Does a cake still rise if you are required to replace butter with margarine? Yes.

Why is this simple question relevant now? Employing this analogy, Democratic voters – and the undecided – now need to be united and pragmatic. Replacing President Biden with whomever the new presidential nominee will be keeps in place, for the present, all his competent close advisers and government officials previously appointed.

Therefore, voting for the new Democratic ticket will not only maintain current domestic and international policies, but is also vital for securing the presidency, as well as the House, Senate and American democracy. Not voting or, worse, switching sides because of the upcoming change, will have dire consequences for this country, its citizens and the world order. More importantly, what is the potential danger we are facing if Democrats are not elected?

The answer: Project 2025.

To become aware of the planned assault on our democracy, and out of civic duty, go online and read a summary of Project 2025, formulated and presented by the far-right conservative Heritage Foundation. Here I quote Martin Luther King Jr.: “Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” Neglecting to become more informed about this documented threat to our way of life could be called willful ignorance.

However, before you start reading about Project 2025, I suggest you take a strong antacid.

Why? Authored and supported by hundreds of far-right Republican extremists and organizations, Project 2025 is a “cook book” for implementing authoritarian rule and MAGA ideology. Many of the featured “menus” were created by officials of the former Trump administration, listing all essential ingredients needed to radically change our American diet, force-feeding it to the people if needed.

A sample menu lists as an appetizer the deportation of millions of illegal immigrants with the help of the military. Entrées include replacing thousands of qualified civil servants with carefully selected political loyalists; removing power from federal agencies and assigning it to the president and his appointed loyalists. For dessert? Taking control of women’s bodily autonomy; cutting Medicare; gutting other social programs and benefits; gutting laws protecting workers, the environment and the public in general. I assume a de-legitimized press will be served as a palate cleanser between these courses.

The costly dinner bill lists: loss of an inclusive democracy through governance based on ideological views of a white, Christian minority; loss of an impartial judiciary and individual rights and freedoms; growing economic disparity; and increased power and wealth for the president, corporations, plutocrats and corrupt officials.

An additional “180-day playbook” supposedly outlines exact procedures and timelines for marinating and preparing varying menus of Project 2025, as well as lists of candidates for staffing the kitchen: chef (Trump), line cooks (political loyalists), waiters (state/local loyal officials). Flavor enhancers are wealthy donors. On day one of a Republican administration, the crew will be asked to put on their aprons, turn on the burners, cook and serve the new, dreadful American diet.

To prevent national and international indigestion, do not support the implementation of this cook book. The French recently rejected a very unpalatable alt-right diet; we can too. Complacency will – deservedly – force us to swallow authoritarianism, isolationism, xenophobia and unchecked cronyism.

Indigestion or “bon appétit?”