Class War, Trump's War on The Law, and Problems With Tesla Batteries

I spent Sunday afternoon and evening trying to get myself organized. Oh, and watching Tyrone Power in The Black Arrow (YouTube).

Again, I did not hear the phone alarm this morning, so it was off to work in a hurry. That was a long five hours.

Then back here, wrapping up some stuff before going off to do my laundry.

CC called. We may be on better terms. I did my best, telling her she needed to match her words up with actions.

Dinner of hash browns and salsa. Not bad. Trying to do the Lenten fast at home.

From yesterday:

 Dropkick Murphys’ Ken Casey: America Is in a "Class War”

Loved the Dropkick Murphys before, love them even more now.

Researchers take Tesla and BYD batteries apart and find a clear winner

As we said, BYD is declaring war on Elon Musk and Tesla’s batteries. Better designed, better prepared, and everything suggests they will be a real headache for Tesla.

The research, published in Cell Reports Physical Science, thoroughly analyzed the two technologies setting the pace: BYD’s Blade Battery and Tesla’s 4680 battery. The results not only reveal differences in approach but also significant technical and economic advantages that could tip the balance in BYD’s favor in the coming years.

Oops, Elon. Better keep getting your government subsidies.

Now, I have no interest in returning to my old profession, but in this country all are supposed to be equal before the law. The law is there to protect us - not always well - from encroachments from those with power. Donald Trump is intent on removing that equality and that protection.

Donald Trump and the law (The Article)

This is more than Trump’s revenge, the settling of scores by an agein g capo de tutti capi . It’s an assault on the rule of law, the unifying thread that has held American society together for more than two centuries. It’s a gunfight: between those who believe that, however irksome, due process matters — and those who think it’s superfluous.

And, by and large, Trump’s blitzkrieg is working. Resistance, so far, has been meek. The Republican party is supine, mesmerised by Trump or incapacitated by fear. Trump’s cabinet is starstruck. The Democratic party is comatose. Congressionally appointed public bodies like USAID and the Department of Education are coming out with their hands up.

The only meaningful pushback is from the courts, the third and equal branch of government under the United States constitution. But for now, this feels more like a rearguard action by isolated partisans in the face of well-organised onslaught.

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For those who need reminding, Congress passes laws, the President administers laws and the courts interpret laws. That’s how America has worked for the past 200 years. It’s a three-ring circus – each intended to keep the other honest and the republic on an even keel.

Trump doesn’t like the idea. He doesn’t see the point. It cramps his style. JD Vance, his boorish Vice-President, goes further. “Judges aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power ,” he says. It’s what happens in China or Russia. It’s not what America is. 

Trump targets lawyers who he says file 'frivolous' lawsuits against his administration (NBC News) 

The presidential memorandum, “Preventing Abuses of the Legal System and the Federal Court,” also ordered Attorney General Pam Bondi to recommend revoking attorneys’ security clearances or terminating law firms' federal contracts if she deems their lawsuits against the administration "unreasonable" or "vexatious."

The memo, which was issued Saturday, follows executive orders against three firms: Covington & Burling, which provided pro bono legal services to former special counsel Jack Smith, who indicted Trump multiple times; Perkins Coie, which represented Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign and worked with an opposition research firm that compiled a discredited dossier against Trump; and Paul Weiss, where a former firm partner, Mark Pomerantz, tried to build a criminal case against Trump while he was working at the Manhattan district attorney’s office several years ago.

 Trump Blurts Out Revealing Aim of Law Firm Shakedown Right to Media (The New Republic)

Faced with President Trump’s shakedown, the Paul, Weiss law firm agreed to a “deal” with Trump that sure looks like a ransom payment. Trump then told reporters that firms like these have the option to make similar “deals” to avoid getting targeted—a straight-up extortion threat right in public. We keep hearing that voters don’t care about this kind of thing. But the White House’s top political adviser is warning that Democratic anger could be a big problem in the midterms—and Trump’s lawlessness is a key driver of it. We talked to New Republic editor Michael Tomasky, who’s been arguing that we’re actually facing multiple constitutional crises and that Democrats must find their footing in this moment. He explains what all this says about Trump’s escalating lawlessness, how Democrats can harness public anger over it, and why real heroics are needed to resist it. Listen to this episode here. A transcript is here.

There they start, maybe they start on people you think not much of, but they will come for you, too. Trump likes chaos, right? The law is a bulwark against chaos. What starts far away will come closer and closer until you find that without the law, those in power can do what they like with you and yours.

Why MAGA wants to label all enemies as domestic terrorists (Steve Schmidt) - and the history of dictatorships shows that everyone becomes an enemy, even a sycophant. And there will be no lawyers to save you.

The solution?

How to Think (and Act) Like a Dissident Movement (Jonathan V. Last; The Bulwark)

I like it.

As for the writing, nothing done, but the rejections keep coming in:

We hope this email finds you well. Thank you for submitting "Problem Solving." Although it doesn't currently meet our needs, we appreciate the chance to read your work.

As writers ourselves, we know that this isn't a pleasant email to receive. Harpur Palate's acceptance rate is less than 5%, and genre editors read each submission. We wish you the best of luck in placing it elsewhere.

The Editors

Harpur Palate

harpurpalate.binghamton.edu

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Unfortunately, your submission to shortstory.substack.com was not picked as the December 2024 winner. That being said, please feel free to submit for the coming months as submissions are rolling throughout the year. 

Remember, a rejection this month doesn't mean a rejection in future months.

(Please do not respond directly to this email.) 

Thanks, 

Mike 

 

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