Economic Policy News
The Daily Signal provides economic policy news with reporting, analysis, and commentary on markets, growth, and fiscal responsibility.
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news
Majority of Americans Think US Economy Is in Recession and Shrinking, Poll Finds
A majority of Americans believe that the U.S. is currently in a recession, blaming the Biden administration for harsh economic conditions, according to research firm The Harris Poll. Around 56% of people surveyed thought that the U.S. economy was in recession, and 55% thought that the economy was shrinking, according to a poll conducted for The Guardian…. -
opinion
Yikes! Perilous Economy for First-Time Homebuyers
Buying a home is a cornerstone of the American dream, a dream that is further out of reach today for many Americans. According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the median sales price of a new, single-family home was $416,300 in May 2023. In 1985, it was $84,300. Yes, income has increased, but… -
opinion
A Lesson for America: Green Policies Crush German Economy
Germany’s gross domestic product has been falling since the third quarter of 2022, causing fears of the first 2-yearlong recession since the early 2000s. German farmers are openly protesting new climate regulations that would raise the price of diesel fuel, vital for tractors and farm machinery. This discontent is mirrored by the general public, which… -
news
Feds Shell Out Thousands on Computer Lessons for LGBTQ Refugees, Fostering ‘Economic Inclusion’ in Latin America
The federal government has used taxpayer dollars to fund services for LGBTQ refugees in Latin America over the past couple of years, federal grants show. The State Department and the Inter-American Foundation, an independent federal agency, funded a trio of grants between August 2021 and October 2023 aimed at bolstering Costa Rica’s status as a haven for… -
opinion
Economic Freedom in US Falls to Lowest Level in 30 Years in 2024 Global Index
The foundations of economic freedom have been declining around the world for three consecutive years, according to the 2024 Index of Economic Freedom, which annually assesses the economic governance and entrepreneurial environments of 184 countries. Despite the disappointing downward trend of global economic freedom, the overall findings of the 2024 index, released Monday by The… -
opinion
Biden’s Low Marks on Economy Reflect Reality
For all the White House’s bragging about the strength of the economy, most Americans still don’t approve of President Joe Biden’s performance on this issue. That’s likely because they have been left behind, especially native-born Americans. This is perhaps most evident in figures from the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. If one looks only at the… -
news
British Think Tank Leader: ‘Good Social Policy Makes for Good Economic Policy’
We as a society need to assert that healthy families build human flourishing in every nation and culture, and we are not being honest with people when we don’t, said the CEO of what has been called the most influential free-market think tank in Britain. “There are some logical steps to what leads to human flourishing, and… -
opinion
Big Government Created This Economic Mess. Why Would We Think It Could Fix It?
It has been no secret that America, Germany, Austria, and Europe in general are currently confronted with major economic problems. All are experiencing inflation and minimal economic growth. Purchasing power is decreasing, and the balances on accounts and savings books of average citizens are dwindling. The problems started long ago and are political in nature…. -
opinion
Time to End the Fed and Its Mismanagement of Our Economy
Every major economic downturn of the last 110 years bears the mark of the Federal Reserve. In fact, as long as the Fed has been around, it has swung the economy between inflation and recession. Yet Americans, surprisingly, have tolerated it. But we shouldn’t expect that to go on forever. We had three central banks before the Fed, and… -
opinion
Utah’s Economic Prosperity Illustrates the Importance of Marriage, Family, and Religion
A recently released report says that Utah’s economy ranks No. 1 among all 50 states and attributes this top ranking to the influence of the state’s dominant culture of heterosexual marriage and the strength and stability of its families. Authors Brad Wilcox, Jenet Erickson, and Patrick T. Brown conclude in the Sutherland Institute report that… -
news
The World’s Second-Largest Economy Is Struggling
China‘s economy, the world’s second largest after America’s, is struggling months after the communist regime ended its stringent zero-COVID policy. “China’s economic success was largely down to its size and the speed of its abundant inexpensive labor to produce,” Andrew Hale, senior policy analyst in trade policy at The Heritage Foundation, told The Daily Signal… -
opinion
The Economic Benefits of School Choice
It’s back to school this week for Florida students and many others across the country. The first days and weeks of a new school year are always filled with anticipation, adjustments, transitions, and growth for parents and students. Yet, this school year’s “firsts” for an expanding pool of families also includes the first time that… -
opinion
Do Biden’s Latest Fuel Economy Standards Hurt National Security?
While Americans are paying trillions of dollars for President Joe Biden’s climate change agenda, that agenda is weakening America’s national security, and China is set to profit heavily from this folly. As members of Congress were leaving Washington for the August recess, Biden’s National Highway Transportation Safety Administration quietly published new proposed fuel economy standards… -
opinion
On July Fourth, Remember Why Economic Liberty Matters for America
I’ve often thought there is something providential about the Declaration of Independence being drafted and promulgated throughout the American Colonies the same year that Adam Smith’s book “The Wealth of Nations” was published. After all, both texts were revolutionary, and both were fundamentally concerned with protecting and promoting liberty. The Declaration of Independence was very… -
opinion
The American-Swiss Partnership: Shared Values, Strong Ties on Economic and Strategic Issues
The United States and Switzerland have long been described as “Sister Republics”—a term that symbolizes their deep and abiding partnership. Sharing common democratic values, the rule of law, free-market ideas, and even similar constitutions, the two nations have a proven record of a dynamic partnership on many critical issues. This Alpine country, despite its small… -
news
Economic Freedom Being ‘Strangled Into Stagnation,’ Ex-British Prime Minister Warns
The ideas of low taxes, limited government, and free enterprise won the Cold War, but now they are being “strangled into stagnation,” former British Prime Minister Liz Truss warned Wednesday. Truss made her remarks in Washington at The Heritage Foundation's 2023 Margaret Thatcher Freedom Lecture, hosted by Nile Gardiner, director of the foundation's Margaret Thatcher… -
news
63% of Small Business Employers Concerned ‘Shaky Economic Environment Could Force Their Business to Close’
FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—A Job Creators Network Foundation monthly survey is providing somber insight into how some small businesses view the U.S. economy. Sixty-three percent of small business owners "said they’re worried that the shaky economic environment could force their business to close—a six-point jump compared to February," a press release said. The March… -
news
Why ‘Climate Alarmism’ Is Seen by Many in Developing World as Economic Threat
OXON HILL, Md.—The Earth is warming, and while many worry about the potential consequences of the change, it is not unprecedented or dangerous, and will be a net benefit for humanity, Vijay Jayaraj said. Numerous figures in the mainstream media have pushed “climate alarmism,” but Jayaraj, a research associate at the nonpartisan, nonprofit CO2 Coalition,… -
opinion
From Liquidity to Insolvency, Big Government Shows How to Crash Economy
We are in a looming financial crisis, even if we don’t want to see it. Silicon Valley Bank was, according to Moody’s, worthy of an investment-grade rating as of March 8. S&P Global Ratings similarly held a high opinion of SVB. Two days later, SVB was shut down. Immediately, Moody’s dropped SVB into junk territory…. -
opinion
Biden’s $7 Trillion Budget Shell Game Takes More of Everyone’s Money, Despite His Promises
The president’s budget for fiscal year 2024 is less a display of prudent finance as it is reminiscent of a carnival shell game. If you don’t pay close attention to the details, you’ll wind up suckered by the man moving the ball around. President Joe Biden’s political talking points may appease his Democrat colleagues, but…