PAUL GORDON

Being Democrat, I am, of course, thrilled by the momentum being generated by the Harris-Walz ticket right now. But I also know that momentum can be fleeting.

Therefore, we need to remain vigilant regarding the GOP ticket and that party’s plans for our country — all of us — should it regain power. It’s not enough to sit back and wonder why any woman favors two of the most misogynistic candidates ever to seek office. It’s not enough to wonder how their continuous lies continue to go relatively unchecked.

It’s not enough to believe the joy and fun Harris and Walz bring out in what had been a dour campaign will get enough extra voters to the polls to ensure a win.

We still need to do our homework and educate undecided voters on Project 2025. Maybe we could even convince some Trumpers how dangerous this plan is for the country, for our Democracy.

Some of the things Project 2025 would do are:

• Privatize Medicare, which could make it a cost item for retirees.
• Repeal the Medicare drug price program that was recently announced, a program that would negotiate prices and save a lot of money for retirees.Destroy U.S. involvement in all climate change programs and plans, including the Paris Climate Agreement. Yes, it matters.
• Allow Trump (or any president) to deploy the U.S. military against our own citizens.
• Get rid of same-sex marriage and any other gains made by the LGBTQ+ community.
• Outlaw abortion medications, which some sources say would amount to a de facto national abortion ban.
• Require states to report the reason for any abortion performed within their state.
• Allow states to ban employers from offering health care coverage that includes abortion benefits.
• Label any literature as pornography simply because it portrays same-sex relationships.
• Overhauls much of the federal government, including allowing the president to fire non-partisan civil service employees and replace them with followers. One agency has said more than 30 percent of civil servants are military veterans.
• It would put the Justice Department under presidential control, thus weaponizing it against political opponents.
• Eliminate the Department of Education.

There are many reputable resources that have nutshelled the 900-page Project 2025. I have read several and have barely scratched the surface with what I’ve listed here.

Trump has tried to distance himself from Project 2025, but considering how many of his people are behind this Heritage Foundation document — including JD Vance — his protestations hold no water. And his own plan, Agenda 47, contains many of the same items.

That plan, a MAGA Manifesto, also needs scrutiny. It lays out what will happen if Trump is re-elected and would bring changes to many current laws and policies dealing with the economy, foreign trade, education and gay rights. Like I said, very similar to Project 2025.

As I have said before in this space, we owe it to ourselves and our children and grandchildren to make sure we have as much information as possible about these plans. We need to determine for ourselves how they would affect us all should the GOP ticket win in November.

Time is running out. The election is barely two months from now.

Republicans for Harris

It was not a surprise that Adam Kinzinger, the former Republican congressman from Normal, came out recently as a Republican for Kamala Harris. Kinzinger, who chose not to seek re-election in 2022 from the nearby 16th Congressional District, has been outspoken against Trump and served on the bipartisan January 6 committee that looked into the resurrection of Jan. 6, 2021, and condemned Trump for inciting it.

But one who did surprise me a bit was that our own Ray LaHood also came out as pro-Harris. Ray LaHood is a former Republican congressman, as well, even though he did serve as U.S. Secretary of Transportation under Barack Obama after leaving Congress. And like his predecessor Bob Michel, he was willing to work across the aisle if it was the best thing for the country.

The reason I was surprised is that Ray LaHood is the father of the current 16th District congressman, Darin LaHood, who is an avowed Trumper and probably would not cross the aisle in the House chambers for any reason, let alone for the good of the country.

I’ll bet family dinners at the LaHood house are a lot of fun these days, eh?

And finally…

As of this writing, Donald Trump is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 18 in the hush money case out of New York. Some pundits think he will get prison time. Some have joked he will have to get permission from his probation officer to travel for the second debate.

I doubt very much he will get any time behind bars. His lack of a previous criminal record will likely mean probation and a fine.
But that won’t erase the 34 felony convictions.