Calls for Allied Missile Aid, New York Exam Overhaul, and Rikers Jail Delays Highlight Policy Gaps

Analysts argue the U.S. must loosen technology rules to let allies help boost missile production, while New York abandons Regents exams and Rikers jail closures face cost and timeline overruns.

Defense experts William Schneider Jr. and David A. Deptula contend that the United States’ missile deficit is a product of shrinking production capacity and unrealistic expectations about war length, recommending that the government grant licensing exemptions so allies can share sensitive technology under strict security arrangements. They argue that expanding the industrial base with trusted partners is essential to rebuild the arsenal.

Education commentator Meredith Coffey of the Fordham Institute criticizes New York’s decision to eliminate the historic Regents exams, calling it the first state to abandon clear graduation standards without a solid alternative, and points to failed portfolio-based assessments in Kentucky and Vermont. a journalist at one outlet highlights that the Rikers closure plan, based on building four new borough jails within eight years and reducing the jail population to 3,300, has proven unrealistic; the new facilities are delayed, over budget, and cannot accommodate the current 6,500 pre-trial detainees, yet the mayor remains committed to the effort.

The piece also touches on Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed’s reluctance to distance himself from controversial streamer Hasan Piker, and a libertarian argument that the FTC should not investigate bulk book digitization for AI training. Overall, the commentary underscores policy inertia across defense, education, and criminal-justice reforms.