Political Commentary & Opinion
Analysis, commentary, and opinion essays on politics and policy from The Daily Signal’s contributors and experts.
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- Opinion
Monkeypox: House Investigators Find NIH Hiding Risky Viral Gain-of-Function Research
Can there any longer be any doubt? The behavior of senior officials at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the powerful federal agency formerly run by Dr. Anthony Fauci, is intolerable. And the performance of the Department of Health and Human Services in response to legitimate congressional inquiries has been abysmal. The latest…Robert Moffit -
- Opinion
When Washington Spends, You’re on the Hook. You Deserve to Know for How Much.
Maybe you’ve heard that our national debt has topped $34.7 trillion. But what does that really mean for you and your family? The number is somewhat incomprehensible. To spell it out, that’s thirty-four trillion, seven hundred and twenty-five billion, eight hundred and fifty million, three hundred and twenty-three thousand, six hundred and eight dollars. That…Rep. Ron Estes -
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Montana Judge Strikes Down Law Clarifying There Are Only 2 Sexes
A Montana judge is striking down a state law defining “sex” as either male or female, claiming that the law violates the Montana State Constitution. In an order issued on Tuesday, Montana District Court Judge Shane Vannatta, the first Montana judge to openly identify as homosexual, declared Senate Bill 458 to be facially unconstitutional according to Montana state…S.A. McCarthy -
- Opinion
Are Soft-on-Crime Policies Jacking Up Car Insurance Premiums?
Over the past two years, auto insurance prices have surged by an average of 27% nationally. That’s an increase from $127 a month in 2022 to $161 a month by the end of 2023. The increase in insurance premiums far outpaces the overall average inflation rate of 12% over the same time period. These price…Caden Wolf -
- Opinion
Biden’s Dim Debate Performance Showcases 3 Bright, Shining Lies
“We finally beat Medicare.” That was just one of the many astonishing things that President Joe Biden said, or tried to say, in his Thursday night face-off with President Donald Trump. The de facto Democrat and Republican standard bearers parried for 90 minutes on CNN. The normally rabid, Trump-hating moderators, Dana Bash and Jake Tapper,…Deroy Murdock -
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‘He Failed’: Biden’s Debate Performance Sparks Concern Among Democrats
Some Democrats expressed disappointment about President Joe Biden’s performance in Thursday’s debate against former President Donald Trump—even suggesting he should step down as their 2024 nominee. A lack of energy, a raspy voice, stuttering, and rambling answers to questions plagued the 81-year-old president, who faces widespread voter concerns about his age. Media figures reported that…Hudson Crozier -
- Opinion
Bans on Smartphones in the Classroom Gain Favor Across Political Spectrum
The school year is over, and the results should leave parents and educators with more anxiety than relief. Achievement scores are near historical lows and student absenteeism is high. There is some bipartisan agreement, though, on classroom management that could help students begin to rebound in the fall: Prohibit smartphones in classrooms. Earlier this year,…Jonathan Butcher -
- News
EXCLUSIVE: ‘Life Act’ Would Outlaw Federal Dollars Going to Abortions
FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—Rep. Bob Good introduced the Life Act on Thursday, legislation that outlaws abortions of unborn babies “to the fullest extent at the federal level” by prohibiting federal dollars from being used for abortions. The Virginia Republican’s bill, which builds on a consensus from House Republicans to provide stronger enforcement mechanisms for…Mary Margaret Olohan -
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Top 5 Things the Left Gets Wrong About Project 2025
The 2025 Presidential Transition Project, better known as Project 2025, is the effort of a broad coalition of more than 100 conservative organizations working together to ensure a successful new presidential administration begins Jan. 20. Project 2025, spearheaded by The Heritage Foundation, seeks to restore democracy, to loosen it from the grip of the political…Evan Maguire -
- Opinion
Female Athletes, Coaches Take on Biden’s War on Title IX
The Biden administration is waging war on Title IX and, in response, a group of female athletes, coaches, and sports advocates have spent the month of June touring the country to sound the alarm. Title IX has long served to protect girls’ and women’s education and sports opportunities. The 1972 federal education amendment requires there…Virginia Allen -
- Opinion
CNN Sets Itself on Fire Before Hosting First Presidential Debate
At a time when CNN should be convincing the nation that it was the best choice for hosting the first debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump before the Nov. 5 presidential election, the network has instead jumped feet first into absolute chaos. From scandals to tantrums, the formerly revered news giant has crafted the…Tony Kinnett -
- News
Parents Object to Va. County Confusing 5-Year-Olds With ‘Gender Spectrum’
A Northern Virginia school board will vote Thursday on a proposal to add lessons on the “gender spectrum” to elementary school curriculum—despite opposition from a majority of parents and community members. The Fairfax County School Board reviewed recommendations from the 2022-2023 Family Life Education Curriculum Advisory Committee that it had not yet acted on. That…Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell -
- Opinion
Let’s Leave the Hyphen Off Conservatism and Unite
As the first presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden approaches, it’s a good occasion to settle another debate; namely, the long-running dispute over how to define conservatism. Since before Trump was elected, think tankers and pundits on the right have spent large sums of time and money sorting themselves into…Kevin Roberts -
- News
EXCLUSIVE: Miss Maryland Contestants Push Back After Male Winner Steals Their Crown
FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL: Miss Maryland USA professes to celebrate both the beauty and confidence of young women, promising a “fair environment in which young women have the opportunity to develop skills that will help them win in life by being their personal best in everything they do.” But on June 1, when the…Mary Margaret Olohan -
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House GOP Plans Legal Move Against Jan. 6 Committee in Steve Bannon Case
Editor’s Note: Steve Bannon reported to prison Monday after the Supreme Court rejected his appeal for a stay. House Speaker Mike Johnson announced Wednesday that House Republican leaders voted to file an amicus brief in Steve Bannon’s case, just days before the conservative media host is due to report to prison. Leadership’s move comes amid…Robert B. Bluey -
- News
POT, MEET KETTLE: Left-Wing Group Slams Moms for Liberty Without Looking in the Mirror
The National Education Association has accused Moms for Liberty of being a pawn of “wealthy conservative donors,” even though the teachers union’s revenue is 185 times as great as that of the parental rights group. The nation’s largest teachers union—which charges its members dues, often totaling $1,000 a year—called Moms for Liberty, which offers free…Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell -
- Opinion
Women’s Reproductive Health Shouldn’t Be a Partisan Issue
The topic of infertility has received unprecedented attention in national politics since February, when the Alabama Supreme Court held that for the purposes of the state’s wrongful death of a minor statute, frozen embryos are considered persons. Until now, Congress has focused primarily on in vitro fertilization—where egg and sperm are combined to create an…Emma Waters -
- News
‘ABUSE OF POWER’: Texas Dad Suing for Retaliatory Arrest Reveals New Evidence of Corruption
FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—Jeremy Story, a dad in the Austin, Texas, area, who is suing his local school board and superintendent after police arrested him for speaking out at a board meeting in 2021, has uncovered what he claims to be more evidence that bolsters his case. Round Rock Independent School District has its…Tyler O’Neil -
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Huge Percentage of EV Owners Want to Go Back to Normal Cars, Study Finds
Nearly half of American electric vehicle owners want to buy an internal combustion engine model the next time they buy a car, according to a new study from McKinsey and Co., a leading consulting firm. Approximately 46% of Americans who own an EV want to go back to a standard vehicle for their next purchase,…Nick Pope -
- News
DOJ Lawsuit Over Banning Sex Changes for Kids Doesn’t ‘Hold Water,’ Legal Expert Says
The Constitution doesn’t protect sex-change procedures for minors, an expert in civil rights law told The Daily Signal as the Supreme Court announced it would weigh the issue after its next term begins in October. The highest court in the U.S. agreed Monday to hear a Justice Department lawsuit against a Tennessee law, passed last…Hudson Crozier