Political Commentary & Opinion
Analysis, commentary, and opinion essays on politics and policy from The Daily Signal’s contributors and experts.
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- News
Could Lower Standards for Police Recruits Breed Future Misconduct?
The death of Tyre Nichols following a vicious beating by Memphis police officers indicates the perils of lower standards for police recruits nationally amid recruitment challenges, a law enforcement advocacy group says. The Memphis Police Department hired two of the five officers who were fired and charged in Nichols’ death in 2020, after the department…Fred Lucas -
- News
How Should Americans Respond to the Fatal Police Beating of Tyre Nichols?
A black man died at the hands of at least five black police officers. Now, some Americans are demanding police reform to prevent such injustice in the future. Tyre Nichols, 29, reportedly was pulled over for reckless driving Jan. 7 in Memphis, Tennessee. He was on his way home after taking pictures of the sunset, a…Virginia Allen -
- Opinion
What Jerry Seinfeld’s ‘Black Card’ Can Teach Lawmakers About Debt Limit
As members of Congress debate the debt limit, some seem to think the government has an American Express “Black Card.” In a 2018 episode of “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee,” Jerry Seinfeld explained his version of how the Black Card came to be: I was waiting for [the crew] to move some cameras, and the…Rachel Greszler -
- Opinion
Mom Explains What It Took to Rescue Daughter From Transgenderism
Erin Friday’s daughter was introduced to gender identity ideology in a comprehensive sex-ed class in seventh grade. “The seed was planted after that class,” Friday says. “And in fact, all of her friends, there were five, sat in my front yard saying what their new labels were.” Friday says she was “alarmed by the language…Virginia Allen -
- Opinion
We Hear You: Defending a ‘Jesus Saves’ T-Shirt, Reaching Gen Z, and Sitting Out LGBT Pride
Editor’s note: After too long an absence, "We Hear You" is back to round up your responses to The Daily Signal's coverage. Here’s a sampling from the mailbag at [email protected].—Ken McIntyre Dear Daily Signal: It's shameful that security guards at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, asked a gentleman to remove his T-shirt with the…Ken McIntyre -
- Opinion
California’s Radical Effort to Transform America’s Auto Industry: Not Your Forefathers’ Idea of Federalism
Gov. Gavin Newsom and his climate regulators at the California Air Resources Board, or CARB, have promised to phase out all gas-powered cars and force automakers to sell 100% electric vehicles by 2035. CARB’s purpose is not really to improve local air quality in any part of California but rather to fight the specter of…Steve Bradbury -
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Progressivism Versus Popular Sovereignty
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall sent a letter Thursday to U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., on behalf of himself and 15 other state attorneys general. Marshall’s letter, which pertains to Biden administration policy on COVID-19, is important on its own merits, insofar as what it urges the new Congress to do. The letter also…Josh Hammer -
- Opinion
The Fed Is Punishing Americans for the Problems It Created. It’s Time to Rein It In.
The Federal Reserve has become borderline schizophrenic and downright destructive toward the American people. First, it created trillions of dollars to feed the government’s out-of-control spending, bringing sky-high inflation. Now, in an attempt to fix the inflation problem, it has chosen to go after the American people instead of cutting off the government from its…EJ Antoni -
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I Know From Experience: Transgender Identities Devalue, Dehumanize, and Destroy
If you want to know how transgender identities devalue, dehumanize, and destroy people, just ask any of the growing numbers of detransitioners. “I literally lost organs,” Chloe Cole says, referring to her double mastectomy at the ripe old age of 15. At 12, Chloe decided she was transgender, and her complicit doctors prescribed puberty blockers…Walt Heyer -
- Opinion
The Debt Ceiling Debate, Explained
The debt ceiling fight continues in Washington, more than a week after the U.S. hit its legislated debt limit of $31.4 trillion. “The Treasury Department has hit the federal borrowing limit at $31.4 trillion, and they’re going to be able to use cash-management techniques to be able to extend what we call the ‘X date’…Samantha Aschieris -
- Opinion
Obama Warns About the ‘Raw Sewage’ of Disinformation—Ignores Democrats’ Own Garbage
In the wake of the “Twitter Files,” let’s revisit former President Barack Obama’s warning last April about the spread of misinformation: “You just have to flood a country’s public square with enough raw sewage. You just have to raise enough questions, spread enough dirt, plant enough conspiracy theorizing that citizens no longer know what to…Larry Elder -
- Opinion
New Documentary Exposes Disney’s Pro-Sexualization, Anti-Nuclear Family Agenda
The magic of Disney is fading, according to the president of the Catholic League. Disney has adopted a woke “idea of diversity, which sounds innocuous on the face of it, [but] is really an agenda to divide people,” Bill Donohue says. “And that’s what they’re doing. They’re dividing people on the basis of family, on…Virginia Allen -
- Opinion
A Sorry Set of Anniversaries That Will Cost Americans
Many if not most Americans were up in arms when news broke that an obscure federal regulatory agency was considering a ban on natural gas stoves. Rightly so. A government that meddles in Mama’s kitchen for no good reason clearly has gotten too big But here’s the problem: This kind of regulatory activity is now…Katie Tubb -
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Bill Would Tell Honduras’ Leftist Leader: Don’t Even Think of Expropriating US Investments
In recent years, we’ve found ourselves disagreeing from time to time with Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., but his Protect U.S. Investments Act could not be more timely. In Honduras, just as in Venezuela years ago, violent political mobs known as “colectivos” have been organized by radical elements of the “democratic socialist” administration of President Xiomara…Michael McGuire -
- Opinion
Population Panic
Have you heard? The world is about to end! “60 Minutes” recently featured Paul Ehrlich, author of the bestseller “The Population Bomb.” “Humanity is not sustainable,” he said. Why would “60 Minutes” interview Ehrlich? For years, Ehrlich said, “We are very close to a famine,” and, “In the next 15 years, the end will come.”…John Stossel -
- News
Vimeo Removes ‘Dead Name’ Documentary About Parents of ‘Transgender’ Kids for ‘Hateful Conduct’
The video platform Vimeo has removed a documentary about the struggles of parents who doubt the experimental transgender medical interventions that schools and doctors champion for their children, claiming that the documentary violates its policy prohibiting "discriminatory or hateful conduct." The documentary "Dead Name" tells the stories of three parents—identified only by first names—living in…Tyler O’Neil -
- Opinion
At NPR, Republicans Are All ‘Hard’ or ‘Far’ Right, but No Democrats Are ‘Hard’ or ‘Far’ Left
My maxim on the media’s use of ideological labeling is: “The epic political battles of our time are between the ultraconservatives and the nonpartisans.” Journalists see Republicans as a whole as ultraconservative, or as a wholly owned subsidiary of the ultraconservatives. Journalists firmly on the left think of themselves as the sensible center, so their…Tim Graham -
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Democrats Introduce Bill to Eliminate Federal Debt Limit
Legislation sponsored by House Democrats would eliminate limits on government spending not by raising the debt ceiling, but by repealing it. Introduced by Rep. Bill Foster, D-Ill., and co-sponsored by 42 other Democrats, the End the Threat of Default Act removes the $31.381 trillion limit set by Congress on how much the U.S. Treasury can borrow. The…Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell -
- Opinion
British ‘Single-Payer’ Health Care Program Is Cratering. That Should Be Wake-Up Call for US Liberals.
Rishi Sunak, the United Kingdom’s new prime minister, refuses to answer a simple question. He was asked three times whether he received private medical care or relied upon the National Health Service, the British version of “single-payer” government-run national health insurance. Sunak dismissed the question as “not really relevant.” But it is. The prime minister…Robert Moffit -
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Christian Facing Prosecution for Giving Testimony Warns: Authorities Target ‘ANY DISSENTING OPINION’ on LGBT Issues
A Christian charity worker in Malta faces prosecution for sharing his personal testimony about rejecting homosexual activity on the radio. Matthew Grech, 33, a trustee of the Christian nonprofit Core Issues Trust, will face trial on Feb. 3, 2023, at the Court of Magistrates in Valetta, along with the presenters of a media outlet, PMnews…Tyler O’Neil