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.
Preventing health-related job loss: An evidence-based response to what is needed to provide effective, tiered caseworker support in the UK
English Summary
The report argues that early-intervention, caseworker-led support is crucial for preventing job loss and improving outcomes for working-age people suffering from long-term ill health in the UK. Evidence demonstrates that this support is most effective when provided early, is tiered, and focuses on Return to Work (RTW), though current UK provision is highly fragmented and lacks national coherence. To achieve sustainable scale-up, policy must strengthen the public work-and-health system by establishing a clear national framework, professionalizing the caseworker role, ensuring stable funding, and improving coordination across health, employment, and insurance sectors.
中文摘要
該報告主張，對於英國患有長期健康問題的วัย工作人口而言，早期介入且由社工主導的支援對於預防失業和改善生活結果至關重要。證據顯示，當此類支援及早提供、具分層性，並專注於「重返工作崗位」（Return to Work, RTW）時，效果最佳；然而，目前的英國提供機制高度碎片化，且缺乏國家層面的連貫性。為實現可持續的擴大規模，政策必須透過建立明確的國家框架、專業化社工角色、確保穩定的資金來源，並改善健康、就業和保險部門之間的協調，來強化公共工作與健康系統。
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.