The recent column “Fearful of autocracy? We are well protected,” published July 18 took up a lot of space but had little meaningful content. As numerous news media commentators and government officials have pointed out, our country is under assault by a group that has been formulating a plan for government takeover called Project 2025. The plan would take effect with the election of Donald Trump. Eliminating the governmental workforce and hiring loyalists who will do as commanded is a major part of the plan. The current Supreme Court has already begun implementing the plan with its recent ruling that presidents have full immunity for official acts. Such acts could even apply to commands for killing political opponents or others. The intention of Project 2025 is to destroy the "checks and balances" we thought our Constitution guaranteed and to undermine the rule of law on which the United States is based. The January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol came very close to destroying the recording of the country's votes in the 2020 election. To minimize the attack and ridicule its effect as the column writer did is a dangerous conclusion. It assumes that the threat is past and that the orderly transfer of power in elections will continue as it has throughout our country's history. The lesson of the January 6th attack is that such orderly transfer is in jeopardy and must be defended at all costs. Extensive details of Project 2025 may be found online at project2025.org.

Nancy Natale

Easthampton