‘Project 2029’ shows Democrats have still learned nothing

President Donald Trump may have claimed to “know nothing” about Project 2025, the Heritage Foundation’s guidebook for his second term. Yet, if the scoreboard is right, his administration has already implemented a little over half of its proposals.

Not wanting to be outdone, Democrats now have their own version to draw on should they win the 2028 elections. Project 2029, led by former Biden official Chad Maisel, seeks to answer the question: “What should a modern, hopeful, effective, forward-looking vision for America look like?”

Apparently, the vision is: give government even more control in areas where government control is the problem.

Project 2029’s website has only uploaded three policy proposals so far, but they are indicative of its flawed thinking.

“Child Care Choice Guarantee” seeks to raise childcare subsidies even higher. That’s right; with Project 2029, your child can also have the opportunity to attend a Quality “Learning” Center incentivized by high spending to exist. The proposal gives no plan for cutting regulation, even though problems such as high prices stem from such government involvement in the industry.

“Crack Down on the Annoyance Economy” is about pushing back on how companies have created a sprawling bureaucracy that you have to navigate to accomplish anything with them.

No argument against doing this here. However, Democrats proposing more government when it comes to improving something such as healthcare is laughable. After the Affordable Care Act did the opposite, it’s hard to believe this will be different.

“Kids Over Clicks” wants to give the government power to control when you can create a social media account by setting an age minimum of 16. Keeping children away from social media is probably a good idea, but when did it become the government’s prerogative to do this? It looks like Democrats still think that parents shouldn’t be the ones making decisions for their own children.

FILE – The Capitol Dome is seen as lawmakers prepare to depart for the holiday recess, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023. A chaotic year for the House is coming to a close with more Democrats than Republicans deciding to leave the chamber, a disparity that could have major ramifications in next year’s elections. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

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Project 2029 claims its ideas are guided by six principles. Reading them in light of their proposals so far and what Democrats generally do can induce whiplash.

“Reward Hard Work” … by giving workers’ money to others via welfare?

“Give Americans Their Government Back” … by opposing election security measures?

“Restore Law and Order” … by electing district attorneys who barely enforce the law?

“Make America Affordable again” … by making it easy to charge higher prices with subsidies?

“Jumpstart Economic Growth” … by creating even more regulations?

“Protect America’s Security and Prosperity” … by opposing efforts to rein in the border crisis?

Every principle espoused in word has been contradicted in deed.

A man named Frederic Bastiat predicted this kind of counterproductive behavior from such politicians in his 1850 book The Law. Rather than resolving problems caused by government by lessening the role of government, “He attempts to remedy the evil by increasing and perpetuating the very thing that caused the evil in the first place.”

We recognize there are things the government isn’t meant to be involved in. Not so for leftists, who are confused by the notion.

ADAM SMITH AND THE SCOTTISH FANS WHO REMINDED AMERICA WHY IT WORKS

“Every time we object to a thing being done by the government, the socialists conclude that we object to it being done at all,” Bastiat writes of this.

As long as Democrats think more government is the answer to the problems government helped create, Project 2029 will be little more than an indicator that they have still learned nothing from their failures and losses.