Democrats in Congress successfully leveraged the threat of a government shutdown to temporarily halt funding for the Department of Homeland Security, forcing a negotiation over the scope of ICE's deportation campaign. This represents a rare institutional check on executive power, using the power of the purse to constrain policy.
While President Trump has a mandate to address immigration, his administration's forceful tactics are losing public support and face legal challenges on constitutional grounds. This demonstrates that a perceived electoral mandate is not a blank check for any method of implementation, especially when tactics clash with public sentiment and legal norms.
Protests, like those in Minneapolis, are effective when they generate enough moral outrage to force action from leaders. They have a time limit; their purpose is not sustained demonstration but to create a crisis that people in power must resolve through policy, as seen with LBJ and the Civil Rights Act after Selma.
For over 20 years, BBC correspondent Mark Tully became known as the "Voice of India" because he reported on events the Indian government suppressed. His broadcasts, translated into local languages, provided a crucial alternative source of information for millions, highlighting the role of foreign journalism in informing citizens under repressive regimes.
Unlike predecessors who were revealed late, Kim Jong-un is publicly positioning his young daughter as successor. This early move, combined with North Korea's strong nuclear arsenal, suggests the regime feels secure from external threats and is now primarily focused on managing internal power dynamics and preventing a succession crisis.
The choice of venues for the public appearances of Kim Jong-un's daughter is highly deliberate. Her debut at a missile launch links her to military power, while her presence at the Grand Mausoleum connects her to the dynastic lineage, strategically reinforcing her legitimacy to rule by associating her with the regime's core pillars of power.