It's no secret that Donald Trump isn't the biggest fan of democracy. He's got a long track record of wannabe strongman actions. You know, totally normal things like throwing a military parade for his birthday and inciting a mob to storm the Capitol and attempt to overturn the results of a fair election.

I'm writing to you today on behalf of a dear friend of mine. He's furry, red, good with children, and can often be seen hanging out with a cranky garbage can, a very tall yellow feathered fellow, and a spooky accountant who sleeps for most of the day.

You see, my friend (let's call him Red) is a government employee. He, like hundreds of thousands of his fellow civil servants, has spent a lot of time since January worrying if his job, or even department, would still exist a week from now. He has watched as his friends at the Department of Education, USAID, and dozens of other government agencies had to pack up their desks.

“All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”

If you understand “all persons born or naturalized…” to mean exactly that, then you’re in good company. Four federal judges, two appointed by Republican presidents, have issued orders temporarily blocking this order on constitutional grounds and also, well, common sense.