Dictatorship: “An autocratic form of government which is characterized by a leader, or a group of leaders, who hold governmental powers with few to no limitations. Politics in a dictatorship are controlled by a dictator, and they are facilitated through an inner circle of elites that includes advisers, generals, and other high-ranking officials. The dictator maintains control by influencing and appeasing the inner circle and repressing any opposition, which may include rival political parties, armed resistance, or disloyal members of the dictator's inner circle. Dictatorships can be formed by a military coup that overthrows the previous government through force or they can be formed by a self-coup in which elected leaders make their rule permanent. Dictatorships are authoritarian or totalitarian and they can be classified as military dictatorships, one-party dictatorships, personalist dictatorships, or absolute monarchies.”
The Heritage Foundation: Founded in 1973, it is an American activist conservative think tank based in Washington, DC. It took a leading role in the conservative movement in the 1980s during Ronald Reagan’s presidency, whose policies were taken from Heritage Foundation studies, including its Mandate for Leadership.
What does all this have to do with Project 2025 and dictatorships?
Well, the Heritage Foundation has had major influence in making public policy over the last 50 years. They are ranked among the most influential policy organizations in America. Another equally influential organization, Heritage Action, was founded in 2010. Their mission “is to formulate and promote public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values and a strong national defense.”
They list 7 challenges where they feel they can do the most good:
empower education choice (we’re already seeing a lot of that here in New Hampshire)
secure our borders and reduce crime (yup, right here in NH)
ensure free and fair elections (does that include gerrymandering?)
shrink regulations, spending and inflation (still trying to attack Social Security and Medicare/caid)
counter communist China
rein in Big Tech
protect unborn life and families (but clearly not to the extent of gun violence prevention policies)
The Heritage Foundation recently released to the public it’s playbook on how to achieve all of the above-mentioned and more It is called "Project 2025" and is not only eye-opening but quite chilling. Most of it was authored by members of Trump’s administration putting loyalty to the President first and then the Constitution. “Moreover, while a candidate with elite credentials might seem ideal, the best one will be above all loyal to the President and the Constitution.” (pg. 28)
On Page 14 we are told, “Government should stop trying to substitute its own preferences for those of the people.” I’m sure most of us would not want to know what preferences a “government” of dictators wants.
On page 524, “Reinstate President Trump’s plan for opening most of the National Petroleum Reserve of Alaska to leasing and development.” Screw the environment, I guess. . .
“End the war on fossil fuels and domestically available minerals and facilitate their development on lands owned by Indians and Indian nations. End federal mandates and subsidies of electric vehicles.” (pg. 537)
Let’s not forget immigrants, (legal or illegal) and asylum seekers, “Repeal TPS (temporary protective status) designations. H-1B reform. Transform the program into an elite mechanism exclusively to bring in the “best and brightest” at the highest wages while simultaneously ensuring that U.S. workers are not being disadvantaged by the program. H-1B is a means only to supplement the U.S. economy and to keep companies competitive, not to depress U.S. labor markets artificially in certain industries. Employment authorization, along with the legislative proposal, take regulatory action to limit the classes of aliens eligible for work authorization.” (pgs. 150-151)
This is such a tiny excerpt of what is their vision of a future America in their 920 page playbook. Yes, I read a small amount and picked a few tidbits to share as there is just so much, much of which is disturbing. The word “elite” is used quite often, mostly in regards to higher up government officials.
This is what we can expect in the future if conservatives gain more control than what they have now, Trump at CPAC Pitches Sending Military to Combat City Crime | Time and If Trump Is Reelected, His Aides Are Planning to Purge the Civil Service - Government Executive (govexec.com). We already saw the latter happening with Cabinet member Betsy DeVos cutting staffing at the Dept. of Education and Postmaster General Louis DeJoy removing high-speed automated sorting equipment from hundreds of post offices, including here in NH.
I guess the choice is ours, do we want to keep and improve our democracy or continue our slow slide into fascism, a dictatorship?
“We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution.” Abraham Lincoln
“Democracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely. The real safeguard of democracy, therefore, is education.” Franklin D. Roosevelt