Dear Editor:

Trump set an all-time record for executive orders in the first 100 days of his second term: 142, all of them outrageous, absurd, and / or unconstitutional.

Now let’s do the math: More than two-and-a-half lawsuits filed per day against these orders; Justice Department and white-shoe defense lawyers charging $600 an hour to fight them.

Imagine the total cost to both plaintiffs and to us, the American taxpayers, who are forced to pay for defending Executive Branch violations of laws, rules, and ethical norms. And it’s not just the money; the time and effort wasted in this judicial civil war are staggering.

Invest all these assets in a worthy cause, such as improving healthcare for our poorest communities (most of them in red states, with the lowest educational levels): the positive results, in addition to their knock-on effects, would constitute real progress toward attaining a just and equitable society.

But that’s not how Trump rolls. Instead, he signs executive orders benefiting the wealthy and targeting the most vulnerable people in the country, squandering billions of dollars to impose his cruel and unconstitutional policies on us.

“Lawfare” has created and sustained six-times bankrupt, twice-impeached felon and failed coup leader Donald Trump’s current hold on power.

It is a two-edged sword, however. In the absence of congressional and Supreme Court oversight, it is now our weapon in the fight against autocracy.

Bill Hammond

Boothbay