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 Demise of Democracy Isn’t Here Yet
English Summary
The publication argues that the demise of democracy is premature, citing recent global elections as evidence of democratic resilience and high civic engagement. Key evidence includes exceptionally high voter turnout in diverse nations—such as student-led movements defeating long-time leaders in Serbia and successful digital mobilization driving turnout in Brazil. The common thread across these varied outcomes is the powerful role of youth and citizen participation in challenging established political norms. For policy, the implication is that while democratic vitality remains strong, the strategic challenge shifts from merely encouraging participation to ensuring that protest momentum translates into stable, effective, and accountable governance.
中文摘要
該出版物論證，宣稱民主衰落的觀點過於倉促，並援引近期的全球選舉作為民主韌性與高公民參與度的證據。關鍵證據包括在多國出現的極高投票率——例如塞爾維亞學生主導的運動擊敗長期執政者，以及巴西成功的數位動員提高了投票率。這些不同成果的共同主線是：青年和公民參與在挑戰既有政治規範方面發揮了強大的作用。對於政策層面而言，其啟示是，儘管民主活力依然強勁，但戰略挑戰已從單純鼓勵參與，轉變為確保抗議的動能能夠轉化為穩定、有效且具有問責制的治理體系。
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