Time to be realistic
When I was a young officer in the Army (Happy 249th Birthday to the nation’s senior service!) the Chief-of-Staff was General Gordon Sullivan. He had the herculean task to remake the Army after the Cold War in the early 1990’s. Faced with a 40% cut in the size of his force he had to take the hide-bound service into the information age.
He took an approach based in realism and tough love. His motto for the mission was simple:
“Hope is not a method.”
It permeated the force as many of us faced the difficult task of a shrinking Army and budget. It meant less promotions, fewer plum positions, and a more difficult path to higher rank and key training like transitioning to new aircraft.
I found myself as the Personnel Officer (S1) in the Aviation Brigade of the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii. The Army decided to phase out the AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter, OH-58C Kiowa scout, and UH-1 utility aircraft for the modern UH-60’s and OH-58D’s. We were the last stop for pilots of those aircraft from around the world. Either they transition to new aircraft or leave the Army.
To pull it off I had to reduce manning in the Blackhawk and Chinook units to make room to send people to training then bring them back. While manning our attack units at full strength and combat readiness until the last minute. I made a lot of people super angry and caused a ton of stress, worry, and vitriol fired my way.
But, we pulled it off. We saved a lot of good soldier’s careers and life went on.
Here we go
Why do I tell that odd story? Because here in 2024 ‘hope is not a method’ as we face an existential threat to our democracy represented by the MAGA movement and codified in the bone chilling Project 2025. Political instincts and tradition is that you should ignore your opponents plans and back your candidate so people don’t think you’re worried you won’t win or undermine support for your side.
That sounds great except our opponents have got a plan and have been working on it for three years. Project 2025 is an insidious and extensive blueprint to dismantle the federal government and roll back American’s fundamental rights in the name of an authoritarian agenda.
Led by the Heritage Foundation with over a hundred other extremist and MAGA organizations, funded by millions of dollars in dark money, and recruiting the most extreme MAGA people to flood the government if Donald Trump wins a second term. The thousand-page plan is one of the greatest threats we’ve faced in decades and we don’t even know what’s not being published that is even more dangerous.
We can’t wait until after the election and scramble to find a plan to stop this extensive plan that will start literally Donald Trump raises his right hand and places his left on a Bible he’s never seen before. We have to plan now. If we win, which I firmly believe we will, great…we spent time preparing because this isn’t going away with Trump. If we lose, then we aren’t surprised and can mobilize to stop it.
Stop Project 2025 Task Force
The good news is that a group of Democratic House members are stepping up to the plate. Led by California Representative Jared Huffman, they will be holding hearings, coordinating with outside groups, and developing plans to stop the most insidious parts of this massive plan.
I had the incredible opportunity to speak with Congressman Huffman just a day after they launched and it’s a fantastic conversation.
The Discussion
Representative Jared Huffman
Jared Huffman represents California's 2nd Congressional District which spans the North Coast of the state, from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border, and includes Marin, Sonoma, Mendocino, Humboldt, Trinity, and Del Norte counties. He was first elected to Congress in November 2012 and currently serves on the Committee on Natural Resources and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. In the 118th Congress, he serves as the Ranking Member of the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries with jurisdiction over federal water projects, fisheries management, coastal zone and oceans policy, and wildlife and endangered species.
The fight continues
If you watch to the end I’ll give you an update on the battle I face. I would appreciate your support if you are able as the court has essentially gone silent and our lawsuit languishes without resolution.
My legal Defense Fund: https://www.gofundme.com/f/defend-democracy-against-maga-litigation
I’ve been thinking the same thing! The republicans have been putting together their plan, and are apparently putting a lot of thought into every detail of their evil plan. It feels like the democrats are just standing there flat footed, waiting until someone tries to execute that plan so they can stomp their feet and cry foul. I’m glad to hear that there is a counter plan in the works, although it seems a little too late now.
On another note, we might have been in 25th Aviation Brigade at the same time. I was in 4/25 when the last Huey’s were flown to the port, never to return 🥺
Thank you for addressing this subject. The lack of coverage in the MSM of Project 2025 is astonishing and, in my view, constitutes journalistic malpractice. This should be a subject that the Democrats talk about daily.