Join Jim and Greg as they head into Independence Day by looking at stories they would have chosen for martinis in recent weeks if huge news events had not intervened. Today on 3 Martini Lunch, they discuss good news in an unlikely place in the quest for building trust in elections. They also react to the very different track records for Florida and New York over the past 25 years, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's disturbing affection for China.

First, they look at polling showing a strong majority of people in California supporting laws requiring people to prove their citizenship before they can vote. But they also scratch their heads as Nevada's Republican governor vetoes a Voter ID bill because of other provisions in the bill he doesn't like.

Next, they look at data showing the stark difference in how much New York and Florida are spending per capita on programs like education and Medicaid. Despite spending almost three times more than Florida per pupil, New York students fared far worse in reading and math. They also consider how the populations of the two states are trending in very different directions.

Finally, they dig into why Gov. Walz would suggest China has surpassed the U.S. and other nations as having the most moral authority to broker calm in the Middle East. Walz said this just after Israel's airstrikes began three weeks ago. What does Walz fail to understand about the Middle East and why is he so fond of Communist China?

Please visit our great sponsors:

No missed calls, no missed customers with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at https://Openphone.com/3ml

It’s free, online, and easy to start with no strings attached. Enroll in the American Foreign Policy course FREE with Hillsdale College. Visit https://Hillsdale.edu/Martini