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.
US Immigrant Share Growing at the Slowest Pace Since the 1960 s
English Summary
The immigrant share of the US population is growing at its slowest pace since the 1960s, reaching a near-flat rate in 2025. This slowdown is primarily due to overall population growth decelerating, meaning that even moderate immigration has a greater relative impact on the demographic structure. The analysis warns that without sustained, high levels of immigration, the US faces significant population decline, which threatens the worker-to-retiree ratio and long-term economic stability. Policymakers must recognize that maintaining robust immigration flows is critical to mitigating demographic decline and supporting the necessary workforce across all skill levels.
中文摘要
美國人口中的移民佔比增長速度自1960年代以來已達到最緩慢的節奏，預計到2025年將趨近於持平。這種放緩主要歸因於總體人口增長趨於放緩，這意味著即使是中等程度的移民流入，對人口結構也會產生更高的相對影響。分析警告指出，若缺乏持續且高水平的移民，美國將面臨顯著的人口下降，這威脅到勞動人口與退休人口的比例，並影響長期的經濟穩定性。政策制定者必須認識到，維持穩健的移民流入對於緩解人口結構衰退和支持所有技能層級所需的勞動力至關重要。
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 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.
-
5.
The built environment workforce, comprising 15.3 million workers across 95 occupations, is foundational to modern infrastructure and economic stability. While highly paid, the workforce suffers from significant demographic imbalances, being disproportionately white and male, and often lacking clear career progression pathways. To prevent project delays and cost overruns, policy must mandate that capital asset owners treat labor market forecasting as core to project planning. Strategic interventions are required to strengthen career pipelines through robust apprenticeships, improve retention, and actively recruit younger and more diverse workers.