Political Commentary & Opinion
Analysis, commentary, and opinion essays on politics and policy from The Daily Signal’s contributors and experts.
-
opinion
Reconsidering a Giant of American Foreign Policy
“I think of myself as a historian more than as a statesman,” Henry Kissinger once reflected. Kissinger, who died Nov. 29 at the age of 100, left an extensive legacy of government service and foreign policy writings. He served Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford as secretary of state in the 1970s, but frequently insisted… -
opinion
Ridley Scott Finds a Painful New Way to Teach Us How NOT to Make a Movie
It takes a certain kind of genius to ruin a film about Napoleon Bonaparte. For crying out loud, this is the Corsican artillery commander who became the de facto emperor of continental Europe, the man who carried the French Revolution into Spain, Italy, Austria, and Germany, sparking the political movements that would culminate in the… -
opinion
A Diamond, Regrettably in Rough: Universal Declaration of Human Rights at 75
Sunday marks the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but many of those most loudly celebrating are doing the most harm to its legacy. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights remains the foundation on which the United Nations’ human rights framework is built. The contribution of the declaration to human rights… -
opinion
How Were the Universities Lost?
After Oct. 7, the public was shocked at what they saw and heard on America’s campuses. Americans knew previously they were intolerant, left wing, and increasingly nonmeritocratic. But immediately after Oct.7—and even before the response of the Israel Defense Forces—the sheer student delight on news of the mass murdering of Israeli victims seemed akin more… -
opinion
The Folly of Fixation on ‘Two-State Solution’
Bloodthirsty Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7 invaded Israel, killing more than 1,200 Israelis, with at least 33 Americans also killed. But what is President Joe Biden focused on? Promoting Palestinian statehood and the “two-state solution.” But a true realist in the U.S. would ask: “Does the United States really want to have any Palestinian Arab… -
opinion
The History of Hanukkah
The history of Hanukkah traces back to a military victory for the Jewish people over their enemies more than 2,000 years ago. The Jews defeated the Greek army in the Maccabean Revolt, making way for the Jewish people to also rededicate the temple in Jerusalem to God. The victory celebrated on “Hanukkah is twofold,” Rabbi… -
opinion
What to Do About Our Antisemitic Universities
I know a little bit about the kinds of speech that generally are welcomed on campus. I’ve been banned from a few campuses, including DePaul University. I’ve spoken at more than a few campuses at which violence broke out over my speeches, including California State University at Los Angeles, Penn State, and University of California… -
opinion
‘Only the Beginning’: Lawsuits From Detransitioners Are on Rise
As the number of people who have chosen to detransition out of a transgender identity continues to grow, a parallel increase in lawsuits filed by detransitioners against gender clinics and medical professionals is also occurring. In November of last year, 18-year-old Chloe Cole became the first detransitioner to file a medical malpractice suit against Kaiser Permanente as well as the… -
opinion
Another Pathetic Strike by Leftist Journalists
Imagine, for just a moment, that you work at a pizza place. Your job is to shape the dough, add the ingredients, and slide that pizza into the oven so the customer can enjoy a hot meal. People come to the pizza restaurant you work at because they expect the pizzas to be delicious and… -
opinion
What President-Elect Javier Milei of Argentina Means for US
Argentina’s troubled economy has led to the victory of President-elect Javier Milei, whom many have branded a radical. Given our own fiscal and monetary troubles, what has happened in Argentina has implications for the United States. Milei’s ideas are neither radical nor novel. They represent a move toward returning to normal and a repudiation of the economic sins Argentina has… -
opinion
Climate Conference Ignores Energy’s Role in Reducing Poverty and Preserving the Environment
As the international climate conference known as the Conference of the Parties, or COP28, starts the first Global Stocktake—a methodology for countries to measure their compliance with the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate—the participating governments would do well to remember that energy is more than a mere commodity; it’s the backbone of human progress. Energy’s… -
news
EXCLUSIVE: Parents Outraged After Trans-Identifying Boy Wins Girls’ Irish Dancing Competition, Heads to Worlds
FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL: A teenage boy who identifies as a girl is heading to the Irish Dancing World Championships after placing first in the U14 2023 Southern Region Oireachtas competitions. Parents of girls competing in Irish dance are frustrated and outraged, saying that they cannot understand why a boy with physical advantages is allowed to… -
opinion
Why We Should Continue to Shine the Menorah’s Light Amid Darkness
In a period of great darkness, Jews worldwide are preparing to celebrate Hanukkah, the eight-day Festival of Lights that begins Thursday night. Yet some are trying to extinguish those lights. In Williamsburg, Virginia, the organizers of the Second Sundays Art and Music Festival, LoveLight Placemaking, canceled a scheduled menorah-lighting ceremony, citing the Israel-Hamas war. As… -
opinion
What You Missed in Likely Last GOP Debate Before Iowa Votes for President
The fourth, and perhaps final, Republican presidential primary debate of the 2024 campaign season is behind us as four candidates met Wednesday night in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Once again, GOP front-runner Donald Trump declined to appear. Sarah Feldpausch, director of government relations at Heritage Action for America, joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss the biggest… -
opinion
Teacher and Union Leader on Leave After Allegedly Posting Antisemitic Comments
A Maryland middle school teacher has been placed on paid leave while her school investigates a string of antisemitic social media posts in her name, although she remains listed as a board member of the local teachers union. Angela Wolf, a teacher at Takoma Park Middle School, allegedly made social media posts that her… -
news
11 Key Takeaways From the Fourth GOP Presidential Debate
Four candidates mixed it up onstage Wednesday night in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, during the fourth Republican presidential debate of the 2024 campaign: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. Former President Donald Trump, the front-runner in the GOP race, skipped the event for… -
opinion
A Way to Protect Kids Online That Passes Constitutional Muster
A bipartisan group of senators is about to take Big Tech CEOs to task on Jan. 31, 2024, by having them publicly address their failures to protect kids online. And the CEOs need to! The harms social media poses to children are well documented and, at this point, indisputable—even by the companies themselves. YouTube admits that… -
news
Study: Gender Reassignment Is No Cure for Mental Health Issues
People experiencing gender dysphoria cannot expect gender-reassignment interventions to solve other mental health issues, according to a large, Finnish study published last month in the journal European Psychiatry. People with gender dysphoria “present with many more common psychiatric needs” than the general population, the study reported, “even when medical GR [gender-reassignment] interventions are carried out.” Based on… -
opinion
Mind-Bogglingly Costly Green Boondoggles Leave Carbon, Temperatures Virtually Untouched
Through Dec. 12, the “Climate!” crowd is swarming COP28, Dubai’s carbophobia cavalcade. (COP28 refers to the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, under way in the United Arab Emirates.) The fact that these global-warming alarmists are surrounded by Earth’s deepest pools of fossil fuels makes their Hajj infinitely ironic…. -
opinion
She Was Close to Never Existing, but Her Mother’s Choice Changed That. Now, She’s Giving Back.
Heather Lawless came close to never existing on this earth. Due to her mother’s medical condition, Lawless’ mom was advised by her physicians and her family to have an abortion. “There was an abortion appointment made, and she didn’t show up to it,” Lawless said of her mom, adding, “She chose life for me, and…