A week ahead of the Republican National Convention, the Donald Trump campaign is rolling out a 16-page platform rooted in populist language and themes.
The timing of the document is interesting, given that it comes just days after the former President was forced to repudiate connections to the arch-conservative Project 2025, a right-wing wish list promulgated by the Heritage Foundation and other aligned groups.
Nonetheless, there is some overlap between the GOP platform and the think tank talking points.
The dedication to "the forgotten men and women of America" distills messaging familiar to those who have followed Trump's political career for the last nine years.
"America needs determined Republican Leadership at every level of Government to address the core threats to our very survival: Our disastrously Open Border, our weakened Economy, crippling restrictions on American Energy Production, our depleted Military, attacks on the American System of Justice, and much more," reads the document, which includes the former President's penchant for liberal capitalization.
A total of "20 promises" are made in the platform, often without specifics regarding how they would be fulfilled.
"The Republican Party will reverse the worst Inflation crisis in four decades that has crushed the middle class, devastated family budgets, and pushed the dream of homeownership out of reach for millions. We will defeat Inflation, tackle the cost-of-living crisis, improve fiscal sanity, restore price stability, and quickly bring down prices," the platform claims.
Other promises are specific, albeit potentially controversial, such as the energy security pitch.
"Republicans will unleash Energy Production from all sources, including nuclear, to immediately slash Inflation and power American homes, cars, and factories with reliable, abundant, and affordable Energy."
Consistent with the Supreme Court's recent undermining of the Chevron deference principle, Trump also promises to reinstitute "Deregulation Policies ... and end Democrats' regulatory onslaught that disproportionately harms low- and middle-income households."
The deportation of undocumented immigrants is another promise, along with a proposal to "end the global chaos and restore Peace through Strength, reducing geopolitical risks and lowering commodity prices" that seems directed to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The platform also suggests an ideological litmus test regarding what immigration there might be under Trump, using "existing Federal Law to keep foreign Christian-hating Communists, Marxists, and Socialists out of America" and "extreme vetting to ensure that jihadists and jihadist sympathizers are not admitted."
The platform also proposes openness to cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence, two disruptive influences regarding the American dollar and the American workforce, respectively.
"Republicans will end Democrats' unlawful and unAmerican Crypto crackdown and oppose the creation of a Central Bank Digital Currency. We will defend the right to mine Bitcoin, and ensure every American has the right to self-custody of their Digital Assets, and transact free from Government Surveillance and Control."
Regarding AI, the pledge is to "repeal Joe Biden's dangerous Executive Order that hinders AI Innovation, and imposes Radical Leftwing ideas on the development of this technology. In its place, Republicans support AI Development rooted in Free Speech and Human Flourishing."
It is left to the reader to interpret what exactly "Human Flourishing" means. But further reading suggests that it includes extraterrestrial activity.
The platform also promises to put astronauts back on the moon, and to land them on Mars as well, floating "partnerships with the rapidly expanding Commercial Space sector to revolutionize our ability to access, live in, and develop assets in Space."
With other proposals, including safety nets for senior citizens, the devil is in the details.
"Social Security is a lifeline for millions of Retirees, yet corrupt politicians have robbed Social Security to fund their pet projects. Republicans will restore Economic Stability to ensure the long-term sustainability of Social Security," the platform asserts.
Along those lines, "Republicans will protect Medicare's finances from being financially crushed by the Democrat plan to add tens of millions of new illegal immigrants to the rolls of Medicare. We vow to strengthen Medicare for future generations."
And despite disavowing Project 2025, Trump's proposals align with it on certain matters, including phasing out a Cabinet department. He wants to "close the Department of Education in Washington, D.C. and send it back to the States, where it belongs, and let the States run our educational system as it should be run."
Some platform planks combine two big proposals into one sentence, such as an expansion of defense capabilities such as Israel has in a much smaller space, and an ideological winnowing of the military.
"Republicans will ensure our Military is the most modern, lethal and powerful Force in the World. We will invest in cutting-edge research and advanced technologies, including an Iron Dome Missile Defense Shield, support our Troops with higher pay, and get woke Leftwing Democrats fired as soon as possible."
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