Like a flash going off in a dark room, Iran’s attack on Israel has finally given the world something valuable: a glimpse into Tehran’s true intentions.
Please specify. Tax dollars to so-called humanitarian NGOs? The lifting of sanctions? The blind eye turned to trade in conducted in violation of sanctions? All of the above?
Joseph Robinette Biden has no control over any aspect of his existence. He's a tool of the oligarchy. He is to be looked upon with a degree of compassion. If anything he's a cautionary tale waiting to immortalized.
Do you think the Republican Party, with its platform to lower taxes permanently for millionaires and billionaires and privatize Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, with a platform developed over decades by the American Enterprise Institute and the Heritage Foundation somehow represents “the people?” And do you think Trump will be in control of anything? The only piece of this agenda that is personally his will be the retributions and vengeance campaign that he will ensure punish anyone who objected to January 6 and who tried to acknowledge that it is not right for the president of the United States to commit crimes. I think the Democratic Party has gone over the cliff when it comes to much of the DEI or “woke” policy making. That does not mean that I think the entire “administrative state”, civil service, all the departments that protect our food and water should be dismantled. Perhaps you do and perhaps you trust the corporations with your well-being. Good luck with that.
Not only do you exaggerate, but you also cite an unreliable, biased source: NPR. It became obvious many years ago that they were severely biased to the “left”. Now we even have a whistleblower confirming that.
The Democrats are on the wrong path. The party just isn’t what it used to be, and blind allegiance to it by classical liberals is a mistake. It isn’t “liberal” anymore. As long as the party coddles it’s far left wing and supports defunding the police, eliminating bail, supporting rioters, leaving the border wide open, hiring based on race, sexual orientation etc. and not merit, forcing electric cars on America before its ready for them, pretending to save the environment while destroying economic prosperity and helping China, using it’s proxies in the media to defame it’s opponents, using the legal system to destroy it’s opponents (the list goes on and on), they don’t deserve to run a 7-11, much less the country.
Trump will be in control of his agenda. The only ones who got in his way (or tried to) last time were: Democrats. He has many policies that are uniquely his and that he implemented last time: securing the border, bringing industry back to the US, getting rid of destructive regulation, making us energy independent, strengthening NATO, bringing Middle East countries together in the Abraham Accords, defending our ally Israel, championing law enforcement … this list also goes on and on. And all of this while being targeted by specious investigations and impeachments. As for Jan. 6th, there’s no question: he offered 10,000 National Guard to Washington DC and the Capitol police, and they turned it down (just like Portland Oregon did during the George Floyd riots- they’d rather have destructive riots than take help from Pres. Trump). When he made that offer and Pelosi refused it, the chain of causation was broken. Anything that happened after that-riots and/or breaching of the capitol building- is on Nancy Pelosi. It was she who was in charge of the defense of the capital that day, and she who chose to turn down the help because it was coming from President Trump. This is typical of the Democrat party these days. They would rather see the country destroyed then give credit to Trump for anything. That is a divisive, destructive way to govern.
Trump has not committed any crimes. The only crime here is the disdain and vindictiveness with which he’s been treated.
Aimee S- great rebuttal to Iconoclast's TDS. I would add that we need to also understand that there is a large swath of Establishment Republicans who are "republican " in name only. They are Corrupt and UNACCOUNTABLE by their ' go w the flow, status quo' behavior.
Iconoclast still cannot wrap his head around the fact that NPR, PBS, the AP are ALL Propaganda agents for the Current Admin.
Finally, correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Trump already serve as U S. President? He had 4 years to become that evil Dictator, Hitler-like figure - did I miss something?
I will keep beating this drum saying, ' Actions speak louder than words' . Trump says some dumb words like 'dictator' that the State-Controlled Media rin with ad nauseum. All one needs to do is compare the deaths, the lack of safety, the wars, the economy that has ACTUALLY happened under Biden vs under Trump. There's no comparison.
You should read the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025. It’s the plan for the country if Trump is elected. Are you ready for a Christian Theocracy? I’m not.
I have taken a look at the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025. I will admit that I have not read all 920 pages of it, but I don't see Christian Theocracy even hinted at in it. Could you point out the section(s) which outline or explain a theocratic impulse?
The funny thing to me, as a deeply devoted follower of Jesus, is that the hard Left frequently sees the theocratic boogeyman behind policy positions from the Right, but real Christians are the last one's to call for theocracy. Mostly because Christianity is about relationship with God which is not something that can or should be forced on anyone. Biblical Christianity is an ideology that, by it's nature, cannot advance without the free choice of every member of the Kingdom of God.
“The Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 wants to reshape America under Trump
The project outlines a series of moves to transform the executive branch of the government
Justin Klawans, The Week USFebruary 26, 2024
Photo collage of the Capitol building, the roof open to reveal a massive mouth. It is Donald Trump's signature pout. Above, there is text saying "Project 2025 presents", all in the style of Saul Bass' "Advise & Consent" poster.
While the 2024 presidential election is still nine months away, there appears to be a not-slim chance that former President Donald Trump could make his return to the White House. Most polls show him in the lead against President Joe Biden, though this could change in the months to come. The former president has previously committed to being a "dictator on day one" if he were to gain power again. While there have been arguments over whether Trump's words are hyperbole or literal, there is at least one group apparently scheming to assist with these dictatorial tendencies — through a plan called Project 2025.
While the plan has not gained significant amounts of traction in the national news media, Project 2025 is the brainchild of a conservative think tank called the Heritage Foundation. The foundation is collaborating with at least 80 other conservative groups to spearhead an effort to "rescue the country from the grip of the radical left," with a "governing agenda and the right people in place, ready to carry this agenda out on day one of the next conservative administration," according to the Project 2025 website.
Many in opposition to the plan have alleged that Project 2025 is part of a greater effort by conservatives to turn the United States into a Trump-led autocracy. What does Project 2025 entail, and why are some political scientists afraid of its effect on democracy?
What is Project 2025?
It is a "mission to dismantle the federal government and replace it with a vision closer to [Trump's] own," The Associated Press said, and is "essentially a government-in-waiting for the former president's return — or any candidate who aligns with their ideals." The full Project 2025 consists of a 920-page outline that mandates four doctrines to implement in the event of a conservative presidency: the first is to "restore the family as the centerpiece of American life and protect our children," the outline said. The second doctrine is to "dismantle the administrative state and return self-governance to the American people."
Perhaps you fail to fully grasp what's coming. The Republic is over. What comes next is what always succeeds Republics. With regard to Republican/Democrat I don't believe they are very different from each other when it comes to you and I. Fedzilla exists only to expand its power.
Iconoclast seems to have successfully taken the conversation from Iran's motivations and plans into the realm of TDS. Icono hates Trump so much he doesn't care about Iran. He wants another four years of the impotent mummy and will use any means possible including these horrible smokescreens he has just emitted. Get back on topic Iconoclast!
The thread was taken off topic by Hyacinthus:” Joseph Robinette Biden has no control over any aspect of his existence. He's a tool of the oligarchy. He is to be looked upon with a degree of compassion. If anything he's a cautionary tale waiting to immortalized.”
My comments were all in response to that^. Those who hate our current president so much that they have to call him names and personally denigrate him never lose an opportunity here at The Free Press comments to turn a conversation towards the presidency and the election. It’s disappointing to see the comments go in the direction of personal attack and false assumptions. I never said, and you know I never said that I didn’t care about Iran. I care very much about seeing my country become an autocracy.
Hyacinthus followed RSL whose comment connected Biden to the Iran issue. H simply stated that Biden isn't really in charge of anything. H didn't call him any names except his full name, Joseph Robinette Biden. Well, maybe H left off "Jr." Then you went into trashing Trump, which is pure TDS. And yes, trashing Trump when the topic is about Itan today is off topic.
You make some fair points. Both parties participated over the last 30 years in selling out the middle class and American workers in general to the benefit of C-Suite, Ivy League blue-bloods. Do you think Trump or any of the DEI nonesense gains any traction in this country with a robust, employed middle-class? Drive across the country and visit the fly-over states. You will witness boarded up downtowns and a shiny new Walmart schlepping Chinese goods on the edge of town.
I agree with you Paul! And I have been lobbying my local and national Democratic representatives for 10 years + to pay attention to CLASS and equal OPPORTUNITY, and to drop the divisive rhetoric about identity.
I live in Seattle, and every single move by our until recently far-left City Council has helped wipe out small business and elevate Amazon's market share. By valorizing shoplifting as some kind of Robinhood action by the marginalized and hungry, it has put hundreds of street-facing businesses under-- stores cannot get insurance at all in some neighborhoods, and so the 10-20k it costs to repair a storefront when a jacked car is driven through it comes out of pocket. It has displaced "BIPOC" in formerly affordable and historically Black neighborhoods in favor of "density" which means $$ corporate apartment complexes and unaffordable gentrification that comes with unaffordable property taxes.
Eradicate parking and demonize cars (Democrat-Urbanist-eco-ideology) and you hurt minimum wage and split-shift workers who need a car because the busses don't go where they need to go or are too dangerous at night. Mandate electric vehicles (our Democratic governor) and you exhaust the power grid, reliant on vanishing snow (yes I do believe climate change is real. https://www.nps.gov/articles/time-lapse-photography-of-glaciers-at-mount-rainier.htm) You also hurt the working class, that, like me, drives old gas-fueled beaters. I have an '88 Toyota and I do not have $35k for an electric car--and who wants to have an electric car with no place to charge it because the eco-warriors got rid of buildings with garages?
Etc. etc. The labyrinth of harm is vast. Both parties are doing everything they can to elevate the true oligarchy which is private enterprise, but the far Right is straight up about it and the Left does it all cloaked in the pretense of being for the "people" and the "environment." I never bought the lionization of Obama. My mother, a long-time leftist activist, may her brilliant mind and soul RIP, called it the first time she heard of Obama and heard him speak: he's a corporatist, she said, and I don't trust him.
Using “Robinette” doesn’t seem to be trying to accomplish the same thing as when people say “Hussein” with Obama. Have we just arrived at a point where the use of the middle name itself is enough to connote what a horrible character you think this person is?
Iran has been building up its military capabilities over the last twenty five years and more. And that includes twelve years of GOP administrations. Do you think it’s only been in the last three years? Come on, get real.
It is time to lay down the hurt. It needs to be applied into every Islamic Dictatorship. Governments that will kowtow to the US Autocrat will be accepted. These that do not need to be obliterated. Flu xi pooh needs to be next.
Maybe now Biden can start to enforce the oil sanctions against Iran, which would reduce its economic power and begin to erode its support for its terrorist proxies around Israel. Appeasing Iran for three years has likely been Biden’s most egregious blunder in Foreign policy so far.
WSJ reports Biden is "pushing for new sanctions" — what a sick joke. Will his administration ignore those sanctions as well and send Iran another few billions after a few months pass?
Biden wants low oil and gasoline prices as a way to buy votes for November, so he will not do anything to limit Iranian oil production. He is more likely to ease sanctions until then.
It's rather amazing that the "progressives" in the US have no understanding of a concept that has been in clear evidence since 1948.
I still see pundits, even some with military experience, yapping about the pieces of this conflict as if they were in isolation.
Iran's attack wasn't even an escalation. It was simply a more convenient way to launch even more rockets and drones. Why risk shipping them to Yemen or Lebanon when they can just go outside and fire them? Lazy.
But at least that stupidity got Biden's attention... for a few seconds, I guess. He's still got an election to win, even if his addled mind thinks he's only running for Henry Ford's old position in Dearborn, Michigan.
Yes - he believes in getting re-elected even if that means caving to the Dearborn jihadists for votes. He also believes insupporting the Islamic Republic and not the oppressed people of Iran. No thank you. The only way to get Obama and his merry band of supporters out of the way is to elect Trump. I wish it were DeSants but it’s not this round.
You need to read some of the articles by Tablet Magazine that were written over the past 2 years that discuss the Obama Muslim Brotherhood retreads that are working for Biden.
These Obama devotees are mostly young “ well educated “ far left policy wonks. There are Palestinian Americans ( Muslim and Christian), who hate Israel.They stay out of the limelight but are driving foreign policy .m
Yes, Biden believes in allowing the invasion on our southern border, in the protection of the criminal class both legal and illegal, in the slaughter of young Americans by Chinese fentanyl, in taking our tax money to pay off other people’s college loans, in tanking our national security (and our economy )by destroying reliable sources of energy, and supporting his criminal son by allowing Hunter to sell influence in the US presidency (and vice-presidency) to foreign governments. God help us if this is who you trust.
I'm sorry, I don't write this as an insult. Even if you are a dyed in the wool Democrat and just can't imagine even uttering, quietly to yourself, a complementary sentence fragment about Trump, you have to admit nothing close to this came to pass under Bad Man Orange. If you trust Biden over Trump I'm willing to bet my house you are one of those, and there are many, who just doesn't vote differently than your party or is just awash in Trump Derangement Syndrome. You ought not trust Biden, period. He is a bad man who has allowed myriad bad things to undue our country. Biden believes in Biden. He is not now, nor has ever been a patriot. Trump, and I have many misgivings about him, loves his country. That's a belief. Bilking the nation for fifty years to enrich yourself and your family is just greed.
I don't, Lee. Trump has his flaws - a lot of flaws. But he has stood by Israel.
Biden has followed the Obama playbook for the most part. They allowed Iran its nuclear capacity. They have helped fund these constant attacks on Israel, including from the United Nations and its gun-toting UNRWA.
You have to look at Obama and the UCC to understand this part of the Democratic Party. This is Obama's inspiration and helps us understand the people Obama and Biden have running the show now. The UCC makes very few declarations at its annual meetings. But when it does, they pretty much all condemn Israel. It has been this way for decades. That's where Obama went to church for a long time.
Even if I thought Biden were better on some issues, and I'm not sure I do, other than social media posting, I think it's an easy call to trust Trump more than Biden to stand by our allies, especially Israel.
I don't see any evidence that Biden supports Israel more than Trump. On the contrary, our UN rep would have never abstained on a ceasefire resolution under Trump.
Every time Iran engages in covert, manipulated or clearly evident attacks, everyone should be required to understand how its efforts were enhanced by the Obama/ BIDEN policy of enabling Iran.
The Biden ( Obama) administration orchestrated the Iranian strike last night.Maher Bitar is the “ special assistant to POTUS and Senior Director for Intelligence Programs on the White House NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL. He served in the Obama administration. He is Palestinian.
Since the Israeli surgical strike in Damascus that took out four top IRGC generals who have been orchestrating the attacks on Israel, the White House cut a deal with Iran. The Ayatollahs were told they had the green light to “ retaliate” against Israel as long as they did not “ escalate “ this into a wider conflict. What that would look like was was anyone’s guess but we saw it last night. A massive attack on Israel with plenty of warning so that Israel and the duplicitous US could knock the drones and missiles out of the sky with Israel’s brilliant and expensive technologies. A 9 yr old Bedouin girl was hit with shrapnel, but no other Israelis were injured or killed.
The enemy is within our own government
This war is good vs evil regardless of the propaganda that is carefully crafted with Qatari and Iranian money. It is Israel’s fight to exist as the only Jewish state that protected Al Aqsa mosque and the Palestinians rallying for Iran on the Temple Mount as the Iranian missiles flew overhead. There is NO Apartheid
Iran runs to the UN to assure the world that THIS assault is over & done with. And the incompetent Biden administration shrugs and basically says “no harm…no foul,” thus warning not to escalate tensions by unleashing an overwhelming response to the attack!
I guess Biden, Blinken, Sullivan need Israeli blood to be spelled, in order to tepidly support a devastating retort to Iranian direct aggression.
Where’s the Arab St.? Where’s Obama. Telling isn’t it that Jordan & Saudi Arabia came to Israel’s defense!
This has been plain to see for decades except of course to the Obama administration. For all Trumps faults most of his foreign policy has been spot on.
Will Biden finally reinstate the Trump sanctions, or will he continue to "negotiate". He has given Iran billions of dollars. What are they thinking? How can they possibly believe appeasement works?
The West has been in denial about that for a very long time – – including Dick Cheney ignoring Ariel Sharon’s quiet suggestion that by invading Iraq he was taking on the wrong team.
It has provided evidence to a world of Westerners who are ignorant of that....especially among the ignorant of the hyper-educated elites who are in government, NGOs. Will they change? Doubt it, but the evidence is now there.
As of the time of reading, 1349 EDT 14APR24, I have not read or heard of an Israeli couner-strke. I hope that one is forthcoming and that it is massive in physical extent and brutal. Make the rubble bounce in Tehran, Homs, Bandar Abbas, etc. American Catholic veteran. Payback for IEDs, EFPs in Iraq.
The Abraham Accords seemed to be realigning Isreal's relationships with the middle east. Of course, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Placate the malcontents at all costs despite the collateral damage.
Yes, unfortunately the Obama and Biden foreign policy staff just cannot get their heads out of the Palestinian-centric approach. It actually even took Netanyahu almost 3 years to convince Trump to do the Abraham Accords.
Joe Biden, who gave Iran $20 billion to play with and has been appeasing it ever since he was elected, is now telling Israel it shouldn't defend itself against Iran, and that if it does, it will be on its own - the US will stand aside.
That is Biden's vision of Israel and the Jews - they should stick to being helpless victims. Ukraine can defend itself, but not Israel.
All of it is true but in a world gone mad, where every Hamas utterance is taken as gospel whereas Israeli facts are probed and dissected with the idea that Israel is guilty until ...well, Israel is just guilty, I am afraid that seeing who is really fighting this war and their true malevolence may make no difference.
I think something more covert would be useful: cripple their refineries and ports on a wholesale basis with strategic special operations, for instance.
I read a book where they employed GPS spoofing (not sure if it’s legitimate) that altered the timing scheme to allow changing location information. Imagine if Israel was able to spoof on the incoming missiles and direct them to Damascus and Rafah.
GPS "spoofing" is a well developed technology currently deployed in both military and civilian domains to protect people and places from drone attacks (think Black Sunday but with drones). But sufficiently advanced technologies can provide alternative methods of navigation. A high quality IMU can lead a missile to its target without the aid of GPS. Sufficiently detailed terrain maps can also help a vehicle navigate its way to its destination. And ballistic missiles only need navigation at the start of their journey. The rest is freefall.
How about dropping a drone on the home residence of every general in the IRG command? Nothing like making it personal. This would explains why the mosad has long worked to place hidden surveillance cameras at key street lamps and trees, focused to observe vehicular comings and goings at all the upscale residences within commute distance of central Tehran. The Jews, will just blow a few dozen of these guys to kingdom come, along with their wives, children, dogs and cattle. Amen
A reliable source reported earlier today that Iran told the US about their attack on Israel last night before the attack began. So, it appears that the US was powerless to stop it from happening. Now, the US has told Israel that we will not support Israel if Israel subsequently attacks Iran. And Iran, after their attack, has announced that they are done attacking Israel, and that Israel had better not attack Iran now. Question: when will the democrats announce martial law in the US, and no more elections for the foreseeable future?
America lost deterrence when Biden took office. We are now a laughing stock. The only firm voice Biden can find now is when he addresses Israel. With everyone else it’s “stop please? Or don’t. We don’t care.” This is a disaster.
Was there ever any doubt? Now the question is why have our tax dollars funded Iran? What will the people of this Republic do moving forward?
Obama and Biden attempted to appease Iran. With predictable results. Appeasement rarely yields a peaceful outcome.
You're likely a very kind person. I hold a far dimmer view of anything done by and at the behest of the communists in our federal government.
I agree. Appeasement was the fig leaf for brazen empowerment.
Only an election can change the current funding problem.
Not if the election is rigged Not if they cheat
Elections in the United States are farcical pageantry to entertain the sports fans
Please specify. Tax dollars to so-called humanitarian NGOs? The lifting of sanctions? The blind eye turned to trade in conducted in violation of sanctions? All of the above?
All of the above. At least.
I thought you might be privy to something else.
I'm not. I interpret what I read. I read a great deal.
Biden probably cannot wait to send more billions in “appeasement” to Iran.
Joseph Robinette Biden has no control over any aspect of his existence. He's a tool of the oligarchy. He is to be looked upon with a degree of compassion. If anything he's a cautionary tale waiting to immortalized.
Do you think the Republican Party, with its platform to lower taxes permanently for millionaires and billionaires and privatize Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, with a platform developed over decades by the American Enterprise Institute and the Heritage Foundation somehow represents “the people?” And do you think Trump will be in control of anything? The only piece of this agenda that is personally his will be the retributions and vengeance campaign that he will ensure punish anyone who objected to January 6 and who tried to acknowledge that it is not right for the president of the United States to commit crimes. I think the Democratic Party has gone over the cliff when it comes to much of the DEI or “woke” policy making. That does not mean that I think the entire “administrative state”, civil service, all the departments that protect our food and water should be dismantled. Perhaps you do and perhaps you trust the corporations with your well-being. Good luck with that.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/politics/conservatives-aim-to-restructure-u-s-government-and-replace-it-with-trumps-vision
Not only do you exaggerate, but you also cite an unreliable, biased source: NPR. It became obvious many years ago that they were severely biased to the “left”. Now we even have a whistleblower confirming that.
The Democrats are on the wrong path. The party just isn’t what it used to be, and blind allegiance to it by classical liberals is a mistake. It isn’t “liberal” anymore. As long as the party coddles it’s far left wing and supports defunding the police, eliminating bail, supporting rioters, leaving the border wide open, hiring based on race, sexual orientation etc. and not merit, forcing electric cars on America before its ready for them, pretending to save the environment while destroying economic prosperity and helping China, using it’s proxies in the media to defame it’s opponents, using the legal system to destroy it’s opponents (the list goes on and on), they don’t deserve to run a 7-11, much less the country.
Trump will be in control of his agenda. The only ones who got in his way (or tried to) last time were: Democrats. He has many policies that are uniquely his and that he implemented last time: securing the border, bringing industry back to the US, getting rid of destructive regulation, making us energy independent, strengthening NATO, bringing Middle East countries together in the Abraham Accords, defending our ally Israel, championing law enforcement … this list also goes on and on. And all of this while being targeted by specious investigations and impeachments. As for Jan. 6th, there’s no question: he offered 10,000 National Guard to Washington DC and the Capitol police, and they turned it down (just like Portland Oregon did during the George Floyd riots- they’d rather have destructive riots than take help from Pres. Trump). When he made that offer and Pelosi refused it, the chain of causation was broken. Anything that happened after that-riots and/or breaching of the capitol building- is on Nancy Pelosi. It was she who was in charge of the defense of the capital that day, and she who chose to turn down the help because it was coming from President Trump. This is typical of the Democrat party these days. They would rather see the country destroyed then give credit to Trump for anything. That is a divisive, destructive way to govern.
Trump has not committed any crimes. The only crime here is the disdain and vindictiveness with which he’s been treated.
Aimee S- great rebuttal to Iconoclast's TDS. I would add that we need to also understand that there is a large swath of Establishment Republicans who are "republican " in name only. They are Corrupt and UNACCOUNTABLE by their ' go w the flow, status quo' behavior.
Iconoclast still cannot wrap his head around the fact that NPR, PBS, the AP are ALL Propaganda agents for the Current Admin.
Finally, correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Trump already serve as U S. President? He had 4 years to become that evil Dictator, Hitler-like figure - did I miss something?
I will keep beating this drum saying, ' Actions speak louder than words' . Trump says some dumb words like 'dictator' that the State-Controlled Media rin with ad nauseum. All one needs to do is compare the deaths, the lack of safety, the wars, the economy that has ACTUALLY happened under Biden vs under Trump. There's no comparison.
You should read the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025. It’s the plan for the country if Trump is elected. Are you ready for a Christian Theocracy? I’m not.
I have taken a look at the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025. I will admit that I have not read all 920 pages of it, but I don't see Christian Theocracy even hinted at in it. Could you point out the section(s) which outline or explain a theocratic impulse?
The funny thing to me, as a deeply devoted follower of Jesus, is that the hard Left frequently sees the theocratic boogeyman behind policy positions from the Right, but real Christians are the last one's to call for theocracy. Mostly because Christianity is about relationship with God which is not something that can or should be forced on anyone. Biblical Christianity is an ideology that, by it's nature, cannot advance without the free choice of every member of the Kingdom of God.
I read your post. I see leftist lunacy.
https://michiganadvance.com/2024/01/16/project-2025-if-allowed-will-cement-america-as-a-rightwing-authoritarian-state/
“The Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 wants to reshape America under Trump
The project outlines a series of moves to transform the executive branch of the government
Justin Klawans, The Week USFebruary 26, 2024
Photo collage of the Capitol building, the roof open to reveal a massive mouth. It is Donald Trump's signature pout. Above, there is text saying "Project 2025 presents", all in the style of Saul Bass' "Advise & Consent" poster.
While the 2024 presidential election is still nine months away, there appears to be a not-slim chance that former President Donald Trump could make his return to the White House. Most polls show him in the lead against President Joe Biden, though this could change in the months to come. The former president has previously committed to being a "dictator on day one" if he were to gain power again. While there have been arguments over whether Trump's words are hyperbole or literal, there is at least one group apparently scheming to assist with these dictatorial tendencies — through a plan called Project 2025.
While the plan has not gained significant amounts of traction in the national news media, Project 2025 is the brainchild of a conservative think tank called the Heritage Foundation. The foundation is collaborating with at least 80 other conservative groups to spearhead an effort to "rescue the country from the grip of the radical left," with a "governing agenda and the right people in place, ready to carry this agenda out on day one of the next conservative administration," according to the Project 2025 website.
Many in opposition to the plan have alleged that Project 2025 is part of a greater effort by conservatives to turn the United States into a Trump-led autocracy. What does Project 2025 entail, and why are some political scientists afraid of its effect on democracy?
What is Project 2025?
It is a "mission to dismantle the federal government and replace it with a vision closer to [Trump's] own," The Associated Press said, and is "essentially a government-in-waiting for the former president's return — or any candidate who aligns with their ideals." The full Project 2025 consists of a 920-page outline that mandates four doctrines to implement in the event of a conservative presidency: the first is to "restore the family as the centerpiece of American life and protect our children," the outline said. The second doctrine is to "dismantle the administrative state and return self-governance to the American people."
So "restoring the family as the centerpiece of American life" and "protecting children" is against your principles??
On climate:
https://www.wbur.org/cognoscenti/2024/03/27/heritage-foundation-project-2025-2024-election-climate-change-frederick-hewett
Perhaps you fail to fully grasp what's coming. The Republic is over. What comes next is what always succeeds Republics. With regard to Republican/Democrat I don't believe they are very different from each other when it comes to you and I. Fedzilla exists only to expand its power.
Iconoclast seems to have successfully taken the conversation from Iran's motivations and plans into the realm of TDS. Icono hates Trump so much he doesn't care about Iran. He wants another four years of the impotent mummy and will use any means possible including these horrible smokescreens he has just emitted. Get back on topic Iconoclast!
The thread was taken off topic by Hyacinthus:” Joseph Robinette Biden has no control over any aspect of his existence. He's a tool of the oligarchy. He is to be looked upon with a degree of compassion. If anything he's a cautionary tale waiting to immortalized.”
My comments were all in response to that^. Those who hate our current president so much that they have to call him names and personally denigrate him never lose an opportunity here at The Free Press comments to turn a conversation towards the presidency and the election. It’s disappointing to see the comments go in the direction of personal attack and false assumptions. I never said, and you know I never said that I didn’t care about Iran. I care very much about seeing my country become an autocracy.
Hyacinthus followed RSL whose comment connected Biden to the Iran issue. H simply stated that Biden isn't really in charge of anything. H didn't call him any names except his full name, Joseph Robinette Biden. Well, maybe H left off "Jr." Then you went into trashing Trump, which is pure TDS. And yes, trashing Trump when the topic is about Itan today is off topic.
You make some fair points. Both parties participated over the last 30 years in selling out the middle class and American workers in general to the benefit of C-Suite, Ivy League blue-bloods. Do you think Trump or any of the DEI nonesense gains any traction in this country with a robust, employed middle-class? Drive across the country and visit the fly-over states. You will witness boarded up downtowns and a shiny new Walmart schlepping Chinese goods on the edge of town.
I agree with you Paul! And I have been lobbying my local and national Democratic representatives for 10 years + to pay attention to CLASS and equal OPPORTUNITY, and to drop the divisive rhetoric about identity.
I live in Seattle, and every single move by our until recently far-left City Council has helped wipe out small business and elevate Amazon's market share. By valorizing shoplifting as some kind of Robinhood action by the marginalized and hungry, it has put hundreds of street-facing businesses under-- stores cannot get insurance at all in some neighborhoods, and so the 10-20k it costs to repair a storefront when a jacked car is driven through it comes out of pocket. It has displaced "BIPOC" in formerly affordable and historically Black neighborhoods in favor of "density" which means $$ corporate apartment complexes and unaffordable gentrification that comes with unaffordable property taxes.
Eradicate parking and demonize cars (Democrat-Urbanist-eco-ideology) and you hurt minimum wage and split-shift workers who need a car because the busses don't go where they need to go or are too dangerous at night. Mandate electric vehicles (our Democratic governor) and you exhaust the power grid, reliant on vanishing snow (yes I do believe climate change is real. https://www.nps.gov/articles/time-lapse-photography-of-glaciers-at-mount-rainier.htm) You also hurt the working class, that, like me, drives old gas-fueled beaters. I have an '88 Toyota and I do not have $35k for an electric car--and who wants to have an electric car with no place to charge it because the eco-warriors got rid of buildings with garages?
Etc. etc. The labyrinth of harm is vast. Both parties are doing everything they can to elevate the true oligarchy which is private enterprise, but the far Right is straight up about it and the Left does it all cloaked in the pretense of being for the "people" and the "environment." I never bought the lionization of Obama. My mother, a long-time leftist activist, may her brilliant mind and soul RIP, called it the first time she heard of Obama and heard him speak: he's a corporatist, she said, and I don't trust him.
PBS? Really?
An arm of the Democratic Party?
Using “Robinette” doesn’t seem to be trying to accomplish the same thing as when people say “Hussein” with Obama. Have we just arrived at a point where the use of the middle name itself is enough to connote what a horrible character you think this person is?
It is an accepted practice to name criminals by their full names to thereby differentiate them from another with a similar name. Its customary.
Glad we cleared that up. I might have thought you were talking about another Joe Biden!
I'm certainly glad to be of assistance. Providing leftists with free clues is a public service you'll find me enthusiastically performing.
Iran has been building up its military capabilities over the last twenty five years and more. And that includes twelve years of GOP administrations. Do you think it’s only been in the last three years? Come on, get real.
It is time to lay down the hurt. It needs to be applied into every Islamic Dictatorship. Governments that will kowtow to the US Autocrat will be accepted. These that do not need to be obliterated. Flu xi pooh needs to be next.
Maybe now Biden can start to enforce the oil sanctions against Iran, which would reduce its economic power and begin to erode its support for its terrorist proxies around Israel. Appeasing Iran for three years has likely been Biden’s most egregious blunder in Foreign policy so far.
WSJ reports Biden is "pushing for new sanctions" — what a sick joke. Will his administration ignore those sanctions as well and send Iran another few billions after a few months pass?
Correct.
I do not know about most egregious but point taken. I do not think Biden understands the concept of sanctions and he has traitors in his midst.
Biden wants low oil and gasoline prices as a way to buy votes for November, so he will not do anything to limit Iranian oil production. He is more likely to ease sanctions until then.
Iran has been building up its proxies and military power a helluva lot longer than three years.
It's rather amazing that the "progressives" in the US have no understanding of a concept that has been in clear evidence since 1948.
I still see pundits, even some with military experience, yapping about the pieces of this conflict as if they were in isolation.
Iran's attack wasn't even an escalation. It was simply a more convenient way to launch even more rockets and drones. Why risk shipping them to Yemen or Lebanon when they can just go outside and fire them? Lazy.
But at least that stupidity got Biden's attention... for a few seconds, I guess. He's still got an election to win, even if his addled mind thinks he's only running for Henry Ford's old position in Dearborn, Michigan.
Actually I trust Biden to stand by Israel more than Trump. He actually believes in something.
Yes - he believes in getting re-elected even if that means caving to the Dearborn jihadists for votes. He also believes insupporting the Islamic Republic and not the oppressed people of Iran. No thank you. The only way to get Obama and his merry band of supporters out of the way is to elect Trump. I wish it were DeSants but it’s not this round.
I agree. At this point I don’t think Jews should be giving their money to the Democratic Party at all.
Just four years. If successful then we can return to less aberrant times.
You need to read some of the articles by Tablet Magazine that were written over the past 2 years that discuss the Obama Muslim Brotherhood retreads that are working for Biden.
These Obama devotees are mostly young “ well educated “ far left policy wonks. There are Palestinian Americans ( Muslim and Christian), who hate Israel.They stay out of the limelight but are driving foreign policy .m
I agree.
Yes. And their realignment theory. I would love to hear how that was ever designed to support Israel and not destroy it??
Just stupidity.
Yes, Biden believes in allowing the invasion on our southern border, in the protection of the criminal class both legal and illegal, in the slaughter of young Americans by Chinese fentanyl, in taking our tax money to pay off other people’s college loans, in tanking our national security (and our economy )by destroying reliable sources of energy, and supporting his criminal son by allowing Hunter to sell influence in the US presidency (and vice-presidency) to foreign governments. God help us if this is who you trust.
I'm sorry, I don't write this as an insult. Even if you are a dyed in the wool Democrat and just can't imagine even uttering, quietly to yourself, a complementary sentence fragment about Trump, you have to admit nothing close to this came to pass under Bad Man Orange. If you trust Biden over Trump I'm willing to bet my house you are one of those, and there are many, who just doesn't vote differently than your party or is just awash in Trump Derangement Syndrome. You ought not trust Biden, period. He is a bad man who has allowed myriad bad things to undue our country. Biden believes in Biden. He is not now, nor has ever been a patriot. Trump, and I have many misgivings about him, loves his country. That's a belief. Bilking the nation for fifty years to enrich yourself and your family is just greed.
You obviously are insane.
I don't, Lee. Trump has his flaws - a lot of flaws. But he has stood by Israel.
Biden has followed the Obama playbook for the most part. They allowed Iran its nuclear capacity. They have helped fund these constant attacks on Israel, including from the United Nations and its gun-toting UNRWA.
You have to look at Obama and the UCC to understand this part of the Democratic Party. This is Obama's inspiration and helps us understand the people Obama and Biden have running the show now. The UCC makes very few declarations at its annual meetings. But when it does, they pretty much all condemn Israel. It has been this way for decades. That's where Obama went to church for a long time.
Even if I thought Biden were better on some issues, and I'm not sure I do, other than social media posting, I think it's an easy call to trust Trump more than Biden to stand by our allies, especially Israel.
I wonder how you see Biden in charge of the White House ? He has a real dementia .
RFK jr is still in the race
I don't see any evidence that Biden supports Israel more than Trump. On the contrary, our UN rep would have never abstained on a ceasefire resolution under Trump.
Is this you declaring solidarity with the other bee? The Babylonian?
Biden has dementia and is not calling the shots.
What do you think he believes in? I’m sincerely trying to understand what you see ? Im not a Trump supporter at all
Every time Iran engages in covert, manipulated or clearly evident attacks, everyone should be required to understand how its efforts were enhanced by the Obama/ BIDEN policy of enabling Iran.
1000%
The Biden ( Obama) administration orchestrated the Iranian strike last night.Maher Bitar is the “ special assistant to POTUS and Senior Director for Intelligence Programs on the White House NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL. He served in the Obama administration. He is Palestinian.
Since the Israeli surgical strike in Damascus that took out four top IRGC generals who have been orchestrating the attacks on Israel, the White House cut a deal with Iran. The Ayatollahs were told they had the green light to “ retaliate” against Israel as long as they did not “ escalate “ this into a wider conflict. What that would look like was was anyone’s guess but we saw it last night. A massive attack on Israel with plenty of warning so that Israel and the duplicitous US could knock the drones and missiles out of the sky with Israel’s brilliant and expensive technologies. A 9 yr old Bedouin girl was hit with shrapnel, but no other Israelis were injured or killed.
The enemy is within our own government
This war is good vs evil regardless of the propaganda that is carefully crafted with Qatari and Iranian money. It is Israel’s fight to exist as the only Jewish state that protected Al Aqsa mosque and the Palestinians rallying for Iran on the Temple Mount as the Iranian missiles flew overhead. There is NO Apartheid
Think about that
Correct, if we can elect Trump, his first “you’re fired” memo is to all of the Obama holdovers working for Biden.
Iran runs to the UN to assure the world that THIS assault is over & done with. And the incompetent Biden administration shrugs and basically says “no harm…no foul,” thus warning not to escalate tensions by unleashing an overwhelming response to the attack!
I guess Biden, Blinken, Sullivan need Israeli blood to be spelled, in order to tepidly support a devastating retort to Iranian direct aggression.
Where’s the Arab St.? Where’s Obama. Telling isn’t it that Jordan & Saudi Arabia came to Israel’s defense!
This has been plain to see for decades except of course to the Obama administration. For all Trumps faults most of his foreign policy has been spot on.
They see it - it’s a plan. I’m voting for Trump so we can have a shot at avoiding WWIII
Will Biden finally reinstate the Trump sanctions, or will he continue to "negotiate". He has given Iran billions of dollars. What are they thinking? How can they possibly believe appeasement works?
Someone has to convince Obama first.
Then Biden will fall into line.
Lol!!!
" ... the attack has finally given the world something valuable: a glimpse of the real war in the Middle East ... "
REALLY???
Iran has openly said for DECADES it wants Israel wiped off the face of the earth.
So exactly WHAT 'new' information has this weekend's attack provided???
more like brought it into better focus.
Nothing has changed since 1979 except the institutionalization and shoring up of the appeasement bloc here at home.
The West has been in denial about that for a very long time – – including Dick Cheney ignoring Ariel Sharon’s quiet suggestion that by invading Iraq he was taking on the wrong team.
It has provided evidence to a world of Westerners who are ignorant of that....especially among the ignorant of the hyper-educated elites who are in government, NGOs. Will they change? Doubt it, but the evidence is now there.
As of the time of reading, 1349 EDT 14APR24, I have not read or heard of an Israeli couner-strke. I hope that one is forthcoming and that it is massive in physical extent and brutal. Make the rubble bounce in Tehran, Homs, Bandar Abbas, etc. American Catholic veteran. Payback for IEDs, EFPs in Iraq.
I hope not. As many Iranians hate their theocratic regime.
Many Germans ALLEGEDLY hated the Nazis. We still made the rubble bounce in Berlin, Hamburg; Frankfurt, Munich, Dresden, etc.
Tough but fair.
Oh brother. We've been hearing that since 1979. And here we are.
Yes, it’s been “death to America“ for a very long time – 25 years of US foreign policy failure.
The Abraham Accords seemed to be realigning Isreal's relationships with the middle east. Of course, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Placate the malcontents at all costs despite the collateral damage.
Yes, unfortunately the Obama and Biden foreign policy staff just cannot get their heads out of the Palestinian-centric approach. It actually even took Netanyahu almost 3 years to convince Trump to do the Abraham Accords.
And yet Joe Buydem-votes will STILL not even enforce existing Iranian sanctions.
Forget the sanctions....he unfroze their funds! Biden is a danger to the whole world in his dealings with Iran.
Joe Biden, who gave Iran $20 billion to play with and has been appeasing it ever since he was elected, is now telling Israel it shouldn't defend itself against Iran, and that if it does, it will be on its own - the US will stand aside.
That is Biden's vision of Israel and the Jews - they should stick to being helpless victims. Ukraine can defend itself, but not Israel.
What does Biden have against the Jews?
It's nothing against Jews. He did the same thing in Afghanistan. Wish I could explain it...
All of it is true but in a world gone mad, where every Hamas utterance is taken as gospel whereas Israeli facts are probed and dissected with the idea that Israel is guilty until ...well, Israel is just guilty, I am afraid that seeing who is really fighting this war and their true malevolence may make no difference.
Perhaps Israel should deploy 300+ drones etc. towards Iran and see how they like it.
I think something more covert would be useful: cripple their refineries and ports on a wholesale basis with strategic special operations, for instance.
I read a book where they employed GPS spoofing (not sure if it’s legitimate) that altered the timing scheme to allow changing location information. Imagine if Israel was able to spoof on the incoming missiles and direct them to Damascus and Rafah.
GPS "spoofing" is a well developed technology currently deployed in both military and civilian domains to protect people and places from drone attacks (think Black Sunday but with drones). But sufficiently advanced technologies can provide alternative methods of navigation. A high quality IMU can lead a missile to its target without the aid of GPS. Sufficiently detailed terrain maps can also help a vehicle navigate its way to its destination. And ballistic missiles only need navigation at the start of their journey. The rest is freefall.
How about dropping a drone on the home residence of every general in the IRG command? Nothing like making it personal. This would explains why the mosad has long worked to place hidden surveillance cameras at key street lamps and trees, focused to observe vehicular comings and goings at all the upscale residences within commute distance of central Tehran. The Jews, will just blow a few dozen of these guys to kingdom come, along with their wives, children, dogs and cattle. Amen
A reliable source reported earlier today that Iran told the US about their attack on Israel last night before the attack began. So, it appears that the US was powerless to stop it from happening. Now, the US has told Israel that we will not support Israel if Israel subsequently attacks Iran. And Iran, after their attack, has announced that they are done attacking Israel, and that Israel had better not attack Iran now. Question: when will the democrats announce martial law in the US, and no more elections for the foreseeable future?
Just one word. Don't.
What a jackass. Remember Obama's chemical weapons "red-line". Same idiocy. Why should anyone EVER take you seriously when you never follow through???
And while I'm ranting... how are the fucking Houthis still endangering world wide shipping???
America lost deterrence when Biden took office. We are now a laughing stock. The only firm voice Biden can find now is when he addresses Israel. With everyone else it’s “stop please? Or don’t. We don’t care.” This is a disaster.
The tail is indeed wagging the dog. My instinct is that the US election will proceed but will once again require huge numbers of ballots cast by mail.
It’s really such a pity dead people only vote democrat. You’d think at least some of those ballots would be for republicans?
Ha ha. But seriously it is the harvesting and harvesters I have issues with even if the ballot is fro.m a living, registered voter.
Excellent essay