The First Retribution Against MAGA Rightists Begins in 2029

What Would You Include In A Vindictive Project 2029?

Maybe getting even is the best revenge after all.
 
 

Donald Trump acts as though he'll always be president.

Trump has, for example, threatened to eliminate Harvard University's tax-
exempt status, assuming, presumably, that the Democrats will never again be 
in charge and able to retaliate. Which got me to thinking: What would you 
include in a truly vindictive Democratic Project 2029?

Thoughtful people have said that the Democrats should create their own 
Project 2029, which would include such noble ideas as strengthening the 
administrative state.

No one has ever accused me of being a thoughtful person.

But maybe I can be a truly vindictive one.

How would a vindictive Project 2029 fight back against the Trump 
administration?

If Trump can eliminate Harvard's tax-exempt status, then a vindictive 
Project 2029 should propose eliminating the tax-exempt status of 
organizations that lean to the right. The Heritage Foundation, Hillsdale 
College, the Family Research Council, and the like would be good places to 
start. Let's see how they do without tax exemptions. Load that idea into 
Project 2029. Fair is fair, right?

Or think about presidential pardons. Trump pardoned the January 6 
criminals. He pardoned Charles Kushner, Jared's father, and nominated the 
former felon to be the United States ambassador to France. So what would a 
vindictive Project 2029 say? It might propose, for example, to pardon all 
Democrats convicted of felonies. Then, after Bob Menendez, the former 
senator, receives a pardon — what's a little political corruption among 
friends? — he should be appointed ambassador to France. That would be more 
fun than spending 11 years in the slam, ne pensez-vous pas?

It's funny — even writing this column hurts. Thinking about all the evil 
stuff that the government could do is terribly uncomfortable. But Trump's 
not just thinking about it; he's doing it.

Duty calls; I'll persevere.

My evil Project 2029 will of course strip security details and security 
clearances from anyone who had the temerity to serve in the Trump 
administration. Vice President JD Vance; Secretary Pete Hegseth; Secretary 
Tulsi Gabbard; and all the rest — you're on your own. Protect yourself on 
your own nickel, and don't count on having access to government secrets in 
any new job you land.

How about FCC licenses? Trump threatens to rescind the licenses of media 
that he perceives to be left-leaning; Project 2029 would explicitly go 
after the licenses of those who lean to the right. Fox News is a cable 
channel, so it doesn't have an FCC license, but many of its local 
affiliates do. Strip all the local Fox affiliates of their licenses. Same 
deal with Sinclair Broadcast Group. If you're conservative, you're off the 
air. Let's put it right there in Project 2029 (which the Democratic 
candidates for president could all disavow while they're campaigning but 
implement once one of them is in office).

What about weaponizing the Department of Justice? The DOJ previously 
prosecuted Trump for the obviously political reason that he had ... checks 
notes ... committed crimes. Trump says he needs retribution for this. Trump 
says the DOJ should now prosecute, among others, Kamala Harris, Liz Cheney, 
and the members of the January 6 Committee. More recently, Trump said that 
the DOJ should prosecute Chris Krebs, the former head of the Cybersecurity 
and Infrastructure Security Agency, and Miles Taylor, another former 
government official.

When Democrats return to office, it's time to return the favor — with a 
vengeance. If the statutes of limitations haven't expired, restart the 
criminal prosecutions of Trump. Prosecute him for new stuff, too, like 
political corruption for which he wouldn't have immunity. If the DOJ can 
dig up crimes that anyone else committed — perhaps using commercial 
messaging applications to transmit government secrets is illegal; if so, 
you've got a half-dozen possible defendants right there — go after 'em. No 
reason to be lenient on folks who served their country; it's time to turn 
the screws on public servants as retribution for Project 2025.

Would ginning up a vindictive Project 2029 polarize the country? Sure.

Would it undermine democratic institutions? Sure.

Would the Republicans then propose a vindictive Project 2033, leading to an 
endless cycle of retribution? Sure.

Would any thinking person refuse to serve in government?

Frankly, we might have already reached that point.

Perhaps even discussing the possibility of a vindictive Project 2029 will 
cause politicians to stop the insanity.