At the beginning of every week, I wonder if I’m going to find enough content to fill out this feature. So far, I get more than I can really include. Even in our sadly diminished media ecosystem, there’s still a lot of material worth checking out. And here we go…

“An enormously dangerous moment.” The latest edition of Mark Johnson’s “802 News” podcast is a short but brutally impactful interview with journalist and author Garrett Graff about the Trump administration so far. Graff outlines twin crises unfolding before our eyes: “A quick unraveling of many of the foundations of our smooth and functioning democracy and our smooth and functioning federal government.” Trump is undermining both, and either could lead us “toward a future catastrophe.” It’s well worth the 15 minutes. (Available on your podcast player of choice or via the WCAX-TV website.)

A Trump triple threat. The latest Montpelier Bridge contains not one, not two, but three articles describing the potentially devastating impacts of the Trump regime on the state and local levels. Matthew Thomas writes that Vermont is likely to see a two-thirds cut in flood relief funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fiona Sullivan reports on federal cuts in child care and food aid for schools, and Phil Dodd has what should be a positive story about a plan to convert the Washington County Mental Health Services building in Montpelier into affordable apartments — but the whole plan depends on securing federal grant funds. Extra bonus: WCMHS is also worried about potential federal cuts. This all underscores Garrett Graff’s second big point: “Americans really don’t understand the myriad ways the federal government underpins the safety, security and stability of our daily lives.” Trump fucks around, we find out.

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