All Things with Kim Strassel: Project 2025 and Conservatism During Trump’s Second Term
Nov 19, 2024
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Kevin Roberts, President of the Heritage Foundation and author of "Dawn's Early Light", shares insights on how Project 2025 faces criticism yet holds potential for conservatives. He discusses favorite Trump cabinet picks and the promising role of Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy in government efficiency. The conversation also critiques conservative strategies, advocating a renewed focus on working-class values, and debates the balance of power between state and federal governance, emphasizing the importance of localized reforms.
The Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 faces heightened scrutiny from the left, underscoring the challenges of conservative messaging in today's politically charged landscape.
Amid calls for reforming institutions like the Department of Education, there's a significant emphasis on renewing core societal values for the conservative movement's future.
Deep dives
The Impact of Project 2025
Project 2025, developed by the Heritage Foundation, aims to outline a comprehensive policy roadmap for the next presidential administration. However, its reception was unexpected, as it became a focal point of criticism from the left, who mischaracterized it as a direct guide for Trump's presidency. This response highlights the challenges conservative think tanks face in today's politically charged environment and the necessity for effective messaging alongside policy development. Despite the backlash, rising economic concerns among the public, such as increased living costs, have shifted attention back to pressing issues that matter to voters.
Relevance of Conservative Think Tanks
Conservative think tanks have faced a struggle for relevance due to changing communication dynamics and evolving public expectations. Many have grown complacent, relying on traditional methods of policy publication without adapting to the current media landscape where information is processed differently. To address this, there has been an effort to elevate the function of these organizations to not only create robust policies but also effectively communicate and advocate for them. This dual focus on substance and messaging is critical if these institutions are to engage effectively with both elected officials and the broader American public.
The Need for Institutional Change
The Heritage Foundation's recent discourse emphasizes a call for the metaphorical 'burning' of certain institutions that have strayed from their foundational values, such as the Department of Education and the New York Times. This perspective underscores a sentiment that cultural and institutional failures contribute to the degradation of core societal values and principles. The discussion also touches on significant figures like the Boy Scouts, which have lost their traditional essence due to societal pressures. Advocating for renewal and reform in these entities is seen as essential for restoring trust and integrity in American institutions.
Where does the Heritage Foundation and its Project 2025 stand after Kamala Harris Democrats made the think tank and its policy paper the bogeyman of the 2024 campaign? On this episode of All Things, Heritage President Kevin Roberts talks about the upsides of the attacks, walks through his favorite Trump cabinet picks so far, breaks down the big potential of Elon Musk's and Vivek Ramaswamy's Department of Government Efficiency, and engages in a thoughtful debate with Kim Strassel over the future of the conservative movement.