'Is he correct?'

A 40-year federal judge appointed by Ronald Reagan wonders if and when Americans will push back on Trump's authoritarianism.

Just a few quick things as I’m tied up with federal immigration cases in Texas, DOJ election lawsuits in several states, and National Guard deployments in Portland and Memphis. I also have something coming on Georgia’s election denial movement tomorrow, and a big thing in the works on that front. A lot of fronts these days, actually…. Anyway, if you appreciate my work, please support with U.S. dollars while they’re still the envy of the world. - jg

There’s two major battles ahead that will more or less decide what our future will look like. The more imminent of the two is the showdown between the Trump administration and the Supreme Court.

The White House and scores of government agencies have been pushing federal judges around for months now, and the Supreme Court hasn’t really had their back. The SC has punted on a variety of important cases that will either reign Trump in or give him more power — decisions that will also tell lower court judges, you know, what the law actually is.

The second major battle is next year’s election, and more specifically its certification. I don’t want to get into that at the moment because I think I’ve got a pretty hot hand when it comes to the old scoopy-type of journalism so you’ll just have to sit and wait on that one.

But when it comes to the courts, there are some checks that federal judges can provide en route to the Supreme Court showdowns ahead.

I laid some of these out at Public Notice in my rundown of Tuesday’s address to the military’s top brass from our secretary of defense and president.

You are the enemy for the forthcoming 'war within'

I spoke to some former federal judges who noted that the judicial system still has a few tools at its disposal to hold the executive branch accountable as it continues to flout court orders — and outright ignore them. Mainly, contempt. One judge this week said that contempt proceedings against government lawyers should probably happen because the Trump administration ignored a court order. This has been happening for months, but the courts have yet to hold anyone in contempt.

Speaking of judges, William Young in the District of Massachusetts released a blistering opinion on Tuesday that said in no uncertain terms that the Trump administration violated legal residents’ first amendment rights in what young termed “ideological deportations.”

Young concluded that Trump believes Americans are so divided that we won’t even stand up for one another’s constitutional rights. “Is he correct?” Young asks.

I put together a rundown of Young’s opinion at Doom’s home on YouTube. I hope you’ll watch it. I’d love to spend more time breaking down the opinion but there’s a lot going on.

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