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.
Protectionist Darling Whirlpool Circles the Drain
English Summary
The article uses Whirlpool Corporation as a case study to argue that government protectionism is fundamentally detrimental to domestic industry health. Key evidence shows that despite years of lobbying for protection under multiple laws, the resulting tariffs have led to significant costs, job cuts, offshoring, and declining market competitiveness for the company. The core finding is that protective measures perversely insulate firms from necessary market pressures, allowing them to squander profits while their overall competitiveness erodes. Policymakers should recognize that such advocacy often creates unintended negative consequences—such as trade diversion—and ultimately harms the protected industry itself.
中文摘要
本文以惠而浦公司（Whirlpool Corporation）為案例研究，論證了政府保護主義對國內產業健康發展具有根本性的危害。關鍵證據顯示，儘管該公司多年來透過多項法律遊說爭取保護，但由此產生的關稅壁壘反而導致了巨大的成本增加、失業潮、工廠外移，並使公司的市場競爭力持續下降。核心發現指出，保護性措施會扭曲地將企業與必要的市場壓力隔離，使其能夠浪費利潤，同時整體競爭力卻不斷侵蝕。政策制定者應認識到，此類倡議往往會產生意料之外的負面後果——例如貿易轉移（trade diversion）——最終損害了其保護的產業本身。
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.