Fighting for truth, justice and freedom. Advocate for clean energy and climate policys for a livable world

Let’s fire all the lawyers

  • The recent firing of three senior military lawyers, Army Lt. Gen. Joseph B. Berger III, United States Air Force | Air Force Lt. Gen. Charles L. Plummer | Charles Plummer, and Navy Rear Adm. Lia M. Reynolds, by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has sent an ominous message to the entire country, suggesting that the Secretary is uninterested in legal niceties and willing to remove anyone who might stand in his way.
  • The Judge Advocate General of the Armed Forces | Judge Advocate General (JAG) of each service branch plays a crucial role in upholding the rule of law in the military, providing independent legal advice to commanders, prosecuting war crimes, and representing unpopular defendants in military trials, as seen in the case of Lt. Cmdr. Charles Swift | Charlie Swift, who challenged the military commissions set up by the George W. Bush administration.
  • Military lawyers have a long history of standing up for the rule of law, including during the Bush administration’s attempts to set up a system of military commissions to try non-citizen enemy combatants, and have been instrumental in enforcing statutory prohibitions on mistreating detainees, with internal critics like then-Air Force TJAG Lt. Gen. Jack L. Rives | Jack Rives speaking out against abuses.
  • The independence of JAG lawyers is codified in statute, with United States Congress | Congress providing that no officer or employee of the United States Department of Defense | Department of Defense may interfere with the ability of the Judge Advocate General to give independent legal advice, and Hegseth’s firing of the TJAGs may violate the spirit of this statute, even if it does not violate the letter.
  • The firing of the TJAGs has significant implications, particularly given the military’s increasing role in domestic operations, such as along the U.S.-Mexico border, and the potential use of the Insurrection Act of 1807 | Insurrection Act to call out troops for domestic law enforcement operations, which highlights the need for independent legal advice in the military to prevent excesses and ensure that the rule of law is upheld.
  • The author, Stephen Vladeck, argues that the fate of the three senior military lawyers is not a minor issue, but rather a critical one that could have far-reaching consequences for the rule of law and the military’s role in society, and that the need for independent legal advice in the military may soon take on critically important proportions, both within the ranks and outside them. “Concerns Rise Over Secretary of Defense’s Dismissal of Military Legal Leaders”1. Dismissal of Senior Military Lawyers:- Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth fired key military legal leaders, including the Judge Advocates General (TJAG) of the Army, Air Force, and Navy.- This move suggests a disregard for legal protocols and raises alarms about the influence on military justice.2. Military Lawyers’ Role in Justice:- Military lawyers have historically defended the rule of law, notably challenging unlawful military commissions during the War on Terror.- They play crucial roles in representing defendants, prosecuting war crimes, and ensuring legal compliance in military operations.3. Independence of Legal Advisors:- Congress codified the independence of TJAGs in 2004 to protect their ability to provide unbiased legal advice to military leaders.- Firing TJAGs undermines this independence and sends troubling messages to junior JAG officers about legal support.4. Potential Implications of Dismissals:- The military’s growing role in domestic issues emphasizes the need for independent legal advice in future operations.- The dismissals could hinder the military’s capacity to resist unlawful actions from senior leadership.5. Historical Context of Legal Representation:- The quote from Shakespeare highlights the dangers of undermining legal authority as a precursor to eroding the rule of law.- The firings of military lawyers might reflect an intent to weaken legal challenges within the military.
By Abe Mazliach, ago

Assault on our Constitution

Heather Cox Richardson

Senator Angus King (I-ME) took his Republican colleagues to task February 6, 2025 for their willingness to overlook the Trump administration’s attack on the U.S. Constitution.

“[W]e’re experiencing in real time exactly what the framers most feared. When you clear away the smoke, clear away the DOGE, the executive orders, foreign policy pronouncements, more fundamentally what’s happening is the shredding of the constitutional structure itself. And we have a profound responsibility…to stop it.”

“[T]he reason the framers designed our Constitution the way they did was that they were afraid of concentrated power,” King said. “They had just fought a brutal eight-year war with a king. They didn’t want a king. They wanted a constitutional republic, where power was divided between the Congress and the president and the courts, and we are collapsing that structure,” King said. “[T]he people cheering this on I fear, in a reasonably short period of time, are going to say where did this go? How did this happen? How did we make our president into a monarch? How did this happen? How it happened,” he said to his Senate colleagues, “is we gave it up! James Madison thought we would fight for our power, but no. Right now we’re just sitting back and watching it happen.”

“This is the most serious assault on our Constitution in the history of this country,” King said. “It’s the most serious assault on the very structure of our Constitution, which is designed to protect our freedoms and liberty, in the history of this country. It is a constitutional crisis…. Many of my friends in this body say it will be hard, we don’t want to buck the President; we’ll let the courts take care of it…. [T]hat’s a copout. It’s our responsibility to protect the Constitution. That’s what we swear to when we enter this body.”

 

“What’s it going to take for us to wake up…I mean this entire body, to wake up to what’s going on here? Is it going to be too late? Is it going to be when the President has secreted all this power and the Congress is an afterthought? What’s it going to take?”

By Abe Mazliach, ago

Why I’m optimistic about cleantech over the next four years

Guest Author
Vic Shao
Canary Media

Optimism and the Golden Era of Cleantech (2024-2028)

  • Despite the current doom and gloom in the cleantech industry, the author is optimistic about its future over the next four years, citing the potential for a golden era in renewable energy and clean transportation deployments.
  • The author believes that the combination of renewables and storage solutions will dominate energy economics, with lithium-ion battery prices continuing to fall due to manufacturing expansion and technological innovation.
  • By the end of the decade, renewable energy combined with storage solutions will offer the lowest cost of energy for most hours of the day, surpassing fossil fuels on economic competitiveness and transforming energy markets.
  • However, dispatchable sources like virtual power plants and biogas will still be essential for delivering consistent energy, especially at night or on days with low solar or wind output.

Key Technologies and Market Drivers

  • Virtual power plants aggregate decentralized energy generators and loads to dial down grid loading in real time, while biogas offers a carbon-negative, dispatchable energy source that can be ramped up quickly when needed.
  • Geothermal energy is also gaining traction, with recent advances in drilling and heat-extraction technologies making it reliable and cost-competitive, providing a consistent baseload power supply regardless of weather conditions.
  • Electric vehicle adoption is accelerating, with passenger EVs reaching cost parity with internal-combustion-engine vehicles and commercial trucks next in line to electrify, driven by advances in battery technology and increased manufacturing.
  • Lower interest rates will reduce the cost of capital, unlocking investments in clean energy infrastructure and enabling more projects to move forward, accelerate timelines, and ensure economic viability.
  • The private sector is driving these transformative trends, with entrepreneurs, investors, and corporations aligning around the economic opportunities presented by clean energy and transportation, and scaling these technologies quickly and efficiently without relying on grants and subsidies.

Shifting Focus from R&D to Deployment

  • The author, Vic Shao, a 3x cleantech entrepreneur, believes that the next four years will be transformative for the cleantech industry, with a shift in focus from research and development to deployment of proven technologies.
  • The success of these technologies will now depend on economic efficiency rather than government intervention, with the profit motive driving the transition to scale.
  • While government subsidies were crucial in the past, they often created market distortions, and the private sector performs best when allowed to compete on a level playing field.

The Role of the Private Sector and Policymakers

  • The convergence of cost-competitive technologies, rising demand, and favorable market conditions is creating a once-in-a-generation opportunity for entrepreneurs and investors in cleantech.
  • Policymakers should pivot from funding innovation to creating stable regulatory environments that facilitate deployment, while industry leaders must prioritize execution, scaling proven solutions, and delivering measurable impact.

Overcoming Challenges and Seizing Opportunities

  • Despite challenges such as supply-chain constraints, workforce shortages, and geopolitical uncertainties, the author believes that the opportunities far outweigh the obstacles.
  • The cleantech industry is entering a golden era in which economics, innovation, and environmental urgency align, and the clean energy transition is happening now.
  • The author is optimistic about the future and encourages others to seize the moment, with limitless possibilities for those ready to invest and take action.

Personal Action and Call to Further Action

  • The author is taking personal action by investing in household renewable energy production and storage, and securing energy supply and price, and believes that many others will do the same to solidify gains and push for broader relevance.
  • The profit motive is driving the renewable energy project considerations, and the author emphasizes the importance of not giving up and instead moving faster to achieve progress.

By Abe Mazliach, ago

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Over $735M in Selections for Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles as Part of Investing in America Agenda | US EPA

Program Overview and Funding

  • The Biden-Harris Administration has announced the selection of 70 applicants to receive over $735 million in funding for the purchase of over 2,400 zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles, as well as infrastructure and workforce development projects.
  • The funding is part of the Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program, created by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which aims to replace existing internal combustion engine heavy-duty vehicles with zero-emission vehicles and support the build-out of clean vehicle infrastructure.
  • The selected projects will reduce harmful emissions from heavy-duty vehicles, support good-paying jobs, and improve air quality in communities across the country, particularly in those that have been overburdened by air pollution.
  • The program will accelerate the adoption and deployment of eligible Class 6 and 7 zero-emission vehicles, including battery-electric box trucks, cargo trucks, emergency vehicles, and other vocational vehicles, as well as a small number of hydrogen fuel cell transit buses.
  • The funding will also support the development of zero-emission vehicle fueling infrastructure, such as electric vehicle charging stations, and workforce development and training.
  • The selected applicants are from 27 states, three Tribal Nations, and one territory, and will help to reduce pollution from heavy-duty vehicles, which is associated with respiratory and cardiovascular disease, among other serious health problems.
  • EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan stated that the program will “slash air pollution and enhance the country’s infrastructure for cleaner transportation solutions, creating good-paying jobs along the way.”
  • Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy, John Podesta, emphasized the importance of reducing pollution from heavy-duty transportation to tackle the climate crisis.
  • White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi highlighted the Administration’s sector-wide approach to decarbonizing transportation, which is delivering economic, social, and environmental benefits to communities across the country.

Funding Allocation and Impact

  • The Biden-Harris Administration has announced over $735 million in selections for the Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program, supporting the implementation of the National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization and the National Zero-Emission Freight Corridor Strategy.
  • Approximately 70% of the selected projects will support the purchase of clean school buses, providing clean air for children and complementing EPA’s Clean School Bus program, which has awarded nearly $3 billion for nearly 9,000 clean school buses to date.
  • The Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program advances President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, aiming to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments to disadvantaged communities, and prioritizes communities facing air quality challenges.

Project Implementation and Workforce Development

  • Funding may also be used to support zero-emission vehicle adoption and deployment by providing zero-emission vehicle refueling infrastructure, workforce development and training, and project implementation costs.
  • The EPA will work with selected applicants to finalize awards, anticipated to be completed in early 2025, and project implementation will occur over the next two to three years depending on the scope of each project.
  • The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community has been selected to receive $190,000 to replace its laundry truck with an all-electric alternative, utilizing existing charging infrastructure and planning for new infrastructure installation.

Future Workforce Development Initiatives

  • The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Labor plan to launch a separate grant program in early 2025 focused on strengthening the workforce development ecosystem.
  • The primary goal of this grant program is to develop curricula that prepare workers to maintain and repair Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEVs).

Additional Information and Contact

  • For additional information and updates on the Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program, applicants can visit the program’s webpage.
  • Applicants with questions can also reach out to the EPA via email at cleanhdvehicles@epa.gov for further assistance.
  • The EPA is currently working with tentatively selected applicants to finalize awards and implement their projects as part of the Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles Grant Program.
By Abe Mazliach, ago

Chart: Wind and solar overtook coal on the US grid in 2024

By Carrie Klein,

Canary Media

  • In 2024, the United States witnessed a significant milestone in its transition to renewable energy, with solar and wind power generating more electricity than coal for most of the year.
  • According to data from Ember, a think tank, solar and wind energy provided a record 17% of U.S. electricity from January to November, while coal contributed 15%.
  • This shift marks a substantial decline in coal’s share of electricity generation in the U.S., which accounted for 51% at the start of the 21st century and dropped to 16% by 2023.
  • Currently, 10 states in the U.S. generate half or more of their electricity supply from renewables, with Iowa and South Dakota leading the way due to their abundant wind power.
  • Notably, Texas saw solar power generate more electricity than coal for the first time in March, highlighting the growing importance of renewable energy in the state.
  • The decline of coal power is not limited to the U.S., as Europe has also seen a significant reduction in coal-generated electricity, with the European Union producing more electricity from solar and wind than from coal and gas combined in the first six months of the year.
  • The United Kingdom has completely phased out coal from its grid, having shuttered its last coal-fired power plant in September.
  • Globally, coal still remains the largest source of electricity generation, producing more than a third of electricity worldwide in 2023, but its share has fallen over the last decade.
  • Despite this progress, the world is still burning through more tons of coal than ever, with coal being used in various processes such as steelmaking.
  • In the U.S., five of the nation’s 10 largest coal plants have planned closure dates between 2028 and 2038, and experts expect another 8 gigawatts worth of coal plants to be shuttered by 2040, although this may not be soon enough to meet global climate goals.
By Abe Mazliach, ago

Three electric appliances, countless health benefits

Rewiring America

By switching our fossil fuel-powered home appliances to electric versions, we improve outdoor air quality, making our nation healthier. Rewiring America senior research associate Wael Kanj explains how switching to heat pump furnaces, water heaters, and clothes dryers can prevent thousands of premature deaths, hospital admissions, asthma attacks, and other adverse health impacts in our nation each year.

Explore the full report: https://www.rewiringamerica.org/research/home-electrification-health-benefits

By Abe Mazliach, ago

Calling all Californians: It’s Time to Electrify Your Home, Rebates are Here

Do you have an old gas furnace or gas water heater you have been thinking about replacing? Now is the time to re-think your options for air heating/cooling and water heating your home. It’s time to go electric! By upgrading our homes and buildings to electric and making them more energy efficient, we can save money and eliminate a major source of carbon and indoor air pollution. Did you know that households would save $1,800 per year on average by going fully electric, that burning fossil fuels indoor is a major source of health problems like childhood asthma and fossil fuel burning in buildings is a major source of climate pollution?

The Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law in August 2022 and tax incentives and rebates for California households are available now. You can get tax credits up to $2,000/year for heat pump space & water heaters and now rebates are available. The Inflation Reduction Act offers other incentives to electrify, such as, induction stoves, other electric appliances, rooftop solar, electric vehicles, etc.

If you want to replace your gas furnace, now, you can get rebates of up to $8,000 per unit (80% Area Median Income) or $4,000 per unit (80-150% Area Median Income) for a new Air (HVAC) Heat Pump. In addition, TECH Clean California will give you an additional $1,500 on top of the other rebate. If you want to replace your water heater, you can get a rebate of $1,100 per unit for a Heat Pump Water Heater.

What is a Heat Pump? HVAC Heat pumps use electricity to move heat from one place to another to cool & warm buildings, so are two appliances in one — they heat and cool your home! They are are 2–3x more efficient than most current fossil fuel heating systems. It’s easier to move heat around than to generate it. Heating and cooling are responsible for 60 percent of our home emissions — and a heat pump can reduce your heating-related fossil fuel use by 40 percent or more.

If you want to save money, stay healthy and help the environment, go to THE SWITCH IS ON, switchison.org to find your savings and qualified contractors. To learn more about the Inflation Reduction Act Residential Energy Rebate Programs, go to https://www.energy.ca.gov/.

 

By Abe Mazliach, ago

Trump Dodged the Law. Blame Merrick Garland, Mitch McConnell and the Supreme Court. – POLITICO

Accountability for Trump’s Evasion of Law

  • The Biden administration, specifically Attorney General Merrick Garland, and other key figures such as Mitch McConnell and the Supreme Court, are being held accountable for Donald Trump’s ability to evade the law despite facing four criminal cases.
  • The two federal criminal cases against Trump are now effectively dead, with special counsel Jack Smith likely to leave his post and dismiss the pending cases, and Trump unlikely to serve time in the Stormy Daniels hush money case while in office.
  • The Georgia case is also expected to be put on hold or potentially thrown out, with Trump’s co-defendants possibly still facing charges.
  • Despite public interest in concluding the criminal cases, particularly the federal election subversion case, Trump’s conviction earlier this year did not ultimately hinder his re-election bid.
  • The author attributes Trump’s win to voters’ dissatisfaction with the Biden-Harris administration, which led them to set aside concerns about Trump’s alleged misconduct.
  • The article suggests that Merrick Garland was a questionable choice for Attorney General, as he showed little desire to investigate and prosecute Trump from the start of the Biden presidency.
  • The Jan. 6 committee’s investigation and public hearings in 2022 reportedly forced Garland to investigate Trump and appoint special counsel Jack Smith, nearly two years after the Capitol riot.
  • The author argues that the delay in investigating Trump was unjustified, as his conduct warranted serious legal scrutiny by the Justice Department, particularly in the area of potential financial crimes, after his loss in 2020 and the events of Jan. 6.
  • The article concludes that if Trump had faced accountability for his alleged crimes, he may not have even appeared on the ballot, and that the system failed to work as it should have.

Factors Contributing to Trump’s Lack of Accountability

  • The author argues that the lack of meaningful legal accountability for former President Donald Trump can be attributed to Attorney General Merrick Garland, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and the Supreme Court.
  • Despite warning signs in late 2021, the Justice Department under Garland did not launch a thorough investigation into Trump and his inner circle, which led to a delay in bringing charges and potentially allowed Trump to run for reelection and win.
  • The author criticizes Garland’s approach as a “bottom-up” investigative effort, which focused on prosecuting rioters before moving on to Trump, and argues that good prosecutors should aim to get to the top as quickly as possible in cases involving large groups and time sensitivity.
  • The author believes that Garland’s legacy is now at risk, and he may be remembered as one of the worst and most unpopular attorneys general in American history due to his handling of the Trump investigation.
  • The author also holds Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans responsible for not convicting Trump after his second impeachment, which would have prevented him from running again for the presidency.
  • Additionally, the author criticizes Republican presidential primary opponents for defending Trump and undermining the prosecution’s efforts, which helped Trump’s campaign and ultimately contributed to his success.
  • The Supreme Court’s Republican appointees are also blamed for bailing out Trump during the general election campaign, which further hindered efforts to hold him accountable.
  • The author concludes that Trump’s ability to avoid accountability was made possible by a combination of factors, including the actions of Garland, McConnell, and the Supreme Court, as well as the support of Republican politicians and primary opponents.

Public Opinion and Supreme Court Decisions

  • A significant portion of the American public, approximately 60%, supported Donald Trump standing trial in the 2020 election subversion case, while around 70% rejected the idea of presidential immunity from prosecution for alleged crimes committed while in office.
  • The six Republican-appointed Supreme Court justices, including three appointed by Trump, sided with him on both counts, initially delaying his appeal on immunity grounds and then establishing a new doctrine of criminal immunity with no basis in law.
  • This decision effectively prevented a trial before Election Day, representing a distortion of the law in favor of partisan objectives.
  • The outcome marks the most significant reversal of legal fortunes in American history, with Trump’s reelection being the culmination of this process.
  • Several key figures, including Merrick Garland, Mitch McConnell, and the Supreme Court, share the blame for Trump’s ability to dodge the law, alongside Trump himself.
By Abe Mazliach, ago

Climate change is costing the US $150 billion a year

By Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN, 

  • The United States experiences an extreme weather event that produces $1 billion worth of damage every three weeks, according to the latest US National Climate Assessment report, which is a significant increase from 40 years ago when such events occurred once every four months on average.
  • As of November 8, there have been 25 weather and climate disasters with losses exceeding $1 billion, exceeding last year’s count, and the total cost of extreme weather events is estimated to be $150 billion per year.
  • The $150 billion annual cost includes direct impacts such as infrastructure damage, worker injuries, and agricultural losses, and is expected to grow in the near term due to a projected rise in sea levels and temperatures.
  • Notable examples of extreme weather events include the devastating wildfires in Hawaii, which cost $5.6 billion, and hurricanes that can result in higher mortgage delinquency rates, lower home prices, and strain government budgets.
  • Research has shown that property damage from hurricanes can lead to higher mortgage delinquency rates, and flooding and rising sea levels can lower home prices and property values, as people relocate to areas less prone to flooding.
  • Hurricanes can also lead to substantially higher social safety net disbursements, including unemployment insurance and public medical payments, according to research by Tatyana Deryugina, a finance professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
  • The National Climate Assessment report’s estimate of the total annual cost of climate change in the United States does not take into account loss of life and health care-related costs.
  • To put the $150 billion annual cost into perspective, it is a significant amount that can be compared to various other large-scale expenditures and investments.
By Abe Mazliach, ago

Father of Ohio boy, 11, tells Trump and Vance to stop using son’s death for ‘political gain’

The father of an 11-year-old boy who was killed last year when a minivan driven by an immigrant from Haiti collided with his school bus has asked Donald Trump and JD Vance to stop using his son’s name for “political gain”.

The Guardian, , September 11, 2024

During a city commission meeting on Tuesday in Springfield, Ohio, Nathan Clark, the father of Aiden Clark, addressed the forum alongside his wife, Danielle. Speaking at the meeting, Clark said: “I wish that my son, Aiden Clark, was killed by a 60-year-old white man. I bet you never thought anyone would say something so blunt, but if that guy killed my 11-year-old son, the incessant group of hate-spewing people would leave us alone,” the Springfield News-Sun reports.

Clark went on to list politicians including Trump and Vance, who he said have been using his son’s name for “political gain”.

“Bernie Moreno [the Ohio Republican senate candidate], Chip Roy [the Texas Republican representative], JD Vance and Donald Trump … have spoken my son’s name and used his death for political gain. This needs to stop now. They can vomit all the hate they want about illegal immigrants, the border crisis and even untrue claims about fluffy pets being ravaged and eaten by community members. However, they are not allowed, nor have they ever been allowed, to mention Aiden Clark from Springfield, Ohio,” said Clark.

“I will listen to them one more time to hear their apologies. To clear the air, my son, Aiden Clark, was not murdered. He was accidentally killed by an immigrant from Haiti. This tragedy has been all over this community, the state and even the nation. But don’t spin this towards hate,” he continued.

Clark went on to say: “Did you know that one of the worst feelings in the world is to not be able to protect your child? Even worse, we can’t protect his memory when he’s gone. Please stop the hate.”

By Abe Mazliach, ago