4.30.25 Challenges to Trump’s executive orders, Australian elections, and life in America after fleeing Vietnam

Summary

The World and Everything In It – Episode 4.30.25 Summary

Release Date: April 30, 2025
Host: WORLD Radio (Lindsay Mast, Nick Eicher)

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1. Challenges to President Trump’s Executive Orders

Overview: In this segment, WORLD Radio delves into the complexities and legal challenges surrounding President Donald Trump's second term, focusing on his extensive use of executive orders and the resulting judicial pushback.

Key Points:

• President Trump’s Agenda and Judicial Response:
  Lindsay Mast opens by highlighting that "100 days into Trump 2.0 and many of his major policies are held up in court" (00:05). Kent Covington elaborates, noting, "Trump comes in with an agenda and then that leads to the courts coming in also fast" (00:11).

• Execution and Impact of Executive Orders:
  President Trump has signed nearly 140 executive orders in his first 100 days, aiming to scale back the federal government by cutting jobs, revoking funding, and imposing tariffs. While he touts successes such as reducing illegal border crossers (e.g., "The number of illegal border crossers released into the United States is down" 01:22), Democrats counter that his tariffs are exacerbating inflation and have labeled his first 100 days a "disaster" (01:34).

• Judicial Pushback and Impeachment Efforts:
  The administration faces significant judicial resistance, with over 200 lawsuits against its policies (02:05). Sri Thanadar, a Democratic congressman from Michigan, has taken steps to impeach President Trump for the third time, citing the wrongful deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia as an abuse of power (03:00). Janie B. Cheney emphasizes, "Garcia must be allowed to return and received due process" (03:40), while Kent Covington adds, "It's part of a dangerous, deliberate pattern" (03:50).

Notable Quotes:

• Janie B. Cheney: "This isn't an isolated incident" (03:40).
• Carolina Lumeta: "Democrats predict Trump's policies will hurt job growth" (03:02).

Legal Experts’ Insights:

• Ilya Shapiro, former Supreme Court clerk, and Lyle Weinberger, Stanford Law School fellow, discuss the aggressive nature of Trump's executive orders and the judiciary's role in restraining presidential overreach (08:37; 10:28). They highlight the issue of nationwide injunctions and the potential need for Supreme Court guidance on judicial authority.

Supreme Court Involvement: The Supreme Court has intervened in cases like Kilmar Abrego Garcia's deportation, ordering the administration to facilitate his return (15:05). Justice John Roberts has rebuked Trump's calls to impeach judges, underlining the judiciary's independence (15:38).

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2. Australian Elections and the Rise of Minor Parties

Overview: WORLD Radio shifts focus to Australia’s national elections happening on May 3rd, highlighting voter concerns and the significant rise of minor parties that could reshape the political landscape.

Key Points:

• Voter Concerns:
  Australians are primarily concerned about housing costs, energy shortages, and the rising cost of living (17:02). Amy Lewis reports that major parties propose costly subsidies and tax cuts, which may not effectively lower housing prices (19:40).

• Rise of Minor Parties:
  This election sees over 30 minor parties participating, increasing their influence and forcing major parties like Labour and Liberal to form coalitions (18:29). Lyle Shelton of the reformed minor party Family First discusses the opportunity for minor parties to impact policy and governance (19:24).

• Impact of Trump's Policies on Australian Politics:
  Peter Dutton, the Liberal leader, faced backlash after suggesting cuts to the Education Department, leading to comparisons with President Trump’s policies. Janie B. Cheney criticizes this approach, advocating for disruption to promote self-sufficiency (21:50).

Notable Quotes:

• Lyle Shelton: "For parties like us, I think there's a real opportunity" (19:07).
• Janie B. Cheney: "We can make Australia great again" (21:50).
• Amy Lewis: "Voters are concerned about extreme conservatism creeping into Australia" (22:54).

Candidate Perspectives:

• Christopher Broyear, Family First’s lead Senate candidate, emphasizes the need for energy independence and critiques renewable energy policies for increasing costs (20:03).
• Janie B. Cheney argues for leveraging Australia’s thermal power resources to reduce energy costs (20:17).

Electoral Trends: Early exit polls indicate a shift towards minor parties due to dissatisfaction with mainstream parties’ handling of economic issues, potentially altering the traditional two-party dominance (22:54).

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3. Life After Fleeing Vietnam: Hung Lee’s Story

Overview: WORLD Radio presents an inspiring personal narrative of Hung Lee, who fled Vietnam at the fall of Saigon, detailing his harrowing experiences and eventual reunion with his family in the United States.

Key Points:

• Evacuation from Saigon:
  In April 1975, as communist forces captured Saigon, Hung Lee, then 11, was sent alone by his parents to the U.S. under tragic circumstances—his parents had to sell possessions to buy him a plane ticket, "Mom didn't say, we are going. She said, you are going" (26:31).

• Struggles in America:
  Lee’s initial years in the U.S. were difficult. Living with an abusive cousin in Washington State, he faced both physical and emotional hardships, leading to a deep crisis of faith (27:35).

• Finding Faith and Reuniting with Family:
  Through a neighbor’s intervention, Lee was placed in a loving foster home, rediscovering his faith and eventually legalizing his immigration status. Years of separation ended when he reunited with his parents in Los Angeles in 1991, an event he describes as "God's perfect timing" (31:54).

Notable Quotes:

• Hung Lee: "Mulled, I have a noum about God that, you know, you're good, you're rewarded, you're bad, you're punished" (29:49).
• Hung Lee: "Whenever someone gives me a lead, I follow it. And I would tell my story to anyone who would listen." (30:52).

Emotional Journey: Lee recounts the trauma of his sister’s death during an attempted escape and his initial resentment towards God, which transforms into a deeper, more personal faith after finding solace and purpose in his newfound relationships and faith (28:17).

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4. The Cost of College: Janie B. Cheney’s Perspective

Overview: In a segment focused on education, world commentator Janie B. Cheney discusses the escalating costs of college and advocates for alternative paths for high school graduates.

Key Points:

• Rising Costs and Debt:
  With student loan debt reaching $1.7 trillion and a dropout rate of around 33%, Cheney argues that the traditional college path is becoming increasingly untenable for many (32:44).

• Alternative Pathways:
  Cheney suggests evaluating the long-term benefits versus costs of higher education. She recommends:

  1. Finding a Sweet Spot: Balancing personal interests with earning potential.
  2. Avoiding Debt: Attending community colleges or pursuing distance learning.
  3. Recognizing Diverse Gifts: Acknowledging that vocational training can be as fulfilling and financially viable as traditional degrees (32:44).

• Encouraging Practical Decisions:
  Emphasizing prayer and thoughtful consideration, Cheney encourages students to explore trades, apprenticeships, or entrepreneurial ventures as viable alternatives to college (32:44).

Notable Quotes:

• Janie B. Cheney: "If you hate school, why go?" (20:55).
• Arthur Brooks: "Find the sweet spot between interest and earning potential" (32:44).

Advice to Students: Cheney urges students and parents to have open conversations about career paths, leveraging the insights of mentors and community members to make informed decisions that align with individual talents and market demands (32:44).

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5. Miscellaneous Segments

Artificial Intelligence and Energy Consumption: In a lighter segment, WORLD Radio humorously explores how politeness to AI systems translates into significant energy usage. The discussion highlights OpenAI’s investment in making AI interactions more courteous, with CEO Sam Altman stating, "It's money well spent" (23:45).

Notable Quote:

• Nick Eicher: "Kindness is never wasted, even when measured in kilowatt hours." (24:18).

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Conclusion

This episode of The World and Everything In It offers a comprehensive look into the current political climate under President Trump’s administration, the evolving landscape of Australian politics, a deeply personal story of resilience and faith from a Vietnamese refugee, and critical insights into the future of education. Through engaging discussions, expert analysis, and heartfelt narratives, WORLD Radio provides listeners with a nuanced understanding of these pressing global and personal issues.

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Notable Timestamps Reference

1. 00:05 – Introduction to Trump’s first 100 days.
2. 00:11 – Kent Covington on Trump’s agenda.
3. 01:22 – Reduction in illegal border crossers.
4. 01:34 – Democrats’ critique of Trump’s tariffs.
5. 02:05 – Job market statistics under Trump.
6. 03:00 – Impeachment resolution by Sri Thanadar.
7. 03:40 – Cheney on due process for Garcia.
8. 03:50 – Pattern of deportations.
9. 08:37 – Legal strategies against executive orders.
10. 10:28 – Judicial overreach hearing.
11. 15:05 – Supreme Court on Garcia’s deportation.
12. 15:38 – Roberts’ rebuke of impeaching judges.
13. 17:02 – Australian election concerns.
14. 19:40 – Housing promises ineffective.
15. 18:29 – Pre-polling statistics.
16. 19:07 – Shelton on minor party opportunities.
17. 21:50 – Dutton compared to Trump.
18. 22:54 – Voter concerns in Australia.
19. 20:03 – Broyear on energy independence.
20. 20:17 – Cheney on thermal power.
21. 26:31 – Lee’s evacuation from Vietnam.
22. 27:35 – Abuse in foster care.
23. 31:54 – Reunion with family.
24. 29:49 – Lee’s crisis of faith.
25. 30:52 – Lee sharing his story.
26. 28:17 – Transition to foster care.
27. 32:44 – Cheney on college costs.
28. 20:55 – Cheney on education alternatives.
29. 23:45 – AI energy consumption humor.
30. 24:18 – Eicher on AI kindness.

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For further information and detailed insights, listeners are encouraged to tune into the full episode of "The World and Everything In It" on Apple Podcasts or visit WORLD Radio’s official website.

Transcript

[Lindsay Mast]

Good morning. 100 days into Trump 2.0 and many of his major policies are held up in court.

[Kent Covington]

Trump comes in with an agenda and then that leads to the courts coming in also fast.

[Nick Eicher]

That's ahead today on Washington Wednesday. Also today, world tour and one man's story on the 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon.

[Kent Covington]

I remember mom didn't say we are going, said you are going.

[Nick Eicher]

And world commentator Janie B. Cheney says some high school grads ought to think beyond College.

[Lindsay Mast]

It's Wednesday, April 30th. This is the world and everything in it from listener supported World Radio. I'm Lindsay Mast.

[Nick Eicher]

And I'm Nick Icker. Good morning.

[Lindsay Mast]

Up next, Kent Covington has today's news.

[Nick Eicher]

Hello, Michigan.

[Carolina Lumeta]

President Trump last night marking 100 days in office with a rally in suburban Detroit. He called the opening months of his second term, quote, a revolution of common sense. And the president touted what he views as major early victories, starting with the southern border.

[Kent Covington]

The number of illegal border crossers released into the United States is down.

[Janie B. Cheney]

Listen to this blaze, 99.999%.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Trump disputed headlines saying prices are rising, noting that energy and gas prices are down. Democrats say Trump's tariffs are fueling inflation. They called his first 100 days a disaster. The president also said his trade tariffs will protect autoworkers, in his words, putting Michigan and America first rather than China. But he also signed an executive order Tuesday partially relaxing his 25% tariff on vehicles and auto parts. Treasury Secretary Scott Besant told reporters the.

[Kent Covington]

President has met with domestic auto manufacturers, he's met with foreign auto manufacturers, and he wants to make the US the best destination for auto manufacturing.

[Carolina Lumeta]

The president's order offers refunds on imported parts and incentives for U.S. production. Secretary Besant also told White House reporters that trade talks are ongoing with numerous countries with a focus right now on Asian partners. He noted progress with India, South Korea and Japan. The Labor Department says there were fewer help wanted signs in business windows last month as compared to February. There were about 7.2 million job openings at the end of March. That was down by roughly 290,000 month to month. However, overall layoffs declined by more than 220,000. And the White House says more jobs are on the way. Press Secretary Caroline Levitt so far, total.

[Amy Lewis]

Investment commitments under the Trump administration have.

[Kent Covington]

Reached more than $5 trillion.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Democrats predict Trump's policies will hurt job growth. But whatever happens going forward, at least for now, the latest numbers seem to show a stable job market. On Capitol Hill, a Democratic congressman has officially taken the first step toward impeaching President Trump for a third time. Sri Thanadar of Michigan has filed an impeachment resolution against the president, accusing him of abusing his power. He pointed specifically to the deportation of a man from El Salvador, Kilmar Abrego Garcia.

[Kent Covington]

The court said the wrongfully deported Kilmer.

[Janie B. Cheney]

Garcia must be allowed to return and received due process.

[Kent Covington]

Trump ignored it. He ignored the Constitution.

[Janie B. Cheney]

This isn't an isolated incident.

[Kent Covington]

It's part of a dangerous, deliberate pattern.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Trump administration officials said Garcia was mistakenly deported due to a clerical error. They also assert that he has links to a dangerous Salvadoran gang. But there is no evidence that President Trump ordered or was directly involved in Garcia's deportation. Democrats impeached Trump twice during his first term, but this effort is expected to go nowhere fast in the now Republican controlled House. The Trump administration is not impressed by Russia's announcement of a planned three day unilateral cease fire. Vladimir Putin says his forces will halt attacks on Ukraine from May 8th through the 10th to mark the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany's surrender to Europe in World War II. But State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told.

[Tammy Bruce]

Reporters what they've been working toward is a ceasefire. A complete, full, durable ceasefire, right? Not a three day moment so you can celebrate something else. A complete, durable ceasefire and an end to the conflict.

[Carolina Lumeta]

And Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he believes Russia is preparing to ramp up its assault on Ukraine.

[Kent Covington]

Look at Belarus. Russia is preparing something there this summer.

[Janie B. Cheney]

Using military drills as cover and that's.

[Tammy Bruce]

Usually how they start a new attack.

[Janie B. Cheney]

But where will it go? I don't know.

[Kent Covington]

Ukraine, Lithuania, Poland?

[Tammy Bruce]

God bless.

[Janie B. Cheney]

No, but we all need to be. We all need to be ready.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Trump administration officials say if they do not see progress toward a ceasefire soon, the US May withdraw from negotiations altogether. Police in Illinois say a deadly crash that killed several children on Monday does not appear to have been a targeted attack. Three young children and an 18 year old woman were killed. Six others were hospitalized. Chatham Deputy Police Chief Scott Tarter A vehicle drove into the east side of the building. The vehicle struck multiple persons outside of.

[Nick Eicher]

The building before continuing through the building.

[Carolina Lumeta]

And exiting out on the west side of the building. A 44 year old woman was reportedly behind the wheel and appeared to make no attempt to slow down or change direction. She was unharmed but taken to a hospital for evaluation. Authorities said Tuesday that toxicology reports were pending. Chatham police said in a social media post. If you believe in the power of prayer, please take a moment to pray for the entire Chatham community. I'm Kent Covington. And straight ahead, the ongoing conflict between the White House and federal judges, plus one man's mission to reunite his family after the fall of Saigon. This is the WORLD and Everything in it.

[Nick Eicher]

It's Wednesday, the 30th of April. Glad to have you along for today's edition of the World and Everything In It. Good morning. I'm Nick Icar.

[Lindsay Mast]

And I'm Lindsay Mast. Time now for Washington Wednesday. In 1933, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt addressed the nation and came up with a measure of progress still in use today. The first 100 days reenactment. Audio here from Librivox.

[Kent Covington]

I think that we all wanted the opportunity of a little quiet thought to examine and assimilate in a mental picture the crowding events of the Hundred Days, which had been devoted to the starting of the wheels of the New Deal.

[Nick Eicher]

FDR kicked off his presidency by calling Congress in for a three month special session. He signed 15 bills into law and issued 99 executive orders. Ever since, presidents have been measured against that rapid start. But different presidents bring different priorities. FDR was about expanding government. President Donald Trump is using his second first 100 days to scale it back.

[Lindsay Mast]

As of today, Trump has signed nearly 140 executive orders, cut federal jobs, revoked funding and closed offices. He's also ramped up deportations of illegal aliens and imposed tariffs. But in 100 days, he's found himself tangled up by some 200 lawsuits, prompting a debate over the separation of powers. Here's World's Washington Bureau reporter Carolina Lumeta.

[Ilya Shapiro]

President Trump's executive actions have reduced and reshaped the federal government, but much on his to do list is tied up in the courts.

[Kent Covington]

In a 7:2 decision, justices temporarily blocked.

[Lindsay Mast]

The deportation of Venezuelan men held by.

[Tammy Bruce]

Immigration officials in North Texas, another move facing legal backlash, the administration's federal grant freeze. The order resulted in two lawsuits and was temporarily blocked just moments before it was set to go into effect.

[Kent Covington]

And President Trump is criticizing activists and judges who he says are trying to stop his efforts to investigate fraud, waste and abuse.

[Ilya Shapiro]

District judges across the country have issued either nationwide injunctions or temporary restraining orders to block the administration's changes while legal challenges play out in court. Lyle Weinberger, a lawyer in Washington and a fellow at Stanford Law School, says the second Trump administration has been more strategic and fast paced than the first.

[Kent Covington]

Well, I think it's certainly beyond doubt that these are legally aggressive executive orders. And exactly where that line is between legally aggressive and legally specious is going to be very divisive among many lawyers that I know and legal academics.

[Ilya Shapiro]

Judicial injunctions have been an obstacle for several administrations. Former President Barack Obama complained when courts blocked his plan to expand the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program, and judges issued 14 universal injunctions on policies from former President Joe Biden. Now, with at least 15 nationwide injunctions against the Trump administration, Republicans are looking for ways to rein in district judges.

[Kent Covington]

We are here today because a major.

[Janie B. Cheney]

Malfunction in the federal judiciary has been recognized by both Republicans and Democrats.

[Ilya Shapiro]

A House Judiciary subcommittee held a hearing earlier this month on judicial overreach. Chairman Darrell Issa of California said that the judges issuing injunctions are activists usurping presidential power.

[Kent Covington]

These rogue judge rulings are a new resistance to the Trump administration and the only time in which judges in robes in this number have felt it necessary to participate in the political process rather than participate in the Article three powers given to them both by the Constitution and by statute.

[Ilya Shapiro]

The House passed isa's bill to restrain district judges ability to issue nationwide injunctions. Were it to become law, the judges would only have authority to issue an injunction for their jurisdiction or plaintiff. Legal experts say this is an area that could use some direction from the Supreme Court.

[Lyle Weinberger]

Trump has faced more judicial action against him, more temporary restraining orders, injunctions than any other president in the first hundred days.

[Ilya Shapiro]

Ilya Shapiro is a former Supreme Court clerk and the director of constitutional studies at the Manhattan Institute.

[Lyle Weinberger]

A large part of that is judges going beyond their remit. Part of that is the Supreme Court simply not giving guidance to lower courts.

[Ilya Shapiro]

Lower courts typically use an injunction to preserve the status quo while the case is being decided. But injunctions are subject to appeal, which has flooded the appellate courts with cases. Some judges have instead opted for temporary restraining orders to halt the Trump administration. These orders cannot be appealed, but there.

[Lyle Weinberger]

Needs to be a standardized situation there also to deal with the forum shopping that we've seen from presidents of both parties. So when when a Democrat's in the White House, challengers file in Texas. When a Republican's in the White House, they file in Boston or Seattle or.

[Ilya Shapiro]

D.C. other legal experts disagree that the courts are the problem here. During the House hearing, University of Pennsylvania professor Kate Shaw argued that Trump is receiving so much pushback from the courts because his actions are illegal.

[Lindsay Mast]

The lawsuits have been brought and have overwhelmingly succeeded because many of the challenged actions have been taken without regard for, and often with outright contempt for both statutes and the Constitution.

[Ilya Shapiro]

Many of the executive orders have simply reversed Biden administration orders. But Others drastically change the nation's domestic and foreign policy. This includes closing USAID and imposing tariffs that Shah argued infringes on Congress's responsibility.

[Lindsay Mast]

If President Trump wished to reshape or even eliminate many federal agencies, or dramatically reduce government expenditures on foreign aid, or eliminate job protections for federal workers, or roll back federal privacy protections, working with his many allies in Congress, including those on this committee, was the constitutionally permissible way to do that. Instead, he has ignored the laws passed by Congress and the constitutional rules that give Congress primacy in lawmaking.

[Ilya Shapiro]

Take immigration policy, for example. President Trump campaigned on enforcing the laws on the books in order to secure the border and deport illegal immigrants. But it's hard to do that and meet due process requirements if 15 million immigrants need separate hearings. Here's Weinberger again.

[Kent Covington]

The entire major plank of Trump's policy agenda will then be bogged down in years of individualized litigation. So I think how to work through both of these understandable issues is one of the big challenges for the courts dealing with the illegal immigration deportations.

[Ilya Shapiro]

Last month, Trump invoked the Alien Enemies act to deport hundreds of illegal immigrants without court hearings. But a man named Kilmar Abrego Garcia had already received an order saying he could be deported, but not to his home country of El Salvador. Immigration officials missed that detail when they loaded Abrego Garcia onto a plane to Central America. Washington, D.C. judge James Boasberg ordered the Trump administration to halt deportation flights and return Abrego Garcia. The White House said it could not comply because the plane was no longer in the United States. Instead, President Trump attacked the judge's decision. Here he is on Fox News.

[Lindsay Mast]

However, we have bad judges.

[Kent Covington]

We have very bad judges, and these are judges that shouldn't be allowed. I think at a certain point you have to start looking at what do you do when you have a rogue judge.

[Ilya Shapiro]

The Supreme Court weighed in on Boasberg's decision and ordered the Trump administration to facilitate Abrego Garcia's return. The Trump administration has argued that there is no definition for facilitation and that they are not asking El Salvador for Abrego Garcia's release. Constitutional scholar Shapiro says disagreeing with judges is one thing, but attacking their decisions is another.

[Lyle Weinberger]

This attacking individual judges, even if it's unseemly, politicians do it. Somewhat different is the administration's kind of public relations, but in terms of the PR messaging, it was mocking the order a little bit. So the that I wouldn't advise as good legal strategy because the Supreme Court, I think, trusts the administration less than it did 50 days ago or at the beginning of this second Trump administration.

[Ilya Shapiro]

Trump's call for impeaching judges drew a rare written rebuke from Supreme Court Justice John Roberts. The issue could come to a head next month when the Supreme Court hears a case about an injunction blocking Trump's executive order to end birthright citizenship for children of illegal immigrants. While it might not rule on the merits about citizenship, the court consolidated decisions by three districts that all issued injunctions on Trump's order. The question at hand how should lower courts use injunctions?

[Lyle Weinberger]

I'm hoping that finally the justices are going to be giving guidance and reining in the lower courts.

[Ilya Shapiro]

Reporting for World I'm Carolina Lumeta.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Additional support comes from Eyewitness, an immersive audio drama exploring stories of faith and transformation on podcast apps or at the letter I witnesspod.com from the crossway Podcast thoughtful interviews with authors on topics related to the Bible, theology and the Christian Life. Crossway.org podcast and from Dort University, offering fast track ag degrees to help graduates make an impact in agriculture sooner.

[Lindsay Mast]

Dort Eduardo Next up, elections in Australia. Voters there head to the polls May 3rd to choose their next national leaders. Top concerns are housing costs, energy shortages and the rising cost of living.

[Nick Eicher]

But this election is not just a battle between major parties. Smaller parties are gaining ground and in a way that could reshape the political landscape. World reporter Amy Lewis brings us this week's World Tours Special report.

[Amy Lewis]

Australians vote on election day because they have to. They exit the polling place and buy a sausage at the fundraising booth because they want to every time there's an election. Australians love to give themselves a little treaty for voting, and that is called the democracy sausage. It's just a sausage and bread. You can have onions, you can whatever, but no one wants to know how the sausage is made. We're pretty happy to have others slog through government for us as our representatives. That's why we elect politicians. Australia's election day is Saturday, May 3. But this year many Australians are forgoing the election day democracy sausage by voting early.

[Lindsay Mast]

More than half a million people across the country cast their ballot on day one of pre polling, smashing the last election record by 70%.

[Amy Lewis]

All 150 representative seats and more than half of the senators seats are up for grabs. This year, voters write a number next to the parties on the ballot in order of their preference. Twenty years ago, most major party politicians were elected because voters put a 1 next to their party name on the ballot. By 2022, that was rarely the case because voters more often voted first for minor parties. This year, more than 30 minor parties have candidates running in the federal election. That means minor parties will likely hold more sway on contentious issues as Labour and Liberal are forced to form coalitions and alliances.

[Kent Covington]

You know, for parties like us, I think there's a real opportunity.

[Amy Lewis]

That's Lyle Shelton. He was World Magazine's 2016 Daniel of the Year for his work with the Australian Christian lobby. Now he's running for the National Senate from New South Wales for a newly reformed minor party called Family First. A few months ago, his party picked up 4.3% in a local election.

[Kent Covington]

That might not sound a lot, but for a minor party like us, that's just getting going again. That's actually very, very good.

[Amy Lewis]

Since the last federal election, in 2022, costs have increased in Australia, but wages have not. Groceries jumped 11% and house prices grew by 39%.

[Janie B. Cheney]

When we were married, the house that we bought was three times my annual salary.

[Amy Lewis]

Christopher Broyear is Family First's lead Senate candidate from South Australia.

[Janie B. Cheney]

My son is a lawyer, and if he was to buy that same house, he would have to spend about 10 times his annual salary, at least.

[Amy Lewis]

The major parties have made housing promises in the form of subsidies and tax cuts that would cost billions of dollars but still leave housing prices high. Broyer is pushing for lower energy prices since that will help lower the cost of everything.

[Janie B. Cheney]

Because of the push to renewables, we have deliberately increased the cost of power. So we are saying we have to turn back from that and use the abundant thermal power that we have in this country, which would make it a lot cheaper. Coal, gas and nuclear.

[Amy Lewis]

Voters and candidates alike are talking a lot about financial issues. Breuer says the major and minor party candidates are avoiding the elephant in the room. Gender confusion.

[Janie B. Cheney]

So cost of living affects everybody, but the gender issue cuts across the whole community and we're the only ones who are upfront talking about that.

[Amy Lewis]

In a related issue, Shelton says freedom of speech and freedom of religion are under fire. For the past six years, Shelton has fought ongoing litigation from two drag queens doing library Story Times. They objected to his statement that nothing sexual should ever be near children. The drag queen's lawyers are paid for with taxpayer dollars. Shelton's are not. And he's not the only Christian in court on LGBT related hate speech issues.

[Kent Covington]

And so freedom of speech, freedom of religion, faith based schools, their ability to employ staff who share the ethos of the parent community, those things are very much under threat.

[Amy Lewis]

US President Donald Trump's Tariff policies and Doge cuts have affected Australians view of what change looks like. Early polls showed Liberal leader Peter Dutton squeaking out a victory until he suggested cutting the Education Department. Then his colleague Jacinta Price used a phrase the media latched onto.

[Janie B. Cheney]

We can make Australia great again.

[Amy Lewis]

Pundits started comparing Dutton to President Trump.

[Kent Covington]

I think it spooked a lot of Australians because Australians, you know, they like Steady as She Goes. So I think it's probably, you know, backfired a little bit for the Conservatives here in Australia.

[Amy Lewis]

Brohir doesn't see that as all bad.

[Janie B. Cheney]

What's happening in America is good in my submission because it's disruptive and we have to think the world is not a stable place. We have to stand on our own two feet.

[Amy Lewis]

For Broyer, that includes energy independence.

[Janie B. Cheney]

So we extract coal, sell it to China, which then uses our coal to build wind turbines and then sells the wind turbines back to us and we think we're doing a good thing.

[Amy Lewis]

Shazen describes labor and Liberal party leaders as weak and woke men who aren't willing to tackle the big challenges Australia faces.

[Kent Covington]

I think if Australians had leaders who had some courage, I think mainstream Australians would respond very well.

[Amy Lewis]

Early voting exit polls show voters are concerned about extreme conservatism creeping into Australia. That will affect the moderately conservative Liberal Party vote and drive minor parties forward. The Prime Minister might not come from a minor party this year, but the prevalence of minor parties could change the makeup of the democracy sausages. Reporting for World, I'm Amy Lewis.

[Nick Eicher]

Well, they say good manners cost nothing, but is that always true? This is from an educational film for high schoolers in the 50s.

[Kent Covington]

Yes, your manners are showing all day long. All along the way, your manners leave their mark.

[Nick Eicher]

But when it comes to artificial intelligence, manners apparently are leaving a mark. Mark on AI companies energy bills. AI requires enormous processing power. That in turn means enormous amounts of electricity. And when people speak kindly to AI, AI is programmed to return the favor.

[Tammy Bruce]

May I please.

[Kent Covington]

Thank you. These are words of respect, words that make day to day living go smoothly.

[Nick Eicher]

All right, let's tally it up. How much does OpenAI spend powering politeness? CEO Sam Altman puts the figure in the tens of millions, but says it's money well spent before adding, you never know. So whatever that means, I think we can still say kindness is never wasted, even when measured in kilowatt hours. It's the world and everything in it.

[Lindsay Mast]

Today is Wednesday, April 30th. Thank you for turning to World Radio to help start your day. Good morning. I'm Lindsay Mast.

[Nick Eicher]

And I'm Nick Eicher. Next up on the World and everything in it, finding family. Fifty years ago, communist forces of the Northern Vietnamese army captured the South Vietnamese capital. The fall of Saigon effectively ended the war.

[Lindsay Mast]

In the weeks leading up to it, thousands of South Vietnamese citizens evacuated. 11 year old Hung Lee was one of them. Now he's 61 and says the experience shaped his life and faith. World reporter Ginny Ruff brings us his story.

[Ginny Ruff]

Hung Lee loved to play America. As a boy, he imagined his entire family in a big house and piles of snow. Something he'd only seen in pictures.

[Kent Covington]

We knew about America because of the American soldiers who lived around us and near us. They were our heroes. I loved them.

[Ginny Ruff]

Lee and his seven siblings grew up Catholic outside Saigon during the Vietnam War. Each family member had a war bag, a suitcase of important papers, photos and other necessities.

[Kent Covington]

If the war ever reached us, we would take the bag and run. To where, I don't know.

[Ginny Ruff]

As the North Vietnamese army drew closer, Vietnamese citizens scrambled to evacuate.

[Kent Covington]

Hundreds scrambled in panic onto any boats they could reach, not caring how they got aboard or what they left behind.

[Ginny Ruff]

Lee's cousin had been given plane tickets to America for his family. His son had died at birth and the death had never been declared, so he had an extra. Lee's parents sold all they could to buy that ticket.

[Kent Covington]

Mom didn't say, we are going. In my games, in my imagination, it was all of us going together. She said, you are going. My first response was, no, I'm not going.

[Ginny Ruff]

Lee was 11 the day his parents sent him off on the back of a motorcycle. Without them.

[Kent Covington]

He handed me my little suitcase and I hopped on his motorcycle and I turned around and. And I saw my dad weeping at.

[Ginny Ruff]

A refugee camp two weeks later, Lee saw a notice.

[Kent Covington]

Saigon has fallen. The city of Saigon was renamed today.

[Carolina Lumeta]

By the Viet Cong.

[Kent Covington]

Ho Chi Minh City. Communist tank broke the gate at the.

[Carolina Lumeta]

President's palace in Saigon.

[Kent Covington]

And at that moment I remember thinking, oh no. I felt really alone. There was now a wall between me and my family.

[Ginny Ruff]

Eventually, Lee moved to Washington State. He knew three English words, yes, no and bus. Life in America wasn't as he imagined. Living with his cousin was harsh.

[Kent Covington]

He was very abusive. I would have bruises all over. He basically said, if you say anything, he said, I can report you because you're here illegally and you will be deported.

[Ginny Ruff]

Lee kept silent. He had a job to do.

[Kent Covington]

I had to rescue my family. And so imagine 11, 12, 13 year old having this weight. I really believe that Somehow I was earning some goodness points, that God would somehow redeem this pain by bringing my family over.

[Ginny Ruff]

When a neighbor discovered the abuse, she took him in as a foster son.

[Kent Covington]

And they were this incredible, loving family. It's like literally going from hell to heaven.

[Ginny Ruff]

Life stabilized. He got a pet goldfish, learned to ride a bike. His foster family helped straighten out his paperwork and legalize his immigration. They also tracked down his family in Vietnam. Family letters were confiscated, so Lee had to write his sister as a friend.

[Kent Covington]

And I found out that my dad had been captured and put in a re education camp.

[Ginny Ruff]

If Lee's dad wanted to be released, he had to join the Communist Party and denounce his faith. He refused and remained in the camp. Meanwhile, Lee's sister planned to sneak out of the country by boat. He was terrified, and his worst nightmare came true. Pirates seized the boat.

[Kent Covington]

They stole everything. They harmed the women, and they took water. They took all the supplies. And she went for several days without water.

[Ginny Ruff]

She begged and begged for a drink. Finally, someone gave her water. But the water had come from the engine. The acid ate through her stomach lining, and she died.

[Kent Covington]

I remember just crumpling and going to my room and just screaming. I sobbed all night. I was in so much pain that night. Just physical pain. I remember touching my hair and it hurt. I just. Everything in me just hurt.

[Ginny Ruff]

Lee woke up angry at everyone, especially God.

[Kent Covington]

I had this notion about God that, you know, you're good, you're rewarded, you're bad, you're punished. And so what did I do that was so bad that you would kill my sister over it?

[Ginny Ruff]

He lost his taste for food, for school, for everything. Oddly, Lee's atheist friend encouraged him to rethink his faith. He'd been going to a Presbyterian church with his foster family. That night, Li uttered an honest prayer.

[Kent Covington]

I felt like God was okay with me questioning him, and he was okay with me saying, I'm really mad at you, and that I didn't have to earn his love.

[Ginny Ruff]

It was the beginning of a new relationship, less transactional and more relational. He bought a Bible at a garage sale for a dollar and read it cover to cover. His favorite passage, John 20, where Mary wept outside Jesus tomb, then heard him call her name. He was baptized his freshman year in college. Eventually he moved to New York to work as a consultant.

[Kent Covington]

Whenever someone gives me a lead, I follow it. And I would tell my story to anyone who would listen.

[Ginny Ruff]

That included a congressman who told Lee one of two things had to happen. Either an act of the government or a miracle. Of God. In 1989, the US implemented a change to the Orderly Departure Program, a resettlement plan for people from Vietnam. It added a special category for those who had been detained in a re education camp for three years or more. Like his dad, his stubborn faith kept.

[Kent Covington]

Him in jail for six years. You see, it was a miracle of.

[Ginny Ruff]

God and an act of government. Government both. In 1990, now married to his wife Corrine, the Lees moved to California. The following year, Lee drove to LAX to finally reunite with his parents and siblings. Arriving from Vietnam, the international terminal was jammed. He waded through the sea of noisy crowds, searching. And then suddenly he heard his mother's voice call his name.

[Kent Covington]

Hung It's God's perfect timing. And I'm just grateful. I'm so grateful.

[Ginny Ruff]

Reporting for World I'm Jenny Ruff.

[Nick Eicher]

Today is Wednesday, April 30th. Good morning. This is the world and everything in it. From listener supported World Radio, I'm Nick Iker.

[Lindsay Mast]

And I'm Lindsay Mast. High school graduations are right around the corner. And while many know what's next, world commentator Janie B. Cheney says college may not be for everyone.

[Tammy Bruce]

Like the weather, the increasing cost and declining value of college is a subject that gets talked about continually. And for all the talk, not much is being done about it. Rising costs seem as intractable as falling barometers. But when the barometric pressure breaks, nature takes its course. Lots of clouds, rain and wind, not to mention the joint pain and headaches for us older folks. Have we reached our breaking point with education? There's a storm brewing. With student loan debt at $1.7 trillion and rising, a dropout rate hovering around 33%, and graduates so burdened by debt they're delaying home ownership and family formation. Something needs to give. But as long as guidance counselors and university administrators talk up the necessity of college and the federal government doles out money for overvalued degrees, most middle class high school seniors will assume that any place you is their next stop. But before filling out that first loan application, teens and their parents should take time to think about the long term. The university is far too expensive to serve as a default plan or holding tank unless you cruise in on a full scholarship or your parents trust fund. Arthur Brooks has spent a lifetime studying human happiness. He delayed college until his late 20s and suggests three principles for deciding whether to pursue higher education. First, find the sweet spot between interest and earning potential. A course of study that will sustain your interest with the best prospects of paying off. Even if it's less than enchanting. Second, avoid debt as much as possible. This may mean attending community college for the first two years or taking advantage of distance learning. The traditional college experience of dorm life and sorority pledging in keg parties is overrated and may be too rich for your blood. Third, if you hate school, why go? God gives to some gifts of learning to others a capacity for serving to still others the skill of working with their hands. Plumbers and electricians make good money with just a few years of formal training and can still read Plato on the side if they want. Let's be honest, most 18 year olds don't have a career path firmly in mind. They might benefit from a gap year of minimum wage work and self directed study and, frankly, a lot more Prayer Christian young people shouldn't be making their next big move without pouring on the prayer. It's amazing how many of them do I know I didn't pray enough about it? Prayer and careful consideration might eliminate some pitfalls and bank account shortfalls. Kids in high school should be encouraged to read good books on vocation and calling, also to take advantage of a neglected resource. Other people, older friends, church leaders and extended family will often have valuable insights into a young person's gifts and abilities. Even strangers can help. A casual conversation at the ballpark or McDonald's could lead to what do you do? How did you get started with that? What do you like about it? These conversations may point to trade or vocational school as a better option. Young entrepreneurs might be better off apprenticing with a view to starting their own business someday. You won't avoid mistakes, but mistakes are built into the project of living. At least you can make them purposefully and have shelter when the storm front of unsustainable college finally breaks. I'm Janie Picchaney.

[Nick Eicher]

Tomorrow, how tariffs are affecting everyday Americans and Washington, D.C. is cracking down on homeless camps. A good start, but solving the problem will likely take more than cleaning up the streets. That and more tomorrow. I'm Nick Iger.

[Lindsay Mast]

And I'm Lindsay Mast. The world and everything in it comes to you from World Radio. World's mission is biblically objective journalism that informs, educates and inspires. The psalmist writes with my mouth I will give great thanks to the Lord. I will praise him in the midst of the throng, for he stands at the right hand of the needy one to save him from those who condemn his soul to death. Verses 30 and 31 of Psalm 109 go now in grace and peace.