On Hezbollah, Lebanon, and the risk of escalation

• Ryan C. Berg and Christopher Hernandez-Roy at Center for Strategic and International Studies analyze that Venezuela's recent elections showcased a blatant electoral theft by President Maduro, who manipulated election conditions, barred opposition candidates, and used repression to secure a disputed victory over Edmundo González.

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• The article asserts that the Maduro regime’s fraudulent actions, including blocking international observations and harassing opposition supporters, risk severe international isolation and a possible constitutional crisis if vote tabulations are not transparently released, undermining any claims to democratic legitimacy.

• Experts at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace argue that China's Third Plenum communiqué remains vague on demand-side measures, even though boosting consumption is widely seen as crucial for sustainable growth.

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• The analysis suggests that despite consensus on the need for stronger consumer demand, Beijing faces challenges in shifting from an investment-driven economy due to long-standing transfers that benefit manufacturing, infrastructure, and local governments at the expense of households.

• Ilya Somin at Cato Institute argues that supporting globalization and opposing world government are not contradictory positions because a world government could worsen voter ignorance, hinder foot voting, and potentially spiral into catastrophic authoritarianism.
• The article asserts that world government is unnecessary for solving global issues and could suppress beneficial diversity and competition between nations. Instead, voluntary cooperation among major powers can address international challenges effectively.

• Lindsey McLendon at Center for American Progress argues that Project 2025 aims to dismantle the U.S. system of checks and balances, granting politicians, judges, and corporations increased control over Americans' lives by enforcing extreme right-wing policies through the U.S. Department of Justice.
• The Center for American Progress asserts that Project 2025 would pressure local district attorneys to enforce severe abortion bans and other restrictive laws, exacerbating the maternal health crisis and reducing access to essential reproductive healthcare, particularly in states with already high maternal mortality rates.

• Elaine Kamarck at Brookings writes that in selecting Senator J.D. Vance as his running mate, Donald Trump aimed to solidify his hard-right agenda, emphasizing Vance's alignment with Trump's core messages and MAGA base.
• The article examines how Trump's choice of Vance follows the "reinforcing model" of vice-presidential selection, where the VP candidate strengthens the presidential candidate's message and governance, rather than providing a traditional ideological or geographic balance.