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.
The Coming Quantum National Security Crisis
English Summary
Quantum technologies represent a critical national security inflection point, capable of breaking current global encryption standards and enabling advanced military capabilities like GPS-denied navigation. The threat is immediate, as adversaries, particularly China, are already harvesting encrypted data today while rapidly developing local quantum systems to circumvent US technological dominance. Policy must urgently mandate the transition of all critical infrastructure to quantum-resistant cryptography globally, secure the domestic 'quantum stack' through export controls, and develop contingency plans for potential early decryption of historical secrets.
中文摘要
量子技術代表著一個關鍵的國家安全轉捩點,它具備破解現行全球加密標準的能力,並能實現如「GPS訊號受限導航」等先進軍事能力。此威脅已迫在眉睫,因為敵對勢力,特別是中國,目前正在收集加密數據,同時正快速發展本土量子系統以規避美國的技術主導地位。政策制定必須緊急要求全球所有關鍵基礎設施轉向抗量子密碼學(quantum-resistant cryptography),透過出口管制確保國內「量子堆疊」(quantum stack)的安全,並為潛在的歷史機密提前解密情景制定應變計畫。
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.