I look at Trump's firing of the Librarian of Congress, why the president appoints the Librarian, and where do we go next....

https://firstbranchforecast.substack.com/p/congresss-librarian-fired-by-the

From capitol hill to constitutional collapse — this week's newsletter covers the start of the leg branch approps process as big question marks surround whether appropriations matter at all. Plus, the Capitol Police's day before the committee and a round up of institutions caving to Trumpism.

(And yes, I use end-dashes when I write.)

https://firstbranchforecast.substack.com/p/from-capitol-hill-to-constitutional

If Senate Democrats wanted to fire Schumer as leader, how would they do it?

Here's how: https://firstbranchforecast.substack.com/i/159723790/pushing-schumer-out

This week I recounting the America First plan to undermine our democracy through control of the spending process and how it lines up with what's actually happening.

Let me know what you think.

https://substack.com/home/post/p-158747181

Trump just terminated the Open Government Federal Advisory Committee, on which I served as chair.

You can read my statement on this news here: https://americalabs.org/2025/02/25/statement-on-termination-of-open-government-federal-advisory-committee/

The Trump administration is moving ahead at warp speed with its endeavor to consolidate power in the hands of the White House. I've identified ten legislative provisions Congress should insist upon writing into law before striking any deals on appropriations or the debt ceiling.

https://firstbranchforecast.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/157462020/share-center

This morning I wrote about the rise of Caesarism, cataloging the Trump regime's transgression of the Constitution and dismantling of federal agencies.

Along the lines I touched upon Orwell, the French Republic, and the remaining bulwarks against authoritarianism.

https://firstbranchforecast.substack.com/p/the-rise-of-caesarism

I wrote about impoundment and Trump's "flood the zone" strategy to overwhelm democracy.

https://open.substack.com/pub/firstbranchforecast/p/go-impound-sand?r=3ogr42&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Plan ahead -- plan to join the Open Government Federal Advisory Committee for its 1pm ET 2/7/25 meeting.

On the agenda: presentations from civil society and the FOIA Advisory Committee.

Send comments to [email protected] or request to provide oral comments.

RSVP: https://gsa.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_9X8rLjypSC-cjmYMywyX6g

President Biden's pardons show he has no faith that the rule of law will hold. The last people left holding the line will be Republican elites who resist Trump.

Here's how we got here--and what's next.

https://open.substack.com/pub/firstbranchforecast/p/american-carnage?r=3ogr42&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true