Chickens Before the Week Goes South

JOYCE VANCE JUN 18

The later part of the week is going to get intense between Supreme Court decisions and hearings in the classified documents case. I had planned to devote this first part of the week to our study of Project 2025. But honestly, it’s a tough enough week as is, so I thought we’d ease into it today with chicken pictures.

If you want to get a head start on our serious work, the 920 page Project 2025 manuscript is here. You might also reread one of our recent discussions here. Friday night, we’ll crack open the details of the plan as a precursor to launching what I’ve started thinking of as the Civil Discourse Project 2025 Book Club.

I generally like my book club reading a lot lighter than that, but the more I study Project 2025, the more I appreciate the importance of understanding Trump’s plan for America. Like Trump, who often says the quiet part out loud, the plan reveals what we can expect—at a minimum—from a second Trump administration. The table of contents for the Project reveals how comprehensive the plan for “taking the reins of government” is, with detailed plans for cabinet level agencies and for “managing the bureaucracy”—loyalty to Trump not optional. Project 2025 is a road map for forcing out thousands of civil servants, creating an uber-powerful presidency at the expense of the other two branches of government, dismantling agencies like the Department of Education that have been long-time conservative targets, and more sweeping tax cuts that mostly benefit the people who need them the least. It’s more than just policy disagreements, it’s a path towards authoritarianism.

They’re don’t think Americans will read all 920 pages. They’re counting on that. We’re going to find a way to do it together and prove them wrong.

But we’ll set that aside for tonight, because it’s clear from the mountain of email that I’ve received over the last week that what you all really want right now are chicken pictures.

Omeleta contemplating a potato chip

Pepper is one of our oldest chickens and, if the truth must be told, a bit of a favorite. I undid some of the netting that’s protecting my blueberry bushes from the birds while they ripen and shared with her this morning.

This is Toot’s Mean Girl look when she realizes I have food that I’m not sharing.

I tried to lure Esther, one of this year’s new chicks who are all very shy, onto my lap with a potato chip. She never made the jump, but I gave her a chip anyway. She’s so pretty!

Maine Coon Cat versus the Rooster: I’m not entirely sure who would win. Fortunately, they seem to get along just fine, although this was a wary encounter.

Thanks to all of the new subscribers who joined us as we celebrated the second anniversary of the newsletter, and to those of you who continue to renew your subscriptions. You make it possible for me to do this work, and I am grateful there are so many of us who want to continue to live in a democracy. I remain hopeful.

We’re in this together,

Joyce