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.
DOL Inflates H-1 B Wages to Force Out Skilled Foreign Workers
English Summary
The Cato Institute argues that the Department of Labor’s proposed rule to inflate H-1B wages is unlawful and unnecessary, aiming to restrict the supply of skilled foreign workers rather than address genuine wage concerns. Evidence presented demonstrates that the proposed rule would disqualify over 80% of H-1B job offers, particularly for high-skilled workers like software developers, and would force many to leave the U.S. The DOL’s methodology relies on arbitrary percentile targets rather than market-based wage determination, ignoring the fact that H-1B workers are already paid above the average for their roles. This policy shift risks hindering business investment, job growth, and innovation within the tech sector.
中文摘要
Cato Institute 認為勞動部提出的提高 H-1B 簽證薪資的提案無效且多餘,旨在限制高技能外國勞工的供應,而非解決真正的工資問題。 提供的證據表明,該提案將使超過 80% 的 H-1B 就業機會資格失效,尤其對像軟體開發員等高技能工作者而言,並迫使許多人離開美國。 勞動部的研究方法依賴於任意百分位數目標,而非基於市場的工資決定,而忽略了 H-1B 勞工的工資已經高於其職位的平均水平。 這一政策變革可能會阻礙科技行業的投資、就業增長和創新。
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.
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.
-
4.
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.
-
5.
The U.S. is drastically reducing core funding to multilateral institutions, withdrawing from numerous bodies due to perceived misalignment with national interests. While multilateral channels offer critical advantages—such as pooling resources for global public goods and managing risk in fragile settings—the U.S.'s funding remains heavily 'earmarked,' which effectively 'bilateralizes' the system and undermines shared burden-sharing. This practice, coupled with deep cuts, diminishes the multilateral system's effectiveness and efficiency, particularly in humanitarian aid. Policy recommendations suggest the U.S. must adopt a systematic, published strategy for aid channel choice and shift from restrictive project-level earmarking to broader thematic funding to restore global cooperation.