In a crucial move to spread awareness, actress Taraji P. Henson used her platform during the 2024 BET Awards to shine a light on the impending danger of Donald Trump and the right-wing blueprint, Project 2025, According to her, reintroducing the military draft and criminalizing homelessness are parts of the initiative that could affect the careers of future generations, targeting predominantly vulnerable citizens.
“The Project 2025 plan is not a game,” Henson implored, encouraging those who have chosen not to participate in voting to reconsider as she shed light on three soon to be vacant Supreme Court seats. She was not attempting to incite fear, but rather, to inform the public to take notice. Leveraging her influence, Henson hinted at the significant weight these seats carry in protecting citizens and her words served as a rallying cry, compelling people to exercise their right to vote.
Project 2025, funded by the Heritage Foundation and the Koch network, among others, is a comprehensive conservative plan for steering the US into the future, regardless of who wins the Presidency. A brainchild of far-right organizations, this daunting plan is conceived with the intention of reestablishing racial and political dominance by dismantling the political system, disintegrating the rule of law, and granting unrestricted authority. The more information that circulates about this project, the worse it appears for citizens across marginalized communities.
Additionally, Floridians have been privy to the detrimental effects of such rightist ideologies since 2019 with a state-specific version introduced by Gov. Ron Santis. His policies reject scientific facts, dismiss equitable and inclusive practices, and target vulnerable groups such as undocumented immigrants and transgender communities. Project 2025 echoes the same sentiments with goals to privatize Medicaid, replace civil servants who are not loyal to their cause, exploit the military against dissent, and impose strict immigration control among other concerning policies.
Despite the audacity of publicly asserting their motives, the likes of Donald Trump and his conservative cohort are likely to bear the brunt of their actions. Much like the resistance to Republican abortion restrictions, voters across different states have protested vehemently against a Christian nationalist ideology impinging on a woman’s right to her body.
This backlash, now slowly sinking in, has the GOP in a tailspin, making desperate attempts to negate the damage caused. A recent YouGov poll indicating strong public opposition against various GOP proposed policies like tax cuts for corporations, revoking Obamacare, and abolishing the Department of Education serves as an additional sobering reality-check.
Trump, in a recently leaked communication on his Truth Social platform, backpedaled from his association with Project 2025 but, it appears that may be a futile effort. As the negative reception grows, the Republican party has been trying to rebrand Project 2025 under a new alias, Agenda 47, a futile endeavor considering the widespread publicity their initial campaign amassed.
Attention now turns to the election on November 5th. Americans against Project 2025 are poised to voice their preferred direction for the country. It’s a chance to push back against the conservative blueprint, voting for lawmakers who prioritize governing, genuinely care about the rights of the population, and support the advancement towards a progressively diverse America.
The political stage is set for what could be the people’s ‘second American revolution’, offering a chance to replace the current right-wing power holders with more inclusive thinkers. Their ultimate goal is simple — an America embracing multiculturalism and diversity and steering away from a return to divisive partisan politics and policies. Only time will tell how successful they will be.
