The antechamber of the Mesquite Library in Phoenix, Ariz., is full of natural light and potted palms. Sporting a ball cap, Valerie Jones strides through, but turns back to give her opinion on library fines. Would a library without overdue book fines help her? “Yes!” 

On Nov. 14, 2017, Vice President Mike Pence hosted, at an afternoon meeting at the White House, an unusual gathering of top Trump officials. From New York he summoned then-UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, and from Washington international aid administrator Mark Green and budget director Mick Mulvaney, who today is President Donald Trump’s acting chief of staff.

Immigration officials have released dozens of the 680 people arrested Wednesday at Mississippi food plants. A large-scale raid targeted illegal immigrants at seven chicken processing facilities. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement said it would release detainees who met certain conditions such as pregnant women or those who hadn’t faced immigration proceedings previously.

The cover story in our last issue showed the dangers of socialism—but New York Times columnist Paul Krugman pooh-poohs the notion that American socialism could lead to “Soviet-style central planning, or Venezuela-style nationalization of industry; … there is essentially nobody in American political life who advocates such things. … Scaremongering over socialism is both silly and dishonest.”

Pity poor Michael Pompeo, our secretary of state. And while you’re at it, pity his boss, President Trump.

I don’t mean that altogether facetiously. With all the other issues the administration has to worry about, consider what it must be like to have to develop a coherent foreign policy in today’s fractured world.

For starters, tell me which is the tougher challenge: North Korea or Iran? Where do you apply the pressure points in such a confusing and inscrutable lineup? 

When I argue, as I have in this space for the last 25 years, that we evangelical Christians should seek to codify just as little of God’s law as possible, it’s easy to be misunderstood. So let me clarify.

I start with two main assumptions—one about God, and the other about human government.

Concerning God, we assume (because the Bible tells us so) that His main method of bringing human beings into compliance with His law is through the gracious work of His Spirit.

Attorney General William Barr on Wednesday said he is reviewing the origins of the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, stating he believed the U.S. government had spied on President Donald Trump’s campaign. “I think spying on a political campaign is a big deal,” Barr told senators at a budget hearing, adding he wanted to make sure proper procedures were followed.