BRANCH 1: Council of Stewardship

Replaces: The U.S. Presidency (patriarchal single-executive model)

Structure: Seven rotating co-chairs, four-year terms (staggered), decisions require consensus of at least 5/7

Designated Seats:

Indigenous representative (rotated among tribal nations annually)
Labor organizations representative
Community care workers representative (childcare, elder care, disability care, and healthcare)
Environmental and ecosystem guardians representative
Arts, culture, and education sectors representative
Youth representative (under 35)
At-large representative

Patriarchal Model: Single president with unilateral powers (war, pardons, appointments, and executive orders)

Care-Based Model: No single person holds these powers; The Council acts collectively

Policies:

War Powers Restored to Legislative Assembly: Council cannot initiate military action without Legislative Assembly declaration (except immediate self-defense)
Collective Pardon Power: Requires 5/7 Council consensus;
- CANNOT Pardon:
  - Council members themselves
  - Family members of Council members
  - Co-conspirators in Council members' crimes
  - War criminals or crimes against humanity
Collective Appointments: Cabinet, judges, and agency heads require 5/7 Council consensus + Legislative Assembly confirmation
Limited Executive Orders: Can only execute laws Legislative Assembly passed, not create new policy unilaterally
Emergency Powers Constraints: Emergencies expire after 30 days unless Legislative Assembly votes to extend

Why This Works:

Distributes power that was concentrated in one person
Forces deliberation and consensus (care principle: decisions affecting millions require broad input)
Prevents authoritarian consolidation (can't have a Trump if there's no throne to occupy)

Care Principle: Federal workers serve the public, not political parties; competence matters more than loyalty

Policies:

BAN "Schedule F": Cannot reclassify civil servants as at-will employees
Merit System Protection: Civil servants can only be fired for cause (misconduct, poor performance), not politics
Whistleblower Protections: Criminal penalties (5-15 years prison) for retaliating against whistleblowers
Job Security During Transitions: New Council cannot mass-fire career experts

Implementation:

Independent Office of Merit System Protection (reports to Legislative Assembly, not Council)
Whistleblower hotline with guaranteed anonymity
Automatic investigations when civil servants are terminated during political transitions

Care Principle: Agencies regulating corporations shouldn't be controlled by politicians those corporations fund

Protected Agencies:

DOJ (Justice): Cannot be directed to prosecute/drop cases
EPA (Environmental Protection): Cannot be overruled on environmental science
FTC (Anti-Monopoly Enforcement): Independent authority
FCC (Communications): Independent media regulation
FEC (Election Enforcement): Independent campaign finance oversight
SEC (Securities): Independent financial regulation
NLRB (Labor Relations): Independent worker rights enforcement

Protection Mechanisms:

Commissioners serve fixed terms (cannot be fired by Council)
Dedicated funding (not subject to annual appropriations blackmail)
Public reporting (agencies publish enforcement data; citizens can sue if agencies fail to act)
Require Legislative Assembly supermajority (67%) to remove commissioners