Uber loses a bunch of money. Oh yeah, and yet another top executive: Daily Bullshit, June 1-3, 2017

Updates

  1. June 1, 1:29 pm:
    • Donald Trump has reportedly decided to withdraw from the Paris Climate Change agreement.[1]
  2. June 2, 2:58 am:
    • As expected, Donald Trump has announced he will withdraw from the Paris Climate Change agreement.[2]
    • The Trump administration is appealing the 4th Circuit Court of Appeal’s decision to uphold a lower court’s decision restraining the Muslim Ban.[3]
  3. June 2, 3:11 am:
    • The crack in the Larsen C ice shelf in Antarctica is now just 8 miles (13 kilometers) from breaking off a huge iceberg entirely.[4]
  4. June 2, 1:46 pm:
    • Some have been surprised by the lack of deference courts have extended to the Trump administration on the Muslim Ban but the courts may be developing a “new jurisprudence” for an “oathless [sic] presidency.”[5]
    • The Trump’s administration’s appeal of the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling and an anticipated (yes, you read that right—the decision hasn’t even been issued yet!) 9th Circuit ruling may be moot as the Muslim Ban is set to expire in less than two weeks.[6]
  5. June 3, 1:31 am:
    • Donald Trump probably thought he had a clever line when, in announcing his withdrawal from the Paris Climate Change agreement, he declared he was “elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris,” but it turns out that, at least on this, he doesn’t represent the Steel City either.[7] Not that he’ll notice.

Uber

Uber’s financial losses actually do seem to be shrinking while revenue continues to rise. But all these executives jumping ship? “So far this year more than a dozen executives and top managers, many reporting to [Travis] Kalanick, have either resigned or been fired.”[8] That has to be a bad sign. Doesn’t it?

Greg Bensinger, “Uber Posts $708 Million Loss as Finance Head Leaves,” Wall Street Journal, June 1, 2017, https://www.wsj.com/articles/uber-posts-708-million-loss-as-finance-head-leaves-1496272500


Climate Change

This is a sad moment, but one consistent with my characterization of Donald Trump as authoritarian populist.[9] It’s also worth remembering that this was a deal that Jim Hansen labeled a fraud[10] and that would have, even if fully implemented (which wasn’t looking likely[11]), fallen far short of what is needed.[12] But very obviously, “[Trump’s] administration does not view climate change as a significant concern,”[13] so, rhetoric about Obama’s negotiating skills[14] aside, it is unlikely we’ll be getting a much needed better deal.

Timothy Cama and Devin Henry, Trump: We are getting out of Paris climate deal,” Hill, June 1, 2017, http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/335955-trump-pulls-us-out-of-paris-climate-deal

Amy Harder, “Why Trump is pulling out of the Paris climate deal,” Axios, May 31, 2017, https://www.axios.com/scoop-trump-is-pulling-u-s-out-of-paris-climate-deal-2427773025.html

Jonathan Swan, “Scoop: Trump is pulling U.S. out of Paris climate deal,” Axios, May 31, 2017, https://www.axios.com/scoop-trump-is-pulling-u-s-out-of-paris-climate-deal-2427773025.html

Dan Primack, “How private equity is watching Trump’s Paris announcement,” Axios, June 1, 2017, https://www.axios.com/scoop-trump-is-pulling-u-s-out-of-paris-climate-deal-2427773025.html

Shane Savitsky, “Trump’s plan to withdraw from Paris climate deal,” Axios, June 1, 2017, https://www.axios.com/scoop-trump-is-pulling-u-s-out-of-paris-climate-deal-2427773025.html

Shane Savitsky, “What you need to know about climate change,” Axios, June 1, 2017, https://www.axios.com/scoop-trump-is-pulling-u-s-out-of-paris-climate-deal-2427773025.html

Shannon Vavra, “White House talking points on Paris withdrawal,” Axios, June 1, 2017, https://www.axios.com/scoop-trump-is-pulling-u-s-out-of-paris-climate-deal-2427773025.html

Kevin Liptak and Jim Acosta, “Trump on Paris accord: ‘We’re getting out,’” CNN, June 2, 2017, http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/01/politics/trump-paris-climate-decision/index.html

Errin Haines Whack and Dake Kang, “Pittsburgh to Trump: You don’t speak for us on climate,” Minneapolis Star-Tribune, June 2, 2017, http://www.startribune.com/pittsburgh-to-trump-you-don-t-speak-for-us-on-climate/425995473/


Muslim Ban

Brooke Seipel, “Trump appeals travel ban case to Supreme Court,” Hill, June 1, 2017, http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/336039-trump-appeals-travel-ban-case-to-supreme-court

Quinta Jurecic, “A New Jurisprudence for an Oathless Presidency,” Lawfare, June 2, 2017, https://www.lawfareblog.com/new-jurisprudence-oathless-presidency

Marty Lederman, “A simple reason to deny cert. in Trump v. IRAP: because the entry ban expires in 12 days, anyway,” Just Security, June 2, 2017, https://www.justsecurity.org/41627/simple-reason-deny-cert-entry-ban-expires-12-days/


Antarctica

Chris Mooney, “A huge crack across one of Antarctica’s largest ice shelves is nearing its breaking point,” Washington Post, May 31, 2017, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/05/31/as-trump-mulls-paris-climate-deal-antarctica-could-soon-break-off-a-delaware-sized-iceberg/

  1. [1]Amy Harder, “Why Trump is pulling out of the Paris climate deal,” Axios, May 31, 2017, https://www.axios.com/scoop-trump-is-pulling-u-s-out-of-paris-climate-deal-2427773025.html; Shane Savitsky, “Trump’s plan to withdraw from Paris climate deal,” Axios, June 1, 2017, https://www.axios.com/scoop-trump-is-pulling-u-s-out-of-paris-climate-deal-2427773025.html; Jonathan Swan, “Scoop: Trump is pulling U.S. out of Paris climate deal,” Axios, May 31, 2017, https://www.axios.com/scoop-trump-is-pulling-u-s-out-of-paris-climate-deal-2427773025.html; Shannon Vavra, “White House talking points on Paris withdrawal,” Axios, June 1, 2017, https://www.axios.com/scoop-trump-is-pulling-u-s-out-of-paris-climate-deal-2427773025.html
  2. [2]Timothy Cama and Devin Henry, Trump: We are getting out of Paris climate deal,” Hill, June 1, 2017, http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/335955-trump-pulls-us-out-of-paris-climate-deal; Kevin Liptak and Jim Acosta, “Trump on Paris accord: ‘We’re getting out,’” CNN, June 2, 2017, http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/01/politics/trump-paris-climate-decision/index.html
  3. [3]Brooke Seipel, “Trump appeals travel ban case to Supreme Court,” Hill, June 1, 2017, http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/336039-trump-appeals-travel-ban-case-to-supreme-court
  4. [4]Chris Mooney, “A huge crack across one of Antarctica’s largest ice shelves is nearing its breaking point,” Washington Post, May 31, 2017, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/05/31/as-trump-mulls-paris-climate-deal-antarctica-could-soon-break-off-a-delaware-sized-iceberg/
  5. [5]Quinta Jurecic, “A New Jurisprudence for an Oathless Presidency,” Lawfare, June 2, 2017, https://www.lawfareblog.com/new-jurisprudence-oathless-presidency
  6. [6]Marty Lederman, “A simple reason to deny cert. in Trump v. IRAP: because the entry ban expires in 12 days, anyway,” Just Security, June 2, 2017, https://www.justsecurity.org/41627/simple-reason-deny-cert-entry-ban-expires-12-days/
  7. [7]Errin Haines Whack and Dake Kang, “Pittsburgh to Trump: You don’t speak for us on climate,” Minneapolis Star-Tribune, June 2, 2017, http://www.startribune.com/pittsburgh-to-trump-you-don-t-speak-for-us-on-climate/425995473/
  8. [8]Greg Bensinger, “Uber Posts $708 Million Loss as Finance Head Leaves,” Wall Street Journal, June 1, 2017, https://www.wsj.com/articles/uber-posts-708-million-loss-as-finance-head-leaves-1496272500
  9. [9]David Benfell, “Conservative Views on Undocumented Migration” (doctoral dissertation, Saybrook, 2016). ProQuest (1765416126).
  10. [10]Kasia Anderson, “Pre-eminent Climate Scientist James Hansen Calls Paris Deal a ‘Fraud’; John Kerry Begs to Differ,” Truthdig, December 13, 2015, http://www.truthdig.com/eartotheground/item/preeminent_climate_scientist_calls_paris_deal_a_fraud_-_kerry_20151213
  11. [11]David Roberts, “No country on Earth is taking the 2 degree climate target seriously,” Vox, October 4, 2016, http://www.vox.com/2016/10/4/13118594/2-degrees-no-more-fossil-fuels
  12. [12]Arthur Neslen and Karl Mathiesen, “Paris climate pledges ‘will only delay dangerous warming by two years’,” Guardian, June 3, 2015, http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/jun/03/paris-climate-pledges-will-only-delay-dangerous-warming-by-two-years; Alissa J. Rubin and Elian Peltier, “Protesters Are in Agreement as Well: Pact Is Too Weak,” New York Times, December 12, 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/13/world/europe/climate-activists-gather-in-paris-to-protest-outcome-of-conference.html
  13. [13]Shane Savitsky, “What you need to know about climate change,” Axios, June 1, 2017, https://www.axios.com/scoop-trump-is-pulling-u-s-out-of-paris-climate-deal-2427773025.html
  14. [14]Shannon Vavra, “White House talking points on Paris withdrawal,” Axios, June 1, 2017, https://www.axios.com/scoop-trump-is-pulling-u-s-out-of-paris-climate-deal-2427773025.html

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