Overview:

The concluding section of Project 2025, titled Onward!, serves as a rousing call to action for conservatives, urging them to embrace the project as a guide for achieving a conservative revolution in government and to restore America’s greatness.

Key Takeaways:

  • Mandate for Leadership as a Blueprint: “Onward!” presents “Mandate for Leadership” as a comprehensive plan to dismantle the administrative state, reduce the size and scope of government, and advance conservative policies across all areas of government.
  • “People are Policy”: It emphasizes the importance of personnel in implementing a conservative agenda, arguing that the next President must appoint individuals who are “principled” and aligned with a conservative vision.
  • “Watch the Watchers”: It calls for presidential appointees to serve as “watchdogs” to “rein in” federal agencies and prevent them from overreaching their authority, reflecting a deep distrust of the federal bureaucracy.
  • Conservative Solutions vs. Liberal Failures: It repeatedly contrasts “conservative solutions” with “liberal policies,” arguing that conservative policies are superior in promoting economic growth, individual freedom, and national security.
  • Historical Continuity: It draws a direct line from the Reagan Revolution to Project 2025, arguing that the project is a continuation of the conservative movement’s long-term effort to transform America.

Critical Quote:

“The conservative movement had found in Ronald Reagan a President who shared that vision and who had the will to go against the established political grain in Washington.”

Why It Matters:

“Onward!” serves as a rallying cry for conservatives, urging them to embrace Project 2025 as a guide for achieving a conservative revolution in government. It celebrates the perceived successes of the Reagan and Trump administrations and suggests that the next conservative President can achieve similar results by following the project’s recommendations.

Red Flags:

  • Radical Agenda: The section’s embrace of “Mandate for Leadership” as a blueprint for a conservative revolution suggests a radical agenda that could fundamentally alter the role of the federal government and undermine decades of progress in areas such as social welfare, environmental protection, and civil rights.
  • Politicization of Government: The emphasis on appointing ideologically aligned individuals could lead to a politicization of the federal workforce and a disregard for expertise and experience.
  • Distrust of Government: The call to “watch the watchers” and to “rein in” federal agencies reflects a deep distrust of government and a desire to weaken its ability to serve the public good.

Bottom Line:

Onward! is a clear and unambiguous call to action for conservatives, urging them to embrace Project 2025 as a roadmap for achieving a radical transformation of American government and society. This vision is likely to be deeply concerning to Democrats and many Americans who value a more active role for government in addressing social and economic problems and promoting equality and opportunity for all.