This controversial book, which is an introduction to what may happen in the event that Donald Trump arrives at the White House in the month of November, has 920 pages covering all kinds of policies that addresses a variety of government functions and services.
It is no secret that the United States is torn between two abysmally opposite projects as it has never been before: Donald Trump’s ultraconservative right, and Kamala Harris’s center (who took the pole of the relay race after Biden’s resignation from his candidacy for reelection).
Of course, what calls us here, is the possible restructuring or even sharp cuts that social benefit programs could receive, such as SNAP benefits or Social Security payments, according to the call for action of the Project 2025.
Unveiling the 2025 Project and the Potential Implications for Social Security
The 2025 project is a project that is overseen by the conservative Heritage Foundation, in its own words, it serves as a policy “guide” and a “manual” of actions that they recommend should be taken in the first 180 days of a conservative government in office, according to its own introduction, the 2025 Project is “a collective effort of hundreds of volunteers who have come together in the spirit of promoting positive change for America.”
What they call “positive” is more leaned to what the conservative Americans imagine the country should be. The critics differ roundly: President Joe Biden’s campaign team has said the project would “give Trump more power over his daily life, dismantle democratic checks and balances and consolidate power in the Oval Office.”
Is Project 2025 Dangerous for Low-Income Americans?
The Center for American Progress said that, if approved, the 2025 Project would “concentrate power in the hands of the president and put in place a plan to flood the public administration with supporters of the extreme right in order to seize control of independent agencies.” Democracy Forward called it “one of the most profound threats to the American people.”
Trump has sought to stay away from the 2025 Project, claiming “that he has no idea who is behind it,” which also found that about 140 people who have worked for the former president have been involved in its creation, including six former cabinet secretaries.
“I have no idea who’s behind this, I disagree with some of the things they’re saying and some of the things they’re saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal, whatever they do, I wish them luck, but I have nothing to do with them,” Trump said last week.
The movement itself denied its affiliation with Trump. “We are not affiliated with former President Trump” according to what he posted on X, formerly Twitter, this week. “We are a coalition of over 110 conservative groups advocating for policy and personnel recommendations.”
What Could the 2025 Project Do for Social Security?
Despite being more than 900 pages long and covering most government departments, including defense, homeland security, agriculture, education and energy, the text of the mandate does not provide direct political positions about Social Security or its government agency.
“The Leadership Mandate does not advocate cutting Social Security,” Project 2025 announced through its social network X on July 9.
However, the Heritage Foundation has advocated for increasing the retirement age
In a June publication by Rachel Greszler, a senior research fellow at the Roe Institute, she indicated that the normal age of eligibility to collect Social Security retirement benefits should be increased to 70 to help support the impending funding chasm that the Social Security Administration (SSA) is going through.
“To restore the intention of Social Security, policy makers should gradually increase the normal retirement age from 67 to 69 or 70 years (increasing the age one or two months per year) and index it to life expectancy,” Greszler said in the blog post.
