Foundation

• Treat the Constitution as supreme law
• Map where powers are defined and capped
• Find the seams between branches

Legislative

• Pass federal laws through bicameral Congress
• Control budgets, spending, and oversight
• Confirm appointments and ratify treaties

Congress

• Note 100 senators, six-year terms
• Track 435 representatives by population
• Watch committee chairs and staffers

Executive

• Enforce laws under the President
• Command the military and set foreign policy
• Run fifteen departments and federal agencies

Judicial

• Interpret the Constitution and laws
• Review statutes and executive actions
• Strike laws as unconstitutional

Checks And Balances

• Pit each branch against the others
• Expect gridlock as a feature
• Exploit deadlock for leverage

Intel Angles

• Target staffers and budget analysts
• Track clearance holders in agencies
• Cultivate clerks and judicial nominees

The Long Game

• Influence courts over years, not days
• Follow how policy becomes action
• Map where classification lives