Case Baumwart
Contributing Writer
Watching the debate last Tuesday, I found myself inspired by what felt like a clear victory from Kamala Harris. After the excitement wore off — and seemingly nothing changed — I began to feel more despair for the state of American politics than ever before. Despair for a climate where many are apathetic to misinformation being dissented from our most powerful leaders. Despair for what feels like a crumbling democracy.
It’s no surprise that politics are changing. Campaigns can now be run entirely on fearmongering without a shred of policy, full of blatant lying and hyperbolic nonsense. Representatives have thrown out their dog whistles and began hollering bigotry like a town crier. But how did we get to this point? At whom can I direct my youthful ire? None other than the non-chimpanzee star of “Bedtime for Bonzo,” Ronald Reagan.
Since Reagan popped on the scene as president in 1980, the state of two-party politics has been in disarray. Starting as an actor for the U.S. military, and later many, many B movies, Regan ran as a Washington outsider — a handsome and no-nonsense charmer who isn’t like the other girls.
Reagan valued the view of think tanks to format his political policy. For the majority of his decisions, he was reliant on one in particular: The Heritage Foundation, which Reagan used to create 60% of his policies as president — including his economic reform, Reaganomics. So, we can attribute much of the shrinking middle class directly to the Heritage Foundation. Surely that’s the worst of it, right? That would make quite a weak climax and a much brighter future. In fact, the Heritage Foundation is the group behind Project 2025.
Project 2025 is the latest 900-page document of political manifestos from the Heritage Foundation that serve as a guidebook for Republican policy. Project 2025 features further regressions from our civil liberties, including restrictions on contraceptives, healthcare and the dissolution of the Department of Education. Possibly the most damaging of Project 2025’s proposed legislation is to reclassify mid-level civil servants as political appointees. This gives the President the ability to fire thousands of trained professionals working in the government if there is any inkling of distaste towards the president.
Fall has begun, and we are drawing nearer to the election. It can be exceedingly easy to get bogged down by our flawed electoral system, but it is important that we young people remain vigilant. We have a responsibility to use our votes to protest the newest wave of political extremism that seeks to undermine our democracy and disenfranchise our communities.
