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.
How “Liberation Day” Cost America Its Tourists
English Summary
Analysis indicates that US tariff announcements, even without formal government retaliation from trading partners, cause private foreign consumers to restrict travel and spending in the United States. Using a quasi-experimental model, researchers found that 'Liberation Day' tariffs led to substantial declines in tourist arrivals, costing the sector over $1 billion monthly. Crucially, this decline was attributed less to affordability issues than to a diminished international view of the U.S. following aggressive trade policies. This suggests that US economic strategy must account for soft power and reputational damage; repairing lost international trust is more complex than simply adjusting tariffs.
中文摘要
分析指出，美國的關稅公告，即使沒有來自貿易夥伴的正式政府報復行動，也會導致私人外國消費者限制在美國的旅遊和消費。研究人員使用準實驗模型發現，「解放日」關稅引發了觀光客數量的大幅下降，每月使相關產業損失超過十億美元。關鍵的是，這種衰退較少歸因於可負擔性問題，而是源於國際社會對美國整體形象的貶低。這表明，美國的經濟戰略必須考慮軟實力與聲譽損害；修復失去的國際信任，比單純調整關稅更為複雜。
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