The Bridge
Trump’s Project 2025 agenda caps decades-long resistance to 20th century progressive reform
The content discusses the ideological struggle in U.S. governance, highlighting conservative backlash against progressive reforms like the New Deal and Great Society, culminating in Project 2025’s agenda for Trump’s potential administration.
Colin Gordon, University of Iowa
For much of the 20th century, efforts to remake government were driven by a progressive desire to make the government work for regular Americans, including the New Deal and the Great Society reforms.
But they also met a conservative backlash seeking to rein back government as a source of security for working Americans and realign it with the interests of private business. That backlash is the central thread of the Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025” blueprint for a second Trump Administration.
Alternatively disavowed and embraced by President Donald Trump during his 2024 campaign, Project 2025 is a collection of conservative policy proposals – many written by veterans of his first administration. It echoes similar projects, both liberal and conservative, setting out a bold agenda for a new administration.
But Project 2025 does so with particular detail and urgency, hoping to galvanize dramatic change before the midterm elections in 2026. As its foreword warns: “Conservatives have just two years and one shot to get this right.”
The standard for a transformational “100 days” – a much-used reference point for evaluating an administration – belongs to the first administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Social reforms and FDR
In 1933, in the depths of the Great Depression, Roosevelt faced a nation in which business activity had stalled, nearly a third of the workforce was unemployed, and economic misery and unrest were widespread.
But Roosevelt’s so-called “New Deal” unfolded less as a grand plan to combat the Depression than as a scramble of policy experimentation.
Roosevelt did not campaign on what would become the New Deal’s singular achievements, which included expansive relief programs, subsidies for farmers, financial reforms, the Social Security system, the minimum wage and federal protection of workers’ rights.
Those achievements came haltingly after two years of frustrated or ineffective policymaking. And those achievements rested less on Roosevelt’s political vision than on the political mobilization and demands made by American workers.
A generation later, another wave of social reforms unfolded in similar fashion. This time it was not general economic misery that spurred actions, but the persistence of inequality – especially racial inequality – in an otherwise prosperous time.
LBJ’s Great Society
President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Great Society programs declared a war on poverty and, toward that end, introduced a raft of new federal initiatives in urban, education and civil rights.
These included the provision of medical care for the poor and older people via Medicaid and Medicare, a dramatic expansion of federal aid for K-12 education, and landmark voting rights and civil rights legislation.
As with the New Deal, the substance of these policies rested less with national policy designs than with the aspirations and mobilization of the era’s social movements.
Resistance to policy change
Since the 1930s, conservative policy agendas have largely taken the form of reactions to the New Deal and the Great Society.
The central message has routinely been that “big government” has overstepped its bounds and trampled individual rights, and that the architects of those reforms are not just misguided but treasonous. Project 2025, in this respect, promises not just a political right turn but to “defeat the anti-American left.”
After the 1946 midterm elections, congressional Republicans struck back at the New Deal. Drawing on business opposition to the New Deal, popular discontent with postwar inflation, and common cause with Southern Democrats, they stemmed efforts to expand the New Deal, gutting a full employment proposal and defeating national health insurance.
They struck back at organized labor with the 1947 Taft-Hartley Act, which undercut federal law by allowing states to pass anti-union “right to work” laws. And they launched an infamous anti-communist purge of the civil service, which forced nearly 15,000 people out of government jobs.
In 1971, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce commissioned Lewis Powell – who would be appointed by Republican President Richard Nixon to the Supreme Court the next year – to assess the political landscape. Powell’s memorandum characterized the political climate at the dawn of the 1970s – including both Great Society programs and the anti-war and Civil Rights movements of the 1960s – as nothing less than an “attack on the free enterprise system.”
In a preview of current U.S. politics, Powell’s memorandum devoted special attention to a disquieting “chorus of criticism” coming from “the perfectly respectable elements of society: from the college campus, the pulpit, the media, the intellectual and literary journals, the arts and sciences, and from politicians.”
Powell characterized the social policies of the New Deal and Great Society as “socialism or some sort of statism” and advocated the elevation of business interests and business priorities to the center of American political life.
Building a conservative infrastructure
Powell captured the conservative zeitgeist at the onset of what would become a long and decisive right turn in American politics. More importantly, it helped galvanize the creation of a conservative infrastructure – in the courts, in the policy world, in universities and in the media – to push back against that “chorus of criticism.”
This political shift would yield an array of organizations and initiatives, including the political mobilization of business, best represented by the emergence of the Koch brothers and the powerful libertarian conservative political advocacy group they founded, known as Americans for Prosperity. It also yielded a new wave of conservative voices on radio and television and a raft of right-wing policy shops and think tanks – including the Heritage Foundation, creator of Project 2025.
In national politics, the conservative resurgence achieved full expression in President Ronald Reagan’s 1980 campaign. The “Reagan Revolution” united economic and social conservatives around the central goal of dismantling what was left of the New Deal and Great Society.
Powell’s triumph was evident across the policy landscape. Reagan gutted social programs, declared war on organized labor, pared back economic and social regulations – or declined to enforce them – and slashed taxes on business and the wealthy.
Publicly, the Reagan administration argued that tax cuts would pay for themselves, with the lower rates offset by economic growth. Privately, it didn’t matter: Either growth would sustain revenues, or the resulting budgetary hole could be used to “starve the beast” and justify further program cuts.
Reagan’s vision, and its shaky fiscal logic, were reasserted in the “Contract with America” proposed by congressional Republicans after their gains in the 1994 midterm elections.
This declaration of principles proposed deep cuts to social programs alongside tax breaks for business. It was perhaps most notable for encouraging the Clinton administration to pass the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996, “ending welfare as we know it,” as Clinton promised.
Aiming at the ‘deep state’
Project 2025, the latest in this series of blueprints for dramatic change, draws most deeply on two of those plans.
As in the congressional purges of 1940s, it takes aim not just at policy but at the civil servants – Trump’s “deep state” – who administer it.
In the wake of World War II, the charge was that feckless bureaucrats served Soviet masters. Today, Project 2025 aims to “bring the Administrative State to heel, and in the process defang and defund the woke culture warriors who have infiltrated every last institution in America.”
As in the 1971 Powell memorandum, Project 2025 promises to mobilize business power; to “champion the dynamic genius of free enterprise against the grim miseries of elite-directed socialism.”
Whatever their source – party platforms, congressional bomb-throwers, think tanks, private interests – the success or failure of these blueprints rested not on their vision or popular appeal but on the political power that accompanied them. The New Deal and Great Society gained momentum and meaning from the social movements that shaped their agendas and held them to account.
The lineage of conservative responses has been largely an assertion of business power. Whatever populist trappings the second Trump administration may possess, the bottom line of the conservative cultural and political agenda in 2025 is to dismantle what is left of the New Deal or the Great Society, and to defend unfettered “free enterprise” against critics and alternatives.
Colin Gordon, Professor of History, University of Iowa
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
5 Ways to Make a Difference in Your Community
(Feature Impact) Communities are strengthened every day by local organizations working to address challenges close to home, whether that’s helping families access food, supporting students, expanding opportunity or providing essential resources to those who need them most. Often operating with limited resources, these organizations are finding practical solutions that make a meaningful difference in neighborhoods and communities across the country.
Many of these efforts happen quietly, powered by people who volunteer their time, share their expertise, donate resources or simply help spread awareness of causes they care about.
For individuals looking to make a difference where they live, community involvement doesn’t have to start with a large commitment. Consider these five options to get involved.
Give Your Time
Giving your time is one of the most direct ways to support organizations serving your community. Whether it’s packing meals, mentoring young people or participating in neighborhood cleanups, volunteering allows people to contribute directly while gaining a deeper understanding of local needs.
Share Your Skills
Nonprofits often need specialized skills in addition to hands-on volunteer support. Communications support, technology expertise, event planning, photography, financial guidance and other professional skills can help organizations expand their reach and strengthen their operations. Contributing the skills you’ve developed can often be just as valuable as donating time or resources.
Tap Into Your Workplace
Many employers offer opportunities to support causes that matter to their employees, such as volunteer programs, community grants or other charitable opportunities.
In communities across the country, local nonprofits can receive support through programs like the PepsiCo Foundation’s Community Impact Awards, where employees can nominate nonprofit organizations in their local communities for grant funding. Since 2022, the program has invested more than $3.7 million into organizations working on issues ranging from food access to education and community development.
“Across North America, there are organizations showing up every day for their communities, often without recognition and with limited resources,” said Monica Bauer, SVP of social impact, PepsiCo and president of the PepsiCo Foundation. “The Community Impact Awards help shine a light on organizations that are creating opportunities, solving local challenges and making a real difference in people’s lives. What makes this program special is that the recognition comes from PepsiCo associates who know these organizations firsthand and have seen their impact up close.”
This year, 100 organizations across the U.S. and Canada received $500,000 total in grants and teamed up with their respective nominating employees for volunteer activities supporting their missions, giving employees another opportunity to engage directly.
Give What You Can
Financial contributions are a valuable way to give back, but they aren’t the only option. Many organizations need non-monetary donations such as school supplies, canned goods, clothing, toys and technology. Before collecting items, check with organizations to learn what is most needed and how contributions can make the greatest impact.
Use Your Voice
One person can make a difference. When that person gets a friend or family member involved, more people can discover and support organizations doing important work. Sharing a nonprofit’s mission on social media, inviting others to volunteer or connecting people with causes you care about can help organizations reach new supporters and expand their impact.
Making a difference doesn’t require doing everything at once. Whether you contribute your time, skills, resources or advocacy, small actions can help make a big impact over time.
Across the U.S., nonprofit organizations are helping improve lives, create opportunities and respond to community needs every day. Their work is a reminder that meaningful change often starts locally with people willing to get involved.
Learn more about how individuals and organizations can help address some of the most pressing needs in their communities by visiting PepsiCo.com/about/social-impact.
SOURCE:
PepsiCo
Community
‘Give Like a Kid Again’ for Real-World Impact This Halloween
Costumes. Candy. Jack-o-lanterns glowing on porches. Halloween is filled with moments that spark children’s imaginations. This Halloween, children and families can “Give Like a Kid Again,” turning imagination into kindness and helping children around the world.
‘Give Like a Kid Again’ for Real-World Impact This Halloween
(Feature Impact)Costumes. Candy. Jack-o-lanterns glowing on porches. Halloween is filled with moments that spark children’s imaginations.
This Halloween, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF is inviting children and families to “Give Like a Kid Again,” turning imagination into kindness and helping children around the world. For eight decades,the campaign has shown children that even the smallest act of kindness can travel farther than any front porch and shine brighter than any jack-o-lantern. As the longest-running youth engagement campaign in the United States, it has inspired generations of children to discover that when kids help kids, one Halloween tradition can turn into a lifetime of impact.
What started with just $17 in 1950, when a small group of children filled milk cartons with spare change to help children recovering from World War II, has grown into one of America’s most beloved Halloween traditions, raising nearly $200million to help the organization deliver lifesaving support for children around the world. Today, the iconic orange collection box reminds families that small acts of generosity can create lasting change.
“Each Halloween, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF reminds us that even the smallest acts of generosity can grow into something extraordinary,” said Shelley Diamond, chief marketing officer, UNICEF USA. “For more than 75 years, this campaign has shown generations of children that you are never too young to make a difference and ‘Give Like a Kid Again’ is about passing that belief on to the next generation.”
Beyond supporting programs in more than 190 countries and territories, donations strengthen the organization’s global humanitarian supply network, delivering emergency essentials like therapeutic food, medicine, blankets and safe water to children impacted by conflict, disasters and disease.
- Be a mermaid and help make waves for clean water. Help provide safe water for a child for a year for $5.
- Be a vampire and help scare away preventable diseases. World Polio Day, just a week before Halloween, provides an opportunity to protect 200 children under age 5 from polio with a $43 donation.
- Be a scientist and help uncover lifesaving answers. Provide 25 malaria diagnostic tests for just $8, helping children receive timely treatment.
- Be a teacher and help children write their next chapter. Provide 1,000 pencils to help children put their ideas, lessons and dreams on paper for $30.
- Be a chef and help cook up a healthier future. Over a two-month period, $10 can treat 15 children by providing 450 packets of micronutrient powder.
- Be an astronaut and help a girl reach for the stars. To helpsix girls feel confident in school, $36 can provide reusable menstrual pads.
- Be a snowman and help bundle up a child against the cold. A donation of $50 could provide a child in an emergency setting with winter clothing, including a jacket, hat, scarf, mittens, socks, winter boots, a warm sweater and warm puffball trousers.
- Be a soccer player (or referee) and help kick off playtime. Provide up to four packages of soccer balls for a child-friendly space for $25 to help kids just be kids again.
This October, everyone can “Give Like a Kid Again” through the iconic orange collection box, online fundraising and family-friendly activities. Visit unicefusa.org/TOT2026 to join the tradition and help make a difference for children around the world.
SOURCE:
UNICEF
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Community
PenFed Foundation Raises Over $1.2M for Veterans and Military Families at 23rd Annual Military Heroes Golf Classic
The PenFed Foundation says it raised over $1.2 million for veterans and military families at its 23rd annual Military Heroes Golf Classic.
The PenFed Foundation for Military Heroes said it raised more than $1.2 million to support veterans and military families during its 23rd annual Military Heroes Golf Classic, held Monday, Aug. 31, according to a PRNewswire release. The nonprofit, based in the Washington, D.C. region, focuses on helping veterans transition “from service to success” through programs and grants aimed at military-connected communities.
“We are deeply grateful to our partners and supporters whose generosity and dedication make this event—and the Foundation’s work—possible,” said retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Bradford J. “B.J.” Shwedo, president of the PenFed Foundation, in a statement announcing the fundraising total.
At a dinner held the night before the Golf Classic, PenFed Credit Union President/CEO and PenFed Foundation CEO James Schenck recognized Ed Cody for 25 years of service on the foundation’s board of directors. Cody also serves as chairman of the PenFed Credit Union board and was credited with helping guide initiatives including Defender’s Lodge, the Afghan Rescue and Resettlement Program, the Veteran Entrepreneur Program, and grants supporting wounded, ill, and injured service members.
The foundation said it has provided more than $55 million in financial support to veterans, active-duty service members, and military families since it was founded in 2001. It also noted that PenFed Credit Union covers salaries and administrative costs, allowing more donations to go directly to programs.
What to watch for: How the foundation allocates the new $1.2M across its veteran transition and emergency support programs—and whether it announces new grant rounds tied to entrepreneurship and resettlement work.
SOURCE PenFed Foundation
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