2026 1-06 Matters Of Democracy Venezuela; Trumponomics 2.0; J6th Anniversary; MN

recent major U.S. foreign and domestic policy developments under the Trump administration. The key findings are as follows:

1. Venezuela Military Intervention: The administration has conducted a military operation in Venezuela, resulting in the arrest of President Nicolas Maduro. This action is primarily interpreted as a warning to China against interference in Latin America. Domestically, the intervention lacks broad public support, shows no "rally 'round the flag" effect in polling, and threatens to divide the President's "America First" isolationist base. The stated economic rationale—revitalizing Venezuelan oil production for U.S. firms—is deemed largely unfeasible due to massive infrastructure costs and unfavorable market conditions.

2. "Trumponomics 2.0": The administration's economic policy is identified as a contradictory hybrid of "libertarian authoritarianism." This framework combines extensive pro-business deregulation and the dismantling of consumer and worker protections (libertarianism) with selective, arbitrary state intervention to reward allies and punish critics (authoritarianism). This approach abandons populist, pro-worker rhetoric in favor of policies that cater to corporations and the wealthy, while using state power for personal and ideological ends.

3. Contested Memory of January 6th: Five years after the event, a deep partisan battle persists over the memory and commemoration of the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. This conflict is encapsulated by the Republican House leadership's refusal to install a congressionally mandated bronze plaque honoring the law enforcement officers who defended the Capitol. Democrats view this obstruction as a deliberate effort to "rewrite history" in line with President Trump's narrative, while Republicans have dismissed the day's events and sought to block official memorials.