The article argues that recent executive overreach and politicization have severely undermined established norms of U.S. civil-military relations. To restore professional standards, the incoming Congress must actively exercise its oversight powers, moving beyond mere criticism to demanding transparency in defense policy and personnel decisions. Key reforms include enforcing meritocratic promotion processes, requiring documented justification for senior officer removals, and preventing the partisan use of the military. These actions are crucial for bolstering public trust and ensuring the military remains a nonpartisan instrument of civilian control.
‘Title I for rich kids’ and other predictions for the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit
English Summary
The Federal Scholarship Tax Credit (FSTC) is analyzed as a highly regressive funding mechanism that risks exacerbating educational inequality by disproportionately benefiting affluent families and private schools. Key concerns include the lack of state control over scholarship granting organizations (SGOs)—which can discriminate—and the high potential for legal waste, fraud, and abuse due to the program's permissive structure. Policymatically, the report advises caution, noting that the FSTC's rollout will likely be marred by scandals, and suggests that the policy is vulnerable to future political backlash, potentially leading to repeal and replacement with a more flexible, equitable tax credit.
中文摘要
本報告分析了聯邦獎學金稅收抵免（FSTC），認為這是一種高度逆進的資金機制，可能因不成比例地使富裕家庭和私立學校受益，從而加劇教育不平等。主要擔憂包括：缺乏國家對獎學金頒發機構（SGOs）的控制權（這些機構可能存在歧視），以及由於計畫結構的寬鬆性，導致法律浪費、欺詐和濫用的高潛力。在政策層面，報告建議保持謹慎態度，指出FSTC的推行過程很可能充滿醜聞，並建議該政策容易受到未來政治反彈的影響，甚至可能導致廢除，並改為更具彈性、更公平的稅收抵免機制。
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