Congress, Courts & Chaos: How the Machine Keeps Turning—Even When It’s On Fire
- Win for congressional oversight: The Senate voted 52–48 to block Trump’s tariffs on Brazilian goods — a rare bipartisan slap to his emergency-powers trade tantrum.
- Loss for executive overreach: A federal judge disqualified Trump-appointed acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli from overseeing criminal cases after he overstayed the 120-day legal limit without Senate confirmation.
- Loss for judicial independence: Trump announced new judicial nominations in Texas, Arkansas, and Alaska — including one of his own former U.S. Attorneys — keeping his grip on the courts alive.
- Loss for congressional war powers: The Senate failed to pass a resolution requiring Trump to seek approval for military action against Iran, ceding yet another inch of authority.
- Executive overreach: Trump expanded military strikes on alleged “drug boats” without congressional authorization, leaning on “national security” as the all-purpose excuse.
- Systemic friction: Courts and congressional committees are flooded with lawsuits challenging Trump-era policies, revealing deep cracks in the constitutional system.
Featured Articles and Podcasts
- The Assault on the East Wing: Women Across America Have Had It — and He Knows It.
- Israel destroys non-existent ceasefire
- Nobody is Safe”: Rep. Jason Crow on Standing Up To Trump, Military Invasions, & More
Featured Resister: LittleSis.org
Meet Big Brother’s worst nightmare. LittleSis is a free database that maps the relationships between the rich, powerful, and corrupt—corporate execs, politicians, lobbyists, and think tank cronies. It’s like LinkedIn for oligarchs, but built by watchdogs with receipts. Perfect for connecting the dots between donors, fascists, and the policies they bought.
Today’s To-Do List
- Call your senators and demand stronger limits on unilateral presidential war powers.
- Push for full Senate confirmation of leadership positions — no more “acting” puppets.
- Research new federal judicial nominees in your state and spread the word about their records.
- Keep receipts on every “emergency” Trump invokes — they’re just excuses for power grabs.
- Boycott corporations profiting from war, tariffs, or privatized federal services.
- Post this reminder online: “Even when Congress wakes up, the courts still have to stay awake too.”
Featured Petitions
- Stop Trump from Deploying Troops in U.S. Cities
- Tell NBC and ABC: Don’t bow to Trump.
- Tell Pam Bondi: Stop Weaponizing the DOJ or Resign
Featured Easy to Send Letters
- Take Action: Investigate the Coverup at the Social Security Administration
- Tell Congress: Investigate Trump’s Revenge Committee
Final Rallying Call from Resistance Kitty
Trump’s chaos engine runs on exhaustion — of checks, balances, and the people who believe in them. Congress flexed a muscle this week, the judiciary pushed back on rogue appointees, and still the executive branch keeps clawing at the Constitution. Don’t let the machine grind unchallenged. Watch. Write. Resist. The gavel’s ours if we grab it first.
Sources
- Reuters — Trump to nominate new federal judges in Texas, Arkansas, and Alaska (Oct 28, 2025)
- The Guardian — US Senate passes bill to block Trump tariffs on Brazil (Oct 28, 2025)
- Associated Press — Court disqualifies Trump-appointed U.S. attorney from multiple criminal cases (Oct 28, 2025)
- Politico — Trump counts on public support for drug-boat strikes without congressional approval (Oct 28, 2025)
- Just Security — Tracker: Legal challenges to Trump administration executive actions (2025)