U.S. Intelligence Agency News
The Daily Signal provides coverage of intelligence operations, surveillance controversies, and the role of U.S. agencies in national security and civil liberties.
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Social Conservatives Share What’s Behind the Left’s Biggest Misconceptions About Them
Are social conservatives struggling to share their message? At the 2014 Values Voter Summit last weekend in Washington, some conference attendees said that’s the case when The Daily Signal asked them to specify the Left’s common misconceptions about social conservatives—and what they could do to communicate and advance traditional values.Gabriella Morrongiello -
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8 Ways the Obama Administration Restricts Access to Information, According to the Associated Press
The Associated Press’ Washington bureau chief is the latest journalist to criticize the Obama administration for failing to live up to its promise of transparency. “Bush was not fantastic,” Sally Buzbee recently told a meeting of journalists. “The [Obama] administration is significantly worse than previous administrations.” Buzbee detailed eight ways the Obama administration is restricting…Kate Scanlon -
- Opinion
As Russia’s Aggression Increases, Poland Becomes More Crucial
WARSAW — Quite suddenly, what Poland does and doesn’t do has become crucial to the United States and the Western alliance. As the next-door neighbor of Ukraine and with uncertainty about Russia’s next aggressive move, Poland matters. Adjoining as it does the three Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania — all prime targets of…Lee Edwards -
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Former State Dept. Official: Details of Maxwell’s Benghazi Document Story ‘Ring True’
A State Department whistleblower has come forward to say the details of a former colleague’s account of the sifting of Benghazi-related documents to identify damaging material “ring true.” The Daily Signal reported Monday on Raymond Maxwell, a former deputy assistant secretary at the State Department who says he observed an unusual after-hours session in a basement operations room…Sharyl Attkisson -
- Opinion
How a 4-Year-Old Girl Got This Commercial Rejected By CBS
Last week, CBS Sports caused an outrage when it refused to air a commercial by a local real estate company. The commercial featured the company owner’s 4-year-old granddaughter reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by a screen shot with the company’s information. That was the entirety of the clip, which Windermere Real Estate created to…Ericka Andersen -
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Benghazi Bombshell: Clinton State Department Official Reveals Details of Alleged Document Review
As the House Select Committee on Benghazi prepares for its first hearing this week, a former State Department diplomat is coming forward with a startling allegation: Hillary Clinton confidants were part of an operation to “separate” damaging documents before they were turned over to the Accountability Review Board investigating security lapses surrounding the Sept. 11,…Sharyl Attkisson -
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The Insane Reason This Girl Was Forced Out of D.C. Public Schools
Avery Gagliano — a piano prodigy and truant. Yes, the 13-year-old musical genius, who was chosen to join 11 other musicians from around the world to play in Munich last year, playing this masterpiece… … is also a truant in the eyes of the D.C. public school system. In March, Avery traveled to Connecticut for…Kelsey Lucas -
- Opinion
Benghazi Eyewitness Stories Contradict Official Account
Eyewitness accounts of the Benghazi attack—broadcast by Fox News over the weekend—have now publicly and directly contradicted the official account as shaped by the State Department, the White House and even the House Intelligence Committee. During a Fox News special that aired over the weekend, three CIA security staffers posted to Benghazi told reporter Bret…Helle Dale -
- Opinion
Transatlantic Trends: NATO Still Required for Europe’s Defense
The German Marshall Fund announced the results of its annual Transatlantic Trends survey this week, to coincide with the 2014 NATO summit in Wales. The survey results revealed continued support for NATO’s core mission among European and American respondents alike. A majority of those polled believes that NATO is key to securing the territorial integrity…Helle Dale -
- Opinion
Proof Everyone Needs to be ‘Kneaded’: Photos of a Very ‘Special’ Bakery
This is Bradley Kohler. He’s a 24-year-old adult with Fragile X Syndrome. Fragile X Syndrome is a genetic chromosome disorder that causes mild to severe mental impairment. He's had it since he was seven. These are his parents, Mike and Tempa Kohler. When Bradley was 22, he "aged out" of the Gwinnett School in Georgia. He needed a place…Kelsey Lucas -
- Opinion
Sharif Government’s Survival Crucial for Democracy in Pakistan
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan received a boost today when a joint sitting of parliament endorsed his leadership following two weeks of street demonstrations led by maverick politician Imran Khan. Khan, who leads the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has joined with Pakistani religious leader Tahir ul-Qadri to demand Sharif’s resignation for alleged vote rigging in…Lisa Curtis -
- News
Pot Business Owners Donate Money to Politicians
It’s probably unusual for political contributors to thank a candidate for taking their money, but that’s what Mike Elliott, executive director for the Marijuana Industry Group, did at a pot-industry fundraiser for Rep. Ed Perlmutter last month. “We really appreciate the fact we can come here and show you how much we appreciate you showing…Arthur Kane -
- Opinion
7 Reasons Why the Current Marriage Debate Is Nothing Like the Debate on Interracial Marriage
Is opposition to same-sex marriage at all like opposition to interracial marriage? One refrain in debates over marriage policy is that laws defining marriage as the union of male and female are today’s equivalent of bans on interracial marriage. Some further argue that protecting the freedom to act publicly on the basis of a religious…Ryan T. Anderson -
- Opinion
Portman Proposes Reforms for Social Security and Medicare
Senator Rob Portman (R–OH) proposed reforms to Social Security and Medicare in The Wall Street Journal last week. Reforms to both programs “can not only help close the debt, it can also create a stronger economy,” Portman argues. He specifically proposes “adjusting Social Security and Medicare’s retirement ages, means-testing benefits for upper-income retirees, and supporting…Caleb Zimmick -
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Can Higher Payroll Taxes Fix Social Security?
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analyzed several different payroll tax proposals to shore up Social Security’s finances, and the results are not very appealing. The Social Security trust fund ran a $71 billion deficit in 2013 that is on pace to quadruple by 2032. Some have called for a payroll tax increase, but CBO found…Michael Sargent -
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Social Security Report: Massive Deficits Increase Unfunded Obligation by $1.1 Trillion
Today’s release of the 2014 Social Security Trustees Report shows its programs’ finances are in dire need of reform if the programs are to provide to seniors and the disabled protection from poverty and do so in an affordable and sustainable manner. Social Security paid out nearly $71 billion more to retirees and other beneficiaries…Romina Boccia -
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The CIA’s Twitter Is Not #Winning
Carl Colby grew up in a family where no one talked about what dad did. Even family outings were mysterious. “We’d go somewhere — family trip on the weekend, picnic basket in the back — and he’d meet somebody. Have a conversation, deliver something,” Carl recalls in the fascinating documentary, “The Man Nobody Knew: In…James Carafano -
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Do You Want Your Private Financial Information Automatically Shared with Russia or China?
On Monday, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development released the full version of the global standard for automatic exchange of information. The Standard for Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information in Tax Matters calls on governments to obtain detailed account information from their financial institutions and exchange that information automatically with other jurisdictions on…David Burton -
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Holder Claimed Some Americans Oppose Him Because of ‘Racial Animus’
Were you aware that your opposition to Attorney General Eric Holder and President Obama is due at least in part because of your “racial animus,” and not because you disagree with their policies and abuse of their constitutional authority? That, anyway, is Holder’s latest claim, which shows how disconnected the attorney general is from reality….Hans von Spakovsky -
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Why a President’s Judicial Appointments Matter
One issue voters often overlook when selecting presidential candidates is what type of judges those candidates will support. These are lifetime appointments, and a two-term president could nominate hundreds of judges to the federal judiciary – with advice and consent of the Senate. From trial-level district court judges to the justices on the U.S. Supreme…Hans von Spakovsky