious attempts to implement it. I also expect Trump to loudly denounce any effort which gets sufficient media attention to make him look/feel bad, and possibly fire any bureaucrat responsible for the attempt.

I would expect many trump underlings in a 2nd Trump administration to generally act ...

Based upon what?

It seems uncharitable to tells someone what they believe (or what they will do) after they denounce it.

Doesn't this lead to believing whatever you want about your political opponents?

Based upon what?

Based upon the fact that the majority of the rank and file GOP activists, lawyers, think-tank fellows, and other people likely to fill the thousands upon thousands of presidential appointment slots in a second Trump term come from institutions that are fairly sympatico with many of the assertions in Project 2025.

It seems uncharitable to tells someone what they believe (or what they will do) after they denounce it.

Yes, and neither candidate this cycle has earned much charity from me. However, I do take Trump at his word that he really does not like being bound by Project 2025, and he certainly wasn't part of dreaming it up (though many people who worked in his first administration and who remain his supporters were). Thus my conclusion that his appointees are likely to be friendly to many of the goals in Project 2025, but that Trump is likely to throw overboard any aspect of it which he believes has become a political liability.

Doesn't this lead to believing whatever you want about your political opponents?

I am trying to draw educated guesses about the most likely outcomes, based upon what I understand the facts to be. I would be happy to be corrected if anything I've said is factually incorrect, or if I'm missing something. My posting history should clearly indicate that I am open and transparent about owning up to error.

I don't think charity makes any sense when it comes to what you think about politicians. They're not your equals; they never have to even consider your beliefs much less give them charity. Why should you?