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.
Cato's New Book for America's 250 th: A History of Repeated Injuries
English Summary
This book argues that 250 years after independence, modern American governance continues to exhibit patterns of 'repeated injuries' reminiscent of colonial abuses and potential overreaches by the state. By linking historical grievances—such as taxation without consent or restrictions on naturalization—to contemporary issues, the volume provides a framework for identifying systemic threats to liberty. Key evidence includes analyzing how tax systems are increasingly used for political favoritism, concerns regarding standing military power, and the erosion of traditional due process rights in specialized courts. The strategic implication is that maintaining foundational American liberties requires continuous vigilance and re-examination of constitutional principles against modern executive power creep.
中文摘要
本書論述，在獨立兩百五十年的時間點上，現代美國的治理體系仍持續展現出「重複傷害」的模式，這些模式令人聯想到殖民時期的濫用行為以及國家潛在的越權擴張。該著作透過將歷史上的不滿（例如未經同意的課稅或限制入籍）與當代議題聯繫起來，提供了一個識別系統性自由威脅的框架。關鍵證據包括分析稅收制度日益被用於政治偏袒、對常備軍力的擔憂，以及傳統正當法律程序權利在專業法庭中的侵蝕現象。其戰略意涵是：維護美國的基本自由，需要持續不斷的警惕，並必須將憲法原則與現代行政權力的擴張進行重新審視。
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