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Understanding Project 2025: The Conservative Agenda

Learn how this agenda can potentially threaten to undo decades of progress in civil rights, education, and personal freedoms
Project 2025: A Conservative Agenda To Limit American Rights
By Oyindamola Bamgbola · Updated August 28, 2024

Project 2025 is a possible affront to Democracy and might negatively harm Black and Brown communities. If you’ve been on social media lately, you‘ve probably seen tweets like this about the initiative. Like many Americans, you might wonder what Project 2025 is about and how it affects you. This article will break down the proposal’s entails, its potential impact on Americans, and what we can do to prevent it.

Project 2025, also known as the Presidential Transition Project, is an initiative started by a conservative group called The Heritage Foundation, in partnership with two former Trump administration officials. The project is outlined in the 900-page book, Mandate for Leadership, which calls for a radical federal government restructuring in alignment with conservative beliefs. In collaboration with over 100 conservative groups, the plan addresses social issues such as abortion rights, racial equity, LGBTQ+ rights, and immigrant rights. 

Regarding abortion and reproductive rights, which have already been restricted in several states following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the plan seeks to curtail further abortion access by reversing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s approval of the widely used abortion pill, mifepristone. It also recommends enforcing the 1873 Comstock Act, which bans the transportation of all abortion pills, instruments, and medicines through the U.S. Postal Service. If the plan is implemented, these measures would strip away the right to bodily autonomy.

The plan would also negatively harm the LGBTQ+ community as it deems “married men and women as the ideal, natural family structure because all children have a right to be raised by the men and women who conceived them.” in the section titled Family Agenda. This essentially means that same-sex couples won’t be allowed to have kids and the rights of transgender people won’t be protected as conservations refute the idea of a person being transgender. 

Conservatives have long opposed diversity and inclusion policies, advocating for the banning of books and the rejection of  Critical Race Theory (CRT)  in classrooms. This proposal would prohibit teachers from discussing CRT and other social justice topics that encourage students to think critically about the world. Additional changes to the education system include banning student loan forgiveness, limiting the power of the Department of Education, and reducing Title IX protections for LGBTQ+ students and survivors of sexual assault.

These proposed policies are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the radical changes that could limit Americans’ rights, which is why there has been widespread concern about the impact of this agenda. Former President Donald Trump has denied any connection to Project 2025, stating, “I know nothing about Project 2025, [and] I have no idea who is behind it.” However, the manual was largely written by top former Trump administration officials. Further evidence of Trump’s affiliation with the group emerged when he spoke at an event hosted by The Heritage Foundation in 2022, where he said, “This is a great group, and they’re going to lay the groundwork and detail plans for exactly what our movement will do and what your movement will do when the American people give us a colossal mandate to save America.”

Although both Trump and The Heritage Foundation have denied any formal affiliation, it is likely that if Trump wins the 2024 election, his administration will implement many of the proposed plans. This makes the stakes for the upcoming election higher than ever, as Americans may face a new era of tyrannical government if Congress passes the plans in this project.

The outcome of this presidential election will shape the America future generations inherit, making it crucial for us to take action. As young voters, we must research and educate ourselves on these issues that will impact our lives, and use social media and our voices to inform our peers. We can also urge our elected officials to oppose the progress of Project 2025 to protect our rights. Organizations like the ACLU and the National Urban League have been fighting against Project 2025 and are excellent resources for learning more about this initiative and how to resist it.

About the Author: Oyindamola Bamgbola is a Nigerian-born freelance writer whose work has been featured in Buzzfeed, Byrdie, and Shondaland. She enjoys writing about entertainment, pop culture, and social issues. 

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