Power Line

What impact do you think the death of Senator Lindsey Graham will have on South Carolina and national politics?

What should be the rules for deporting immigrants with criminal records, and how do we balance safety and fairness?

Every now and again, justice prevails. As John noted earlier, Tou Lue Vang, pardoned child rapist and Laotian national, has been deported: Some backstory here. There are a handful of southeast Asian men who arrived in Minnesota as refugees decades ago who went on to be convicted of serious felony crimes. As a result, they lost their legal immigration status and were ordered deported back to their home countries. But

What does the Supreme Court's decision about presidential power to fire officials mean for the independence of government agencies?

The Supreme Court on Monday cleared the way for President Trump to freely fire officials from the Federal Trade Commission and most — though not all — agencies that have long been politically independent. Why it matters: It is a historic unraveling for agencies that have long been shielded from politics. The ruling will vastly expand presidential power and influence. The big picture: The ruling overturns Humphrey's Executor, a nearly century-old precedent that says independent agency commissioners cannot be fired without specific cause. What they're saying: "If anything more is left of Humphrey's, we overrule it," Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the court. Trump celebrated the ruling on Truth Social, calling it a "BIG WIN" that confirmed he had the power to remove officials. "It is such an Honor to be the sitting President who won this Historic and Unprecedented Ruling, one of the most important ever given with respect to Presidential Powers." Yes, but: The 6–3 ruling came with a carve-out for the Federal Reserve, in line with earlier signals that Supreme Court sees the central bank in a different light. The ruling was released alongside a separate 5–4 decision blocking Trump from immediately firing Fed governor Lisa Cook.Roberts emphasized the ruling does not necessarily apply to the Federal Reserve, citing the central bank's "distinct historical tradition." Zoom out: The case centers on Trump's firing of two Democratic appointees, Rebecca Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya. Trump said that allowing Slaughter to remain at the regulatory agency would be "inconsistent with my Administration's policies," according to the letter that announced the firing. Zoom in: With no Democrats set to return to the Republican-led agency, regulatory decisions will be made without real pushback or checks within the building. Democrats had a minority at the FTC to start with, but historically, dissents from the minority over major decisions were a transparent way to peek into decision-m

What should voters consider when deciding on redistricting in Virginia?

If approved, the redistricting effort could deliver Democrats a 10-to-1 seat advantage in Virginia, which amounts to a net pickup of as many as four House seats

What factors contributed to the recent changes in Hungary's election outcomes?

The election defeat for Prime Minister Viktor Orban is less the result of an ideological shift in Hungary, and more the playing out of a fundamental rule of politics

What are the possible ways to address the issues of food and energy shortages in Cuba while considering citizens' rights to protest?

Authorities say a local communist party office was lit on fire during rare antigovernment demonstration on the island