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.
Brazil’s Economic Impasse
English Summary
Brazil faces a severe economic impasse, grappling with ballooning sovereign debt and low growth, which requires immediate and deep fiscal consolidation. The article argues that political polarization, regardless of the outcome, prevents the necessary reforms, as neither candidate offers a credible path to reduce deficits. While Lula struggles with political opposition, the far-right agenda championed by Bolsonaro poses the greatest risk by prioritizing illiberalism and undermining democratic institutions. For stability, the consensus is that the country must prioritize institutional integrity and fiscal discipline, as any turn toward authoritarianism will deter crucial foreign investment and assure economic disaster.
中文摘要
巴西正面臨嚴重的經濟僵局，其主權債務不斷膨脹且經濟增長緩慢，亟需立即且深入的財政整頓。本文提出，政治兩極化無論最終結果如何，都阻礙了必要的改革，因為任何候選人都未能提出可信的赤字削減路徑。雖然盧拉（Lula）面臨政治反對，但博索納羅（Bolsonaro）所倡導的極右翼議程構成的最大風險，因為它優先考慮非自由主義並破壞民主制度。為確保國家穩定，共識是巴西必須優先維護制度的完整性與財政紀律，因為任何傾向威權主義的轉變都將嚇阻關鍵的外部投資，並導致經濟災難。
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