From the Founder: What Else Can We Expect in US Policy?

If you've been paying attention to the news or your social media feeds, you've probably picked up on recent changes in United States policy and infrastructure since January 2025, regardless of what country you live in. In my lifetime, these changes have reflected the most rapid and drastic that I've ever seen in US policy. So what does this have to do with One Life Epi Solutions?

As an organization, we are politically neutral. We stand for One Health, public health, youth education, science, evidence-based action, equity, collaboration, and transparency. We respect beliefs that differ from our own, and recognize that viewpoints and perspectives are as varied and unique as the people who hold them.

However, recent US policy has dramatically reduced public health and scientific capacity in US and worldwide, and we will specifically say that we do not agree with curtailing public data sharing and efforts to promote equity and fair treatment in vulnerable populations. We feel that it's important to have a good understanding of what additional policies we might expect from this current administration so we can prepare accordingly and identify ways innovate and collaborate through what challenges they might present in health and science. Since the current administration is following the mandates described The Heritage Foundation's Playbook, "Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise," commonly known as "Project 2025," I thought it appropriate to read this document to prepare. However, the main sections of this document are a whopping 817 pages in length, so we've provided an AI summary below. Please remember, we do not endorse any of these recommendations and are citing these based on Project 2025 and The Heritage Foundation's stated goals. We will not engage in any political rhetoric or commentary and provide this for informational purposes only.

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Project 2025 key overarching themes and goals:

• Restoring American exceptionalism:  The book emphasizes a return to traditional American values, including a strong national defense, limited government, individual freedom, and a free-market economy. It contrasts this vision with the current administration's focus on "woke" policies and an expansive administrative state.

• Deconstructing the administrative state: A core goal is to reduce the size and scope of the federal government by eliminating unnecessary agencies and programs, streamlining regulations, and returning power to states and local communities.

• Empowering families and protecting children: The book stresses restoring the family as the central unit of American life and protecting children from harmful ideologies promoted by the current administration, particularly regarding gender and race. It advocates for policies that support traditional families and parental rights.

• Countering China: The book identifies China as the most significant threat to U.S. interests and calls for a more assertive stance in trade, technology, and foreign policy to counter Chinese aggression and protect American national security.

• Restoring constitutional governance:  The book emphasizes a strict adherence to the Constitution, including separation of powers, limited federal government, and protection of individual rights. It criticizes the current administration's alleged abuse of executive power.

  
  

Key recommendations by department/agency:

• White House Office: Streamline operations, appoint loyal conservatives to key positions, empower political appointees, and prioritize constitutional governance.

• Executive Office of the President:  Reduce federal spending and debt, dismantle the administrative state, restore national sovereignty, and promote economic growth through policies that empower individuals and businesses.

• Central Personnel Agencies: Reform the civil service by strengthening performance-based evaluations and pay, simplifying the appeals process, and making federal hiring more meritocratic.

• Department of Defense: Prioritize warfighting readiness, counter the Chinese threat, modernize the nuclear arsenal, increase allied burden-sharing, reform acquisition process, and eliminate “woke” policies in the military.

• Department of Homeland Security: Abolish DHS and redistribute its functions to other agencies, or, if DHS persists, secure the border, enforce immigration laws, and refocus on its core mission.

• Department of State: Reorient U.S. foreign policy to prioritize American interests, take a stronger stance against China, restore constitutional treaty-making processes, and reduce international promotion of progressive social policies.

• Intelligence Community:  Refocus the IC on prioritizing threats like China, improve analytical integrity and transparency, prevent political abuse of intelligence, and reform security clearance and data-sharing processes.

• Media Agencies (USAGM, CPB):  Reform USAGM to provide accurate and unbiased news reporting that promotes American values, or defund and abolish it, and defund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

• Agency for International Development: Realign U.S. foreign aid to prioritize national interests, counter Chinese influence, promote free markets and economic growth, protect life and religious freedom, and defund programs that advance progressive social agendas.

• Department of Agriculture: Defend American agriculture against the Biden Administration’s efforts to “transform the food system”, reform farm subsidies, move food and nutrition programs to HHS, and eliminate regulatory burdens on farmers.

• Department of Education: Eliminate the Department of Education and return control of education to the states, or at least advance school choice policies, protect parental rights, and eliminate “woke” curricula.

• Department of Energy: Restore American energy independence by ending the war on fossil fuels, unleashing private-sector innovation, and prioritizing cybersecurity and reliability of energy infrastructure.

• Department of Housing and Urban Development:  Refocus HUD on its core mission, prevent noncitizens from receiving federal housing assistance, reinvigorate paths to self-sufficiency, provide greater oversight of foreign real estate ownership, and address appraisal bias.

• Department of the Interior: Restore American energy dominance by increasing oil and gas leasing on federal lands and waters, manage federal lands responsibly, and address the growing threats to wild horses and burros.

• Department of Justice: Refocus DOJ on protecting public safety and defending the rule of law, restore its independence and impartiality, combat violent crime and criminal organizations, and restart the “China Initiative.”

• Department of Labor: Restore the family-supporting job as the centerpiece of the American economy through pro-family, pro-worker policies, protect flexible work options and worker independence, reform unemployment insurance programs, and strengthen apprenticeship programs.

• Department of Transportation:  Make transportation more abundant and affordable by reducing regulations, ending government subsidies for politically favored modes like mass transit, leveraging private-sector innovation, and reforming fuel economy standards.

• Department of Veterans Affairs: Ensure that the VA serves veterans efficiently with respect and compassion, expand Community Care, reform benefits access standards, and hold agency personnel accountable.

• Independent Regulatory Agencies (SEC, FTC, FCC, FEC):  These agencies should reduce impediments to capital formation, protect consumer welfare, maintain orderly markets, eliminate “woke” policies,” ensure accountability and good governance. They should also uphold the First Amendment, promote free speech, prevent censorship, and resist attempts by special interests to co-opt their activities.

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Here is some additional detail on key recommendations provided for each section:

White House Office:

• Control the narrative:  Establish clear messaging and communication strategies to promote the conservative agenda and counter opposing narratives.

• Vetting and appointments: Rigorously vet all appointees for ideological alignment and commitment to the conservative vision, prioritizing loyalty and competence.

• Day One readiness:  Develop detailed transition plans and agency-specific "playbooks" to ensure immediate action upon taking office.

• Centralized policy coordination: Strengthen the White House policy councils (NEC, DPC, NSC) to ensure coordinated policy development and implementation across agencies.

• Empower political staff:  Increase the number of political appointees and give them real decision-making authority to drive the policy agenda and counteract bureaucratic resistance.

Executive Office of the President:

• Budgetary reform: Implement stricter budgeting processes, prioritize spending cuts, and move toward a balanced budget.

• Regulatory reform:  Streamline and reduce regulations across agencies, particularly those related to the environment and labor, to unleash economic growth and reduce burdens on businesses.

• National security:  Focus on countering China, strengthen the military, and restore America's leadership in global affairs.

• Constitutional governance:  Reinforce the separation of powers, rein in the administrative state, and protect individual liberties.

Central Personnel Agencies:

• Civil service reform:  Overhaul the civil service system to make it more merit-based, efficient, and accountable to political leadership.

• Firing "unfireable" bureaucrats: Develop strategies to remove entrenched bureaucrats who obstruct the conservative agenda.

• Streamlining hiring:  Simplify the federal hiring process, making it easier to attract and retain talented individuals.

Department of Defense:

• China focus: Develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to counter China's military and economic expansion.

• Military readiness: Prioritize military readiness and increase defense spending to ensure U.S. military dominance.

• Nuclear modernization: Modernize the nuclear arsenal to deter adversaries and maintain strategic stability.

• Allied burden-sharing:  Encourage U.S. allies to assume greater responsibility for their own defense.

• Acquisition reform: Streamline the acquisition process to deliver needed capabilities to the military more efficiently.

Department of Homeland Security:

• Border security: Secure the border, end illegal immigration, and implement stricter enforcement policies.

• Immigration reform:  Overhaul the immigration system to prioritize national security and economic needs.

• Decertify unions:  Decertify unions within DHS to improve efficiency and accountability.

Department of State:

• Prioritize American interests:  Reorient U.S. foreign policy to prioritize American interests and values.

• Counter China:  Take a stronger stance against China's aggressive behavior.

• Treaty reform: Restore constitutional treaty-making processes and withdraw from treaties not ratified by the Senate.

Intelligence Community (IC):

• Focus on China:  Prioritize intelligence collection and analysis on China.

• Prevent political abuse: Implement safeguards to prevent the politicization of intelligence.

• Improve transparency: Increase transparency and accountability within the IC.

Media Agencies (USAGM, CPB):

• Reform/abolish USAGM: Ensure USAGM promotes American values or eliminate it.

• Defund CPB: Eliminate taxpayer funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID):

• Counter China:  Use foreign aid to counter Chinese influence.

• Promote free markets: Prioritize economic growth and free-market reforms.

• Protect life: Implement pro-life policies in foreign assistance.

Department of Agriculture (USDA):

• Support American farmers: Eliminate policies that harm American farmers and ranchers.

• Reform subsidies:  Reform or eliminate farm subsidies to reduce market distortions.

• Move food & nutrition programs: Transfer food and nutrition programs to HHS to consolidate welfare programs.

Department of Education:

• Eliminate/reform: Abolish the Department of Education or significantly reduce its role.

• School choice: Expand school choice through ESAs and other programs.

• Parental rights:  Protect parental rights in education.

Department of Energy (DOE):

• Energy independence:  Achieve energy independence by unleashing domestic energy production.

• End “green” subsidies:  Eliminate subsidies for renewable energy.

• Infrastructure security: Protect energy infrastructure from cyber and physical attacks.

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD):

• Refocus on core mission: Limit HUD's role to its core functions.

• Restrict benefits to citizens: Prevent noncitizens from receiving federal housing assistance.

• Promote self-sufficiency:  Encourage self-sufficiency and upward mobility.

Department of the Interior (DOI):

• Energy dominance: Unleash American energy production on federal lands and waters.

• Responsible land management: Manage federal lands according to multiple-use principles.

• Protect wild horses: Address the threat of wild horse overpopulation.

Department of Justice (DOJ):

• Uphold rule of law: Restore DOJ's focus on enforcing the law impartially.

• Combat violent crime: Prioritize the prosecution of violent crime.

• Counter China:  Restart the China Initiative to counter Chinese espionage.

Department of Labor (DOL):

• Pro-worker policies:  Implement policies that support American workers and families.

• Protect independent work: Protect flexible work options and independent contractor status.

• Reform UI: Reform unemployment insurance programs to prevent fraud and abuse.

Department of Transportation (DOT):

• Affordable transportation: Make transportation more affordable and accessible.

• Reduce regulations: Streamline and eliminate unnecessary regulations.

• Reform fuel economy standards:  Set realistic fuel economy standards that do not harm consumers.

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA):

• Veteran-centric care:* Ensure the VA provides high-quality, timely care to veterans.

• Community Care: Expand veterans’ access to private health care providers.

• Benefits reform: Streamline the benefits process and reduce wait times.

Independent Regulatory Agencies (SEC, FTC, FCC, FEC):

• Deregulation & market-based solutions: Reduce regulatory burdens and promote market-based solutions.

• Protect free speech:  Uphold the First Amendment and prevent censorship.

• Prevent political abuse: Ensure these agencies are not used for partisan political purposes.

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The Founder

Dr. Ginger Dixon, DrPH, MS is an Epidemiologist, public health professional, and mother of four. She is the Owner and Founder of One Life Epi Solutions, and has extensive experience in research, program evaluation, and data analysis. Her expertise encompasses One Health epidemiology, surveillance of infectious diseases, opioids, and suicide, as well as population health assessment. Her contributions include developing surveillance systems, conducting outbreak investigations, and crafting policy recommendations informed by rigorous data analysis. Dr. Dixon has also served in leadership roles within public health agencies, including the Arizona Department of Health Services and Cochise County Health & Social Services, where she spearheaded initiatives to improve the quality and efficiency of epidemiological services. Her academic credentials include a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) in Population Health Analytics and Decision Making from Samford University and an MS in Epidemiology from the University of Arizona. She has a substantial record of research presentations and publications, reflecting her commitment to disseminating public health knowledge.