Memorial Day

News With A View

May 25, 2026

Good morning. Today’s newsletter topics include:

This Memorial Day hits different with the War against Iran so much in the news. The Huckabee Post summed it up well:
“This Memorial Day, we’re all praying that the optimistic reports about an end to the standoff with Iran are true, that no more military action will be necessary, and that our troops can all come home safely soon without having to risk their lives any further. That’s at least one thing that both supporters and critics of the President can actually agree on.”
President Trump’s focus on affordability and rising living costs is suddenly reshaping the political map in places Democrats once assumed were safely blue. According to Politico, Republicans are increasingly optimistic about competing in parts of New York where inflation, housing costs, taxes, and economic frustration are overwhelming traditional partisan loyalties. GOP strategists believe Trump’s economic messaging is resonating especially strongly with working-class and middle-class voters who feel squeezed by years of rising prices and declining affordability.
The shift is particularly noticeable in suburban and outer-borough districts where many voters are less focused on ideology than on whether they can still afford groceries, rent, gas, childcare, and property taxes.
New Jersey is once again debating whether its famously fragmented school system needs major structural reform. With nearly 600 separate school districts packed into one of America’s smallest states, critics argue the current system creates massive administrative waste, high property taxes, and deep educational inequality. According to Politico, lawmakers pushing consolidation say merging districts could save taxpayers money and improve educational consistency, but decades of local resistance, political turf wars, and fears over losing community control have repeatedly blocked serious reform efforts.
The issue highlights one of the hardest problems in government: structural inefficiency that everyone recognizes but few politicians are willing to confront directly. Consolidating districts would likely mean fewer administrators, changes to local school identities, and battles over taxes, busing, and educational quality. In a state where local control of schools is deeply embedded politically and culturally, meaningful reform would require an enormous amount of political courage and public trust — two things often in short supply in modern politics. New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill deserves credit for taking this on.
There’s a growing backlash building against how corporate America talks about artificial intelligence — especially with younger Americans entering an already brutal job market. According to Liz Hoffman, Business and Finance Editor at Semafor, commencement speakers and CEOs who enthusiastically promote AI are increasingly being booed by graduates who see the technology less as exciting innovation and more as a direct threat to their future careers. The problem may not simply be AI itself, but the tone surrounding it. Even some tech leaders now admit the industry needs a new vocabulary for discussing AI — one that recognizes the fear, uncertainty, and economic disruption many young people already feel.
Watch tech billionaire Chamath Palihapitiya’s comments on about Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince’s AI messaging. He doesn’t mince his words:
CNN data analyst Harry Enten is warning that one of the key groups that helped return President Trump to the White House — young men — may now be drifting away from Republicans as economic frustration intensifies. Enten is pointing to polling showing collapsing confidence among Americans under 35 when it comes to buying homes, finding good jobs, and achieving basic middle-class stability. According to the data, only 43% of younger Americans now believe it’s a good time to find a job, down dramatically from 75% just four years ago.
The shift highlights a growing political danger for Republicans if inflation, housing costs, and economic anxiety continue worsening. Young male voters moved sharply toward Trump in 2024, driven largely by frustration over cultural issues, the economy, and distrust of Democrats. But as Enten noted, many younger voters now feel the American Dream itself is slipping out of reach. Enten’s polling often zags on MSM coverage of Trump as the polling doesn’t reflect their Left-leaning bias. This poll should serve as another flashing red light ahead of the 2026 midterms for Republicans.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is undeniably building a larger national profile these days, but that does not automatically mean she has decided to run for president in 2028. Axios notes that AOC has become increasingly active nationally — campaigning for candidates across the country, meeting with Democratic power brokers, and positioning herself as one of the leading voices of the party’s progressive wing. Whether that eventually leads to a presidential campaign, a Senate run, or simply greater influence within the progressive movement remains an open question. Remember at 36 years of age, she has plenty of time to decide.
As America approaches its 250th birthday, the Associated Press is highlighting some of the objects that helped shape American culture and identity — including the classic “Greetings From” postcards that once defined the golden age of the American road trip. The colorful oversized-letter postcards exploded in popularity during the 1940s, 50s, and 60s as Americans embraced cars, highways, tourism, and a growing sense of optimism about the country’s future. Historians say the postcards reflected a uniquely American mix of mass production, mobility, local pride, and technological innovation. Even today, the vintage postcard style remains instantly recognizable — a nostalgic reminder of American uniqueness and optimism.
Finally, I would like to leave you with this exchange on X that has 1.6 million views and counting. America, and Americans are pretty great.
Thank you to Staff Sergeant Shaw, and his family.
Thank you to Zac Briley, for honoring them.