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 Closing of the Russian Mind: How Putin’s Ideology Took the Nation Hostage
English Summary
The article argues that Putin’s regime has successfully reasserted an imperial, militarized state structure, effectively taking Russian society hostage to a national ideology. This shift reverses the modernization efforts of the 1990s, which many Russians recall as a period of hope and freedom. The Kremlin capitalizes on deep-seated public resentment toward the West (particularly the US and Europe), portraying Russia as fundamentally opposed to Western values. Strategically, this indicates that Russian internal stability is tied directly to its anti-Western narrative, making ideological warfare and state control key components of its geopolitical strategy.
中文摘要
本文論述普丁政權已成功重建了帝國主義化、軍事化的國家結構，有效地將俄羅斯社會挾持於一種民族意識形態之下。這種轉變逆轉了上世紀九十年代的現代化努力，而許多俄國民回憶那段時期是充滿希望與自由的時光。克里姆林宮利用了公眾對西方（特別是美國和歐洲）根深蒂固的不滿情緒，將俄羅斯描繪成一個根本反對西方價值觀的國家。從戰略角度來看，這表明俄羅斯的內部穩定性直接繫於其反西方敘事之上，使得意識形態戰爭與國家控制成為其地緣政治戰略的關鍵組成部分。
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.