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On the macro level, it is widely suspected that the reason Donald Trump is not in jail being held without bond is fear that prosecuting him would cause his followers to attempt to launch an all-out civil war.

On the micro level, we also have examples from the far-right of armed militiamen driving around armed in pickup trucks with bad/no tags and being left alone because cops don't want to get into a gunfight. Not all of that is from police sympathy for the militiamen, a healthy dose of not wanting to get shot is also involved.

Years ago in the 1990's all of DC's cops had to stay out a neighborhood in Anacostia after a 13 year old had been shot by a cop for allegedly trying to steal a car. Word on the street (presumed from the gangs) was that a cop had to pay for this in kind, a white cop was preferrred, but any cop would do. Cops had to wait for weeks for this to cool down before they dared show their faces again on that area. That actually made the radio and TV news.

All of this works the same way: raise the stakes until your opponent cannot stay in the game. Escalate until your opponent quits. Make yourself too expensive to fuck with. Those who know me know I've made it work for myself several times. You can do it too.