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.
When told to break the law, must feds just follow orders?
English Summary
The article argues that federal public servants possess clear legal rights to refuse unlawful orders, regardless of political disagreement, a protection enshrined in the "Follow the Rules Act." This law explicitly shields employees from disciplinary action when they disobey directives that violate federal law or regulations. The piece highlights that while the legal framework is robust, awareness among federal employees and the public is critically low. Consequently, the authors urge Congress, the media, and civil institutions to raise public awareness of these rights to empower civil servants and deter improper administrative or political pressure.
中文摘要
本文主張，聯邦公務人員在法律上擁有拒絕違法命令的明確權利，此權利不論是否涉及政治分歧，皆受到《遵循規則法案》（Follow the Rules Act）的保障。該法案明確保護公務人員，使其在不服從違反聯邦法律或規定的指令時，免受紀律處分。文章強調，儘管法律框架穩固，但聯邦員工和公眾對此的認知度卻極低。因此，作者敦促國會、媒體和民間機構提高公眾對這些權利的認識，以賦權公務人員，並遏止不當的行政或政治壓力。
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