SULTAN ERDOGAN.

April 16, 2017

Until today, Turkey had a parliamentary system in which the President shared power with a Prime Minister and legislature. With the country's constitutional referendum ending narrowly in favor of President Erdogan's sought after changes, however, Turkey's government will be rebalanced. When the changes kick in, the President will have executive influence over matters previously controlled by parliament and the judiciary, and he'll be allowed to seek two more terms in office. ​•

PREMATURE DETONATION.

April 16, 2017

North Korea tested a ballistic missile this weekend. Unlike other recent tests, this one was a failure. The weapon exploded soon after being launched. It did still have an affect, however. It stoked international tensions, drawing a strong verbal response from President Trump's National Security Advisor​, who vowed the United States would take all available non-military actions to combat North Korean posturing. •

DELOSS.

February 5, 2017

Betsy DeVoss's confirmation hearing is scheduled for Monday. And last week, she lost two crucial republican votes. If the current vote count holds, Vice President Pence may have to cast a tie breaking vote to have DeVoss confirmed as Education secretary. •

DOSVIDANIYA.

February 16, 2017

General Flynn, President Trump's National Security Advisor, resigned this week. His departure followed an FBI revelation that he had been dealing with Russian officials before taking office, which is illegal under the 1799 Logan Act. ​•

UNBANNED.

February 5, 2017

A Federal Judge based in Seattle suspended President Trump's immigration ban. The White House promised to fight the ruling. •

FIDUCIARY FOOL.

February 5, 2017

Last year, the Department of Labor announced a new standard for financial advisors, called the fiduciary rule. It was designed to better align the interests of investment advisors and their clients. On Friday, President Trump signed a memo to roll those protections back before they're implemented. Retirees beware. •

NINE DASHES.

February 2, 2017

China's sea power is growing. They have a new carrier on the water, and they're building more. Chinese companies now own large stakes in the fifteen top shipping companies. And China is strengthening ties with its neighbors, like the Philippines, to solidify their power in the South China Sea. For now, they're still surrounded by American naval bases. ​•

THE COURT.

February 1, 2017

Federal Appeals Court Judge Neil Gorsuch was nominated to fill Justice Scalia's vacant Supreme Court seat. Judge Gorsuch is a graduate of Columbia (BA), Harvard Law School (JD), and Oxford (Phd). Additionally, he is both a Truman and Marshall Scholar. He is an originalist and a textualist, meaning he believes the Constitution should be interpreted with the Framers' intent in mind and using the words of the document. •

DEREGULATION.

February 1, 2017

While most people still had their attention on President Trump's Executive Order and Supreme Court pick, Congress started on a path of deregulation. The House of Representatives recently undid a handful of environmental protections, including a regulations preventing coal waste dumping in waterways. •

PROTESTS.

February 2, 2017

This week, people across the country protested President Trump's travel ban. The White House and Department of Homeland Security defended the Executive Order, arguing that it is necessary and constitutional. But Democrats and protestors believe the order is at best immoral and at worst unconstitutional religious discrimination. ​•

TRADE.

February 2, 2017

Britain and the United States are expected to become closer trading partners following a meeting of Prime Minister Theresa May and President Donald Trump. Industries to watch include insurance, finance, and other services that can be provided remotely. ​•

DETENTE.

February 4, 2017

The Treasury Department lifted a handful of sanctions against Russia's spy agency, the Federal Security Service. The Treasury said the move is simply correcting a technical error. ​•