US Lincoln Project offshoot aims to boost civics education

Lincoln Project offshoot to try to fight partisan dysfunction through boosted education

The Franklin Project aims to unify people opposed to partisan dysfunction and authoritarianism.

www.axios.com

An offshoot of the Lincoln Project is launching Tuesday, aiming to unify people opposed to partisan dysfunction and authoritarianism through civics education and grassroots organizing, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: The Franklin Project, while a nonprofit and legally distinct from its predecessor, will target "the exact same problem ... but from different angles and with different methods," says co-executive director Greg Jenkins, a George W. Bush administration alumnus.

• Lincoln will keep airing its brash, anti-Trump ads while Franklin will focus on nonpartisan education and collaboration tailored to build consensus.
• "We're not the megaphone; we're the convener," Jenkins said.

The Lincoln Project was a breakout star of the 2020 campaign, a group launched by Republicans opposed to Donald Trump. Its signature was quick-turnaround ads attacking him and his policies.

• It faltered earlier this year when John Weaver, one of its co-founders, was accused of soliciting sex from men who had sought to work with the Lincoln Project and his other political ventures.
• The group severed ties with Weaver and several of its other founders also resigned in the aftermath of the news.
• The Lincoln Project is a super PAC, or a political group that can raise and spend unlimited sums on explicitly political activity. The Franklin Project will be a 501(c)(4) nonprofit. Such so-called dark money advocacy organizations do not have to disclose their donors.

Franklin organizers believe civics discussions have devolved from an exchange of ideas to "an unhealthy game of winners and losers," as their prospectus states. That's triggered extreme partisanship, fueling the rise of authoritarian figures.

• The Franklin Project plans to develop and provide a K-12 civics education program it will offer free to local school districts.
• It also will establish the "Democracy Corps," a hyper-local movement spread across the nation "that will advocate for and amplify the values upon which America was founded," the prospectus says.
• The project does not plan to align with or endorse candidates, offering a true big tent to anyone feeling misrepresented by either major party, or left out of the current political system, said Jenkins, who is leading the group with co-executive director Erin Dobson, a veteran communications strategist.

What they're saying: "There are plenty of frustrated people out there who don't know what to do, don't know where to go, they don't feel like either of the parties are representing them adequately, and they're right. So, what we will do is tell these folks, 'Listen, you're not alone,'" Jenkins told Axios.

• "We're going to provide you content that reminds you about your roles — as a citizen, what it means to be a citizen, what you can do."
• "If progressives and conservatives don't feel at home with us, then they have a problem," said Jenkins. "Self-identified Republicans and Democrats ought to feel perfectly at home."

 

[ShortBusDriver]

Wasn't The Lincoln Project started by RINOS and kid diddlers?

 

[make_it_so]

So, with the Orange Man gone, I guess these guys needed to find a new grift.

 

[CrippleThreat]

Wasn't The Lincoln Project started by RINOS and kid diddlers?

More like RINOs who are kid diddlers.

 

[DumbDude42]

>pushing the exact same civnat boomerisms that they have been pushing for the better part of a century already
so this is the next step in the neocon master plan? good luck with that lol
as long as they keep refusing to address the elephant in the room (mass immigration) their approval will remain in the toilet and their party will keep dying

 

[AnotherPleb]

More like RINOs who are kid diddlers.

Why are you repeating yourself?

 

[DeadFish]

>pushing the exact same civnat boomerisms that they have been pushing for the better part of a century already
so this is the next step in the neocon master plan? good luck with that lol
as long as they keep refusing to address the elephant in the room (mass immigration) their approval will remain in the toilet and their party will keep dying

I said about migrants leaving when 2008 crisis happened. They ll leave when America is a worse shit hole then the one they came from

 

[DumbDude42]

I said about migrants leaving when 2008 crisis happened. They ll leave when America is a worse shit hole then the one they came from

"just wait until we're a mexico tier narco state lol then they'll stop invading"
not an appealing outlook, certainly not something that will convince people to vote for you

 

[Picnic_Boy]

I see this catching on like wildfire! Teaching BLM and groypers about the Founding Fathers is the key to civility.

 

[Return of the Freaker]

More like the Ben-Gurion project

 

[likeacrackado]

Wasn't The Lincoln Project started by kid diddlers?

tbf american politics as a whole is run by gay pedophiles LP just pissed off enough people to make it public

 

[DeadFish]

"just wait until we're a mexico tier narco state lol then they'll stop invading"
not an appealing outlook, certainly not something that will convince people to vote for you

Im not advocating for that. Im pointing out I dont see any happy way to make them not come other then make america be considered a very unattractive option

 

[SiccDicc]

More like RINOs who are kid diddlers.

That's why they want access to schools.

 

[CrippleThreat]

>pushing the exact same civnat boomerisms that they have been pushing for the better part of a century already
so this is the next step in the neocon master plan? good luck with that lol
as long as they keep refusing to address the elephant in the room (mass immigration) their approval will remain in the toilet and their party will keep dying

I know, right? Conservatives should've started talking about how they are of the party of Calvin Coolidge and Theodore Roosevelt, go on to expatiate on how """based""" those presidents were, and win 538 each time, ezpz.

 

[DumbDude42]

Im not advocating for that. Im pointing out I dont see any happy way to make them not come other then make america be considered a very unattractive option

dont have to make the country a shithole for everyone to achieve that, just unattractive to foreigners. basic stuff like

>all public services and institutions limited to citizens only (schools, hospitals, etc)
>all welfare and aid programs limited to citizens only (food stamps, public housing, etc)
>employing or housing illegal immigrants gets you sent to federal prison

these things are very easy and simple to do, and would completely kill at least 90% of the current immigration pull. the only thing that's stopping them from being enacted is lack of political will.

 

[DeadFish]

dont have to make the country a shithole for everyone to achieve that, just unattractive to foreigners. basic stuff like

>all public services and institutions limited to citizens only (schools, hospitals, etc)
>all welfare and aid programs limited to citizens only (food stamps, public housing, etc)
>employing or housing illegal immigrants gets you sent to federal prison

these things are very easy and simple to do, and would completely kill at least 90% of the current immigration pull. the only thing that's stopping them from being enacted is lack of political will.

The reason for lack of political will is because those in power (who can make such policies) find it more profitable not to.

 

[Corpun]

I know, right? Conservatives should've started talking about how they are of the party of Calvin Coolidge and Theodore Roosevelt, go on to expatiate on how """based""" those presidents were, and win 538 each time, ezpz.

Far as I know the good Roosevelt is cancelled now for trying to build up Latin American states and Coolidge will get the treatment soon enough.

 

[Kendall Motor Oil]

>pushing the exact same civnat boomerisms that they have been pushing for the better part of a century already
so this is the next step in the neocon master plan? good luck with that lol
as long as they keep refusing to address the elephant in the room (mass immigration) their approval will remain in the toilet and their party will keep dying

I think they are adopting leftist tactics but who know if they will be successful.

 

[Flea Man Marbles]

Lincoln Project is top-tier political cringe. I get 2nd hand embarrassment just watching their stupid videos.

 

[Immortal Technique]

It's funny watching RINOs trying to find a place in today's climate. I would guess the majority demo is +55-65 years old. They are a minority. They are not liked. The only good things people have to say about RINOs are from geriatric other RINOs, and from democrats when they snake on conservative issues to appease the left. Otherwise they are corporate shills, warhawks, with no real purpose for the betterment of the people; they all deserve the rope.