Topic: The Presidency
“The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America.” Accordingly, Vought writes, “it is the President’s agenda that should matter to the departments and agencies,” not their own.”
Well, what happens when we have a President with a terrible agenda? The writer is advocating for a system with no departmental checks and balances on a tyrannical President.
Full contextual analysis of Section 1: Taking the Reins of Government here.
“…the White House Counsel “must take seriously the duty to protect the powers and privileges of the President from encroachments by Congress, the judiciary, and the administrative components of departments and agencies.”
This sounds suspiciously like advocating for removing all checks and balances from the Federal government.
Full contextual analysis of Section 1: Taking the Reins of Government here.
“It is crucial that all three branches of the federal government respect what Madison called the “double security” to our liberties: the separation of powers among the three branches, and the separation of powers between the federal government and the states.”
Protecting the President from “encroachments by Congress” is the exact opposite of the separate but equal powers/checks and balances enumerated in The Constitution.
Full contextual analysis of Section 1: Taking the Reins of Government here.
“Political appointees who are answerable to the President and have decision-making authority in the executive branch are key to this essential task. The next Administration must not cede such authority to non-partisan “experts,” who pursue their own ends while engaging in groupthink, insulated from American voters.”
This is frightening – he’s basically saying, the people in charge of the government should by no means be experts in their fields, but instead be loyalists who answer to a dictatorial president with unchecked power.
Full contextual analysis of Section 1: Taking the Reins of Government here.
“Choosing who will carry out that agenda on a daily basis is not only one of the first decisions a President makes in office, but also one of the most critical. The tone and tempo of an administration are often determined on January 20.”
Full contextual analysis of Section 1.1: White House Office here.
“While the White House Counsel does not serve as the President’s personal attorney in nonofficial matters, it is almost impossible to delineate exactly where an issue is strictly personal and has no bearing on the President’s official function. The White House Counsel needs to be deeply committed both to the President’s agenda and to affording the President proactive counsel and zealous representation.”
He’s making an argument here that the White House Counsel should act as the President’s personal attorney, in the service of the President’s agenda and at the expense of the taxpayer. Dearborn continues:
“The Office of White House Counsel is the first line of defense for the EOP. Its staff must take seriously the duty to protect the powers and privileges of the President from encroachments by Congress, the judiciary, and the administrative components of departments and agencies.” (Project 2025, Section 1.1: White House Office, Rick Dearborn, page 59, paragraph 3.) EOP is the Executive Office of the President. This is additionally another argument for removing checks and balances from the government and creating a de facto King/Dictator.
Full contextual analysis of Section 1.1: White House Office here.
“The White House Counsel’s office cannot serve as a finishing school to credential the next set of white-shoe law firm attorneys or federal judges in waiting who cabin their opinions for fear their elite credentials could be tarnished through a policy disagreement. Rather, it should function more as an activist yet ethical plaintiffs’ firm that advocates for its client—the Administration’s agenda—within the limits imposed by the Constitution and the duties of the legal profession.”
He’s explicitly arguing that White House Counsel should serve as the President’s personal legal team.
Full contextual analysis of Section 1.1: White House Office here.
“When a new President takes office, he will need to decide expeditiously how to handle any major ongoing litigation or other pending legal matters that might present a challenge to his agenda.”
,p>Well, holy shit, if that ain’t a smoking gun. This is 100% an admission that if Trump wins, he’ll simply pardon himself for all of the crimes he has both been convicted of and/or is currently under indictment for, and close any investigations into himself and his cronies, effectively making himself/his government above the law. He even includes the considering reversing any legal decisions they don’t like:
“To offer guidance, the White House Counsel must get up to speed as quickly as possible on all significant ongoing legal challenges across the executive branch that might affect the new Administration’s policy agenda and must be prepared at the outset of the Administration to present recommendations to the President, including recommendations for reconsidering or reversing positions of the previous Administration in any significant litigation.” (Project 2025, Section 1.1: White House Office, Rick Dearborn, page 60, paragraph 2.)
Full contextual analysis of Section 1.1: White House Office here.
“To offer guidance, the White House Counsel must get up to speed as quickly as possible on all significant ongoing legal challenges across the executive branch that might affect the new Administration’s policy agenda and must be prepared at the outset of the Administration to present recommendations to the President, including recommendations for reconsidering or reversing positions of the previous Administration in any significant litigation.”
In the preceding paragraph, Dearborn admitted that if Trump wins, he’ll simply pardon himself for all of the crimes he has both been convicted of and/or is currently under indictment for, and close any investigations into himself and his cronies, effectively making himself/his government above the law. “When a new President takes office, he will need to decide expeditiously how to handle any major ongoing litigation or other pending legal matters that might present a challenge to his agenda.” (Project 2025, Section 1.1: White House Office, Rick Dearborn, page 60, paragraph 2.)
Full contextual analysis of Section 1.1: White House Office here.
“Instead of choosing a specialist, the President should hire a counsel with extensive experience with a wide range of complex legal subjects. Moreover, while a candidate with elite credentials might seem ideal, the best one will be above all loyal to the President and the Constitution.”
This is regarding who the President should choose as White House Counsel.
Full contextual analysis of Section 1.1: White House Office here.