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.
Why “China First” Will Fail
English Summary
The article argues that Beijing is pursuing a 'China first' strategy: maximizing global reach and projecting great-power status without assuming the binding commitments or costs of traditional superpower leadership. Evidence shows China avoids formal alliances, instead favoring flexible, transactional partnerships across diverse regions to expand influence while minimizing risk, particularly as US global confidence declines. While this approach offers short-term strategic advantages by allowing Beijing to maintain distance from regional crises, the analysis warns that it ultimately weakens alignment and fosters a more unstable international order, posing long-term risks to China's own interests.
中文摘要
本文論述北京正推行一項「中國優先」戰略：旨在最大化全球影響力並投射大國地位，卻不承擔傳統超級大國領導所附帶的具約束性承諾或成本。證據顯示，中國規避正式聯盟，轉而偏好在不同地區建立靈活、交易性的夥伴關係來擴大影響力，同時將風險降至最低，尤其是在美國全球信心逐漸衰退的背景下。雖然這種策略能讓北京在短期內從區域危機中保持距離，帶來戰略優勢；但分析警告指出，其最終會削弱地緣政治上的協調性，助長一個更不穩定的國際秩序，對中國自身的長期利益構成潛在風險。
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.