Summary

  • Lindsey McLendon at Center for American Progress argues that Project 2025 aims to dismantle the U.S. system of checks and balances, granting politicians, judges, and corporations increased control over Americans' lives by enforcing extreme right-wing policies through the U.S. Department of Justice.
  • The Center for American Progress asserts that Project 2025 would pressure local district attorneys to enforce severe abortion bans and other restrictive laws, exacerbating the maternal health crisis and reducing access to essential reproductive healthcare, particularly in states with already high maternal mortality rates.

Overview:  

This article was written by Lindsey McLendon at the Center for American Progress.

  • Project 2025 is a proposed policy agenda by the Heritage Foundation that aims to dismantle the American system of checks and balances by exerting control over local district attorneys (DAs) and their prosecutorial discretion.
  • The policy focuses heavily on enforcing far-right measures, such as severe abortion restrictions, by using federal authority to compel local officials to prosecute according to their agenda, significantly impacting the American legal landscape.

Key Quotes:  

  • "Project 2025 is an authoritarian playbook to systematically dismantle the checks and balances framework upon which American democracy is built."
  • "Project 2025 intends to leverage the threat of action by the U.S. Department of Justice against these local elected officials to ensure far-right policies are enforced according to the satisfaction of extreme, right-wing officials."

What They Discuss:

  • There are nearly 2,300 locally elected DAs in the United States responsible for prosecutorial decisions based on community priorities. Project 2025 would undermine this by having the U.S. Department of Justice take action against non-compliant DAs.
  • The initiative includes enforcing extreme laws, particularly criminalizing abortion, with severe penalties for medical providers, aiming to curtail fundamental American freedoms.
  • States with high maternal mortality rates, like Florida, Georgia, and Texas, have already seen increased abortion-related criminalization, which Project 2025 seeks to extend further.
  • In 2022, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis removed district attorneys who refused to prosecute abortion-related cases, setting a precedent that Project 2025 aims to replicate at a national level.
  • Project 2025 could lead to further closures of maternity wards and a decline in healthcare professionals willing to work in states with strict abortion laws, exacerbating the crisis in reproductive healthcare.

What They Recommend:

  • Highlighting and opposing measures within Project 2025 that threaten local prosecutorial independence and the broader judicial system.
  • Advocating for maintaining the autonomy of local district attorneys to ensure justice is administered based on community needs rather than a centralized, far-right agenda.
  • Raising awareness about the implications of criminalizing abortion care on maternal health and working to protect reproductive rights and access to healthcare services.

Key Takeaways:

  • Project 2025 poses a significant threat to the integrity of the American legal system by centralizing prosecutorial power and enforcing extreme right-wing laws.
  • By targeting district attorneys, the policy aims to imbue local legal systems with an agenda that could severely restrict fundamental freedoms and exacerbate healthcare crises.
  • The proposal sets a concerning precedent for removing local elected officials, undermining democratic norms and allowing for political retribution.
  • Protecting the independence of local prosecutors is crucial to preserving the checks and balances foundational to U.S. democracy.

This is a brief overview of the article by Lindsey McLendon at Center for American Progress. For complete insights, we recommend reading the full article.

Related articles

All Topics
All Topics
All Topics
All Topics
All Topics
All Topics
All Topics
All Topics
All Topics
All Topics
All Topics
All Topics
All Topics
All Topics
All Topics
All Topics
All Topics
All Topics
All Topics
All Topics
All Topics
What to watch in Ukraine in 2024
Brookings
·
Nov 18, 2023

What to watch in Ukraine in 2024

Summary
  • Brookings experts are watching the EU's capability to fund Ukraine, NATO's strategy for integrating Ukraine, and the possibility of either Russia or Ukraine breaking through stalemate on the battlefied.
  • They are also watching Western defense industry's ability to match Russia's, the international community's potential appropriation of Russian assets for Ukraine's rebuilding, and the influence of the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
Leans Left
Commentary
·
Ukraine-Russia War
Read summary
(1 min.)
-->
Ukraine’s Desperate Hour: The World Needs a Russian Defeat
American Enterprise Institute
·
Nov 18, 2023

Ukraine’s Desperate Hour: The World Needs a Russian Defeat

Summary
  • AEI expert Hal Brands writes that the war in Ukraine is a critical test of democratic resilience against authoritarian forces.
  • The outcome of this conflict could either reinforce or erode the current global order, depending on the sustained commitment of democratic nations.
Conservative
Op-Ed
·
Ukraine-Russia War
Read summary
(1 min.)
-->
AI can strengthen U.S. democracy—and weaken it
Brookings
·
Nov 18, 2023

AI can strengthen U.S. democracy—and weaken it

Summary
  • AI has the potential to improve election administration but requires vigilant monitoring for risks such as phishing attacks, misinformation, and potential bias in voter rolls.
  • Policymakers, advocates, and citizens need to stay informed about technological advancements to harness AI's positive potential.
Leans Left
Commentary
·
Artificial Intelligence
Read summary
(1 min.)
-->
Students Are Not the Biggest Problem When It Comes to Speech
American Enterprise Institute
·
Nov 18, 2023

Students Are Not the Biggest Problem When It Comes to Speech

Summary
  • Samuel J. Abrams at the American Enterprise Institute discusses the issue of free speech on college campuses, arguing the real issue lies with college administrators and diversity, equity, and inclusion offices, which contribute to a culture of censorship and fear.
  • Abrams argues students widely support the First Amendment and open debate, even if some ideas may be uncomfortable.
Conservative
Blog
·
Education
Read summary
(1 min.)
-->
Helping Ukraine Is Forcing the United States to Produce More Weapons
Hudson Institute
·
Nov 18, 2023

Helping Ukraine Is Forcing the United States to Produce More Weapons

Summary
  • The U.S. is increasing its production of artillery rounds, with plans to produce more than 80,000 rounds per month next year and potentially 100,000 shells per month by 2025.
  • Supporting Ukraine is pushing the American defense industrial base to produce high quantities of weapons in a short amount of time across various states.
Conservative
Policy Brief
·
Ukraine-Russia War
Read summary
(1 min.)
-->
No results found.
Original Read Time
9 min
Organization
The Brookings Institution
Category
Israel-Gaza War
Political Ideology
Center Left

We make expert analysis of current events
simple and accessible for all.

Join us in elevating our public discourse.