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.
War in Ukraine
English Summary
The war remains in a technologically advanced stalemate, characterized by intense, asymmetric warfare and deep strikes targeting critical infrastructure. Ukraine continues to press its advantage through advanced drone strikes and attacks on Russian oil and energy assets, while Russia has bolstered its forces with significant military aid from North Korea. Given the failure of diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire, policy must pivot toward sustaining long-range military support and coordinating economic sanctions that target Russia's industrial and energy capacity. Continued focus on counter-strikes and maintaining the integrity of Western support networks are crucial to preventing the conflict from devolving into a purely attritional war.
中文摘要
戰爭仍處於技術高度發展的僵局，其特點是激烈、非對稱的戰鬥，以及針對關鍵基礎設施的深度打擊。烏克蘭持續利用先進的無人機打擊和攻擊俄羅斯石油及能源資產來推進其戰略優勢；而俄羅斯則透過來自朝鮮的重大軍事援助來增強其部隊。鑑於外交努力未能達成停火，政策必須轉向維持長程軍事支援，並協調針對俄羅斯工業和能源能力的經濟制裁。持續關注反打擊行動，並維護西方支援網絡的完整性，對於防止衝突演變為純粹的消耗戰至關重要。
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.