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.
Modernizing the Current Population Survey
English Summary
The BLS and Census Bureau are undertaking a major modernization of the Current Population Survey (CPS) to address declining survey response rates. The core change involves integrating a new Internet Self-Response (ISR) mode to complement traditional in-person and telephone interviews. This effort is crucial because the CPS serves as the principal federal indicator for the U.S. unemployment rate and overall labor force health. Successful modernization will ensure the continued availability of reliable, high-quality data, providing policymakers with accurate insights into the nation's economic and social well-being.
中文摘要
勞工統計局（BLS）與人口普查局正在對《當前人口調查》（CPS）進行重大現代化升級，以應對調查回覆率下降的問題。核心變革包括整合新的網路自助回覆（ISR）模式，作為補充傳統的實地和電話訪談方式。此項努力至關重要，因為CPS是美國衡量失業率和整體勞動力市場健康狀況的主要聯邦指標。成功的現代化將確保可靠、高品質數據的持續可用性，為政策制定者提供關於國家經濟和社會福祉的準確洞察。
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