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 paradox of unhappy growth: Is the US an outlier?
English Summary
The analysis highlights a paradox of "unhappy growth," finding that despite decades of high economic expansion, the U.S. has experienced a steady decline in subjective well-being, trust, and hope. This decline is not an isolated outlier but is structurally driven by eroding public trust in government and courts, exacerbated by political polarization and worsening income inequality. Policymakers must therefore shift focus from purely GDP metrics to addressing institutional decay and social cohesion, recognizing that sustainable national stability depends on rebuilding the social contract and equitable opportunity.
中文摘要
本分析指出一個「不快樂的成長」悖論：儘管美國數十年來經歷了高經濟擴張，但其主觀幸福感、信任度與希望感卻持續下降。這種衰退並非孤立的異常現象，而是由公共信任度對政府和司法機構的侵蝕所結構性驅動，而政治極化和日益惡化的收入不平等加劇了此趨勢。因此，政策制定者必須將焦點從單純的國內生產總值（GDP）指標，轉向解決制度衰退和提升社會凝聚力，認識到穩定的國家發展取決於重建社會契約和實現公平的機會。
Related Entries
-
1.
-
2.
The article argues that Donald Trump's unique and prolonged lame-duck period, coupled with domestic political pressures, makes him dangerously prone to international instability. Having exhausted major diplomatic gambits, Trump is expected to channel his energy into high-stakes, unilateral actions, primarily targeting adversaries such as Iran and Cuba. These potential actions—ranging from fresh strikes in the Persian Gulf to attempts at regime change—carry a significant risk of destabilizing regional security and triggering a global economic crisis. Policymakers must anticipate this pivot to high-risk foreign policy to mitigate potential international flare-ups.
-
3.
China's economic strategy is characterized by a persistent 'economics of denial,' prioritizing massive state-directed investment in advanced technology over addressing weak domestic consumption. This approach is rooted in a flawed belief that controlling physical capital will automatically generate productivity and wage growth, ignoring the structural imbalance where domestic demand consistently falls short of supply. This overinvestment and underconsumption model is unsustainable. Consequently, Beijing's policies will continue to generate global deflationary pressures and escalating trade friction, necessitating a fundamental pivot toward consumption-led growth for long-term stability.
-
4.
The publication argues that current efforts to improve the well-being of men and boys of color are too fragmented, failing to account for the structural linkages between systems like education, employment, and criminal justice. It proposes a new, holistic framework that traces how structural conditions flow through multiple domains to measurable outcomes, such as longevity. Key reasoning emphasizes the need to treat 'place' as a fundamental actor and to identify successful communities where these populations are already thriving. Policy implications require shifting away from individual-focused interventions toward developing structural, place-based agendas that address systemic inequities.
-
5.
The Blue Wave signals significant voter frustration with cost of living and inflation, giving Congress a mandate to prioritize affordability and cost-reduction measures. Economically, the rapid build-out of AI data centers is creating localized stress, driving up skilled labor wages and straining resources, while also facing constraints from power grids and potential local regulatory backlash. Policymakers must manage this 'sequencing issue'—addressing rising costs before full productivity gains from AI can materialize—and anticipate shifts in global data center infrastructure as the market matures.