When your absence has the authority of your presence, that is power.

He has the moral authority to be able to enforce that. In the absence of this 14th Dalai Lama ... I think the picture would be much more uncertain.

PLENIPOTENTIARY, adj. Having full power. A Minister Plenipotentiary is a diplomatist possessing absolute authority on condition that he never exert it.

Oh, how hard it is to part with power! This one has to understand.

It may not be easy, in every possible case, to trace the line of separation between the rights of religion and the Civil authority with such distinctness as to avoid collisions and doubts on unessential points. The tendency to usurpation on one side or the other, or to a corrupting coalition or alliance between them, will be best guarded agst. by an entire abstinence of the Govt. from interference in any way whatsoever, beyond the necessity of preserving public order, and protecting each sect agst. trespasses on its legal rights by others.

[Letter to the Reverend Jasper Adams, January 1, 1832]

It is very seldom that the NTC has used its power and authority to close down radio stations and TV stations, only when the situation calls for it.