Project 2025 Democracy Is Born With Bloodshed And Toil, But Dies With A Thunderous Applause

"Democracy is not a spectator sport." - Marian Wright Edelman

"The price of liberty is eternal vigilance." - Thomas Jefferson

"Democracy dies in darkness." - The Washington Post

"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." - Winston Churchill

"A democracy is more than a form of government; it is primarily a mode of associated living, of conjoint communicated experience." - John Dewey

"Democracy is fragile and must be protected. It requires constant care and effort from all of us." - Barack Obama

"The health of a democracy is measured by the quality of functions performed by private citizens." - Alexis de Tocqueville

"Elections alone do not a democracy make." - Barack Obama

"A functioning democracy is fragile. It requires not just adherence to the law but to the spirit of the law." - Joe Biden

"Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time." - Winston Churchill

"Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide." - John Adams

"Real liberty is neither found in despotism or the extremes of democracy, but in moderate governments." - Alexander Hamilton

"Democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths." - James Madison

"When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic." - Benjamin Franklin

"An elective despotism was not the government we fought for; but one which should not only be founded on free principles but in which the powers of government should be so divided and balanced among several bodies of magistracy as that no one could transcend their legal limits without being effectually checked and restrained by the others." - Thomas Jefferson

"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves." - Abraham Lincoln

"The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money." - Alexis de Tocqueville

"Democracy arises out of the notion that those who are equal in any respect are equal in all respects; because men are equally free, they claim to be absolutely equal." - Aristotle

"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." - Winston Churchill

"The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism." - George Washington

Project 2025's Stance on Pornography and Adult Content

Rationale and Goals

In the foreword to Project 2025's Mandate, Kevin Roberts argues that pornography contributes to societal issues like the sexual exploitation of women, sexual deviance, and the early sexualization of children. He contends that pornography should not be protected under the First Amendment and advocates for its ban, suggesting that it is harmful and addictive, akin to illicit drugs.

Legal Considerations

Historically, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in favor of First Amendment protections for adult content, rejecting outright bans on pornography. Project 2025, however, proposes the criminal prosecution of individuals and businesses involved in the production of pornography, a stance that could face significant legal challenges based on free speech rights.

Broadening the Definition of "Pornography"

Journalist Andrew Prokop has noted that Roberts' view of pornography extends beyond conventional adult content. In Project 2025, he links pornography to "transgender ideology" and the "sexualization of children," potentially implying that any content relating to LGBTQ+ topics or gender identity education could be targeted under the Project's proposed restrictions.

Past Commitments and Ongoing Controversies

When Donald Trump accepted the Republican nomination in 2016, he pledged to address the public health impact of online pornography on youth and families. Although he did not fulfill this promise, Project 2025 aims to revisit this commitment. Despite Trump's own alleged affairs with figures from the adult entertainment industry, Roberts has remained supportive, suggesting that personal imperfections do not undermine the validity of the Project's moral aims.

Conclusion

Project 2025's proposals on pornography reflect a broader cultural agenda, seeking both a legal basis to limit adult content and a broader definition of "pornography" that may include diverse aspects of sexuality and gender education. If enacted, these initiatives would challenge long-standing First Amendment protections and could redefine the landscape of adult content and gender expression in the U.S.