Birth rates in the United States are declining at a pace without modern precedent. Americans are marrying later, having fewer children, and increasingly treating family formation as a secondary consideration rather than a foundational life decision. Some of that shift reflects legitimate economic pressure. Many young Americans want financial stability before taking on the responsibility of raising children. But economics alone does not explain the scale of the decline.

By practically all measurable standards, my generation is among the most educated and economically flexible in American history. Access to higher education has expanded, entrepreneurial opportunities are broader, and new forms of income—from freelancing to digital platforms—have made upward mobility more attainable than in previous decades.

The larger driver is cultural and political. Through education systems, institutional messaging, and policy priorities, Democrats have shaped a culture in which marriage and children are no longer central to long-term planning.

Roughly 40 percent of Democrats say marriage is necessary for strong families. Among Republicans, that figure is closer to 80 percent. This gap reflects a fundamentally different view of social stability. When one major political party—one that holds far greater influence over higher education, cultural institutions, and much of........

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