Trump’s Budget Is a Coronation | Andra Watkins Joins Sam Osterhout

*We need your creative brains! There’s an ask at the bottom of this post.

We’ve gotten distracted by the war in Iran. (Side note: if I had read that sentence back in 2015 (or 2024), I would have known that something had gone terribly wrong. In fact, I would have been right.)

I digress. It’s certainly important to keep our eyes on global tensions and hope for a peaceful outcome, and raise our voices to make that more likely. But we’ve got massive problems at home that we absolutely cannot forget about. The Senate is expected to vote on the budget bill in the coming days, and while it would be an economic disaster for our most vulnerable neighbors, one of the more lasting effects will be to, essentially (and with only a touch of hyperbole), destroy our system of checks and balances.

This bill will give Donald Trump king-like powers.

We published a piece by Edwin Eisendrath last week that laid it out beautifully. But while we know what Trump wants,

Andra Watkins

explains why he wants it. Or, to be more specific, why those around him want him to be the king.

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This is an alarm bell that Andra has been ringing for over a year — and just about everything she’s warned us about has come to pass. You would be wise to listen. It’s also why we’re so honored to have her on with us WEEKLY!

PS. We end this episode with a solid dose of hope and inspiration. Dark forces are aligning against us, but we are not hopeless in this fight.

P.P.S. We want to hear from YOU. Since this is an ongoing regular series, maybe it needs a name? Right? What would you call a series with Andra Watkins about the steady implementation of Project 2025 by our federal government? Maybe it needs a dark title that sets the stakes? Or maybe a play on words? Or perhaps a title that sets the stakes but also implies that all hope is not lost?

Give us your best titles in the comments!