OUR PICKSCivil Litigation Can Hold Hate Groups Accountable | Inside the Fiasco at the National Security Council | Controlled Burns Reduce Wildfire Risk, and more

Trump Is a Revolutionary. Will He Succeed?  (Economist)
As with any revolution, MAGA has a method and a theory. If this revolution is unchecked it could lead towards authoritarianism.
Even on the most optimistic reading of the MAGA revolution, Mr. Trump has already done lasting harm to America’s institutions, alliances and moral standing. And if he is thwarted by investors, voters or the courts, he is liable to lash out against institutions with even greater ferocity. Using the newly politicized Department of Justice, he may persecute his opponents and stir up the fear and conflict that give him license to operate. Abroad, he could cause alliance-wrecking provocations in, say, Greenland or Panama. There is no going back to the way America was 100 days ago. Only 1,361 days left.

The Counterproductive Legal Precedent That Strikes on Cartels Would Set  (J. Luis Rodriguez, Lawfare)
Mexico rejects the “unwilling or unable” doctrine of self-defense. The United States should, too.

‘Energy Security’ Is Being Used to Justify More Fossil Fuels – but This Will Only Make Us Less Secure  (Freddie Daley and Peter Newell, The Conversation)
Common understandings of energy security have focused on making supplies reliable and affordable, with less attention paid to ensuring sources of energy are sustainable and less volatile over the medium- and long-term. This neglect compromises our collective security.
The IEA’s 31 member countries and 13 associates include most of the world’s most powerful states. Its influence means that this new definition of energy security will be used to inform government policies and investment decisions around the world. Given the cost of energy infrastructure, and the lengthy time it takes to build these projects, this definition is set to shape our future, economically and climatically.
But there is a very real risk that this definition will open the door to further investments into fossil fuel production under the guise of energy security.

How Civil Litigation Can Hold Hate Groups Accountable  (Luke Baumgartner, Lawfare)
With sweeping cuts to government agencies and programs designed to counter hate groups, civil rights and advocacy groups can hold the line.

Fake Cures and Vaccine Passports for Sale: the Conspiracy Communities in Brazil Monetizing the Anti-vax Movement  (Gemma Ware, Ergon Cugler, and Igor Sacramento, The Conversation)
Few places on earth are immune to the explosion of anti-vaccination conspiracy theories and health disinformation fuelled by the COVID pandemic. But in countries like Brazil, where the disinformation flowed from the very top of government, the problem is even more acute and some people are exploiting the fear of others to make money.

Controlled Burns Reduce Wildfire Risk, but They Require Trained Staff and Funding − This Could Be a Rough Year  (Laura Dee, The Conversation)
As an ecologist at the University of Colorado Boulder, I know that fires are part of the natural processes that forests need to stay healthy. But the combined effects of a warmer and drier climate, more people living in fire-prone areas and vegetation and debris built up over years of fire suppression are leading to more severe fires that spread faster. And that’s putting humans, ecosystems and economies at risk.

How Hegseth’s Software Memo Can Start a Revolution (Lauren Dailey and David Rothzeid, War on the Rocks)
Reform isn’t just about tools — it’s about culture, risk, and who the Department of Defense chooses to trust.

Inside the Fiasco at the National Security Council  (Isaac Stanley-Becker, The Atlantic)
Firings and leadership challenges have destabilized an institution that has little margin for error.