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.
The loss of the 2021 expanded Child Tax Credit deepened economic pessimism
English Summary
The Brookings analysis argues that the abrupt expiration of the expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC) was a primary driver of deepened economic pessimism among American families, contributing significantly to the 'vibecession' despite strong underlying economic indicators. Evidence shows that when the temporary benefit reverted in 2022, consumer sentiment dropped sharply, particularly for lower-income households and those with multiple children. This suggests that the loss of predictable income streams—not just general inflation—is a major factor undermining public confidence. Policymakers must recognize this 'cliff effect,' ensuring that any temporary or targeted economic support is evaluated not only during its active period but also considering the potential negative impact of its withdrawal.
中文摘要
布魯金斯的研究分析指出，擴大版子女稅收抵免（CTC）的突然終止，是加深美國家庭經濟悲觀情緒的主要驅動因素，即使在基礎經濟指標穩健的情況下，也顯著促成了所謂的「情緒性衰退」（vibecession）。證據顯示，當這項臨時福利於 2022 年恢復原狀時，消費者情緒急劇下降，尤其影響了低收入家庭和多子女家庭。這表明，預期收入來源的喪失——而非單純的普遍通膨——是削弱公眾信心的主要因素。政策制定者必須認識到這種「懸崖效應」，確保任何臨時或目標性的經濟支持，在評估時不僅要考慮其實施期間，更要評估其撤除可能帶來的潛在負面衝擊。
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