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
What Happened to Gaming Event Raising Money for Cancer Charity After Leftists Infiltrated
Sorry cancer patients, the radical Left has decided their feelings are more important than raising money for your health. Video game-based charity Games Done Quick announced that it was pulling its live event out of Florida over concerns related to COVID-19 restrictions and the Parental Rights in Education Act, a bill leftist hacks have labeled…Douglas Blair -
- Opinion
Is National Conservatism the Future of the Movement?
Conservatism has existed as a philosophy since the founding of the republic. As the country has evolved and grown, so too has the political ideology that has guided America through its toughest trials. Conservatism again stands at a possible point of evolution. Much has been said about national conservatism, both for and against. Nate Hochman,…Douglas Blair -
- Opinion
Valedictorian’s Professional License in Jeopardy Over Graduation Speech on Life, Love
Academic freedom is under global assault. Students and professors in places of higher learning around the world are forced to censor what they say or suffer the consequences. Despite the fact that we all possess the inherent human right to freedom of speech, now more than ever, we are being silenced and sanctioned in the…Kristina Hjelkrem -
- News
Top Trans Medical Group Quietly Removes Age Recommendations for Minors Seeking Transgender Surgeries, Hormones, Puberty Blockers
The organization widely considered to be the gold standard on transgender health care has removed its age recommendations for minors to receive hotly debated transgender medical interventions from its guidelines — and it won’t explain why. The World Professional Association for Transgender Health published a correction to its Standards of Care 8th Edition this week, removing…Mary Margaret Olohan -
- News
In Pledge to ‘Stand Up for America,’ Texas Lawmaker Vows ‘to Restore Common Sense, Responsible Spending’
Rep. Chip Roy says he has a plan to hold lawmakers and the Biden administration accountable now and into the future. The Texas Republican announced a three-part “Stand Up for America” pledge to his Lone Star State constituents on Sept. 8. “I pledge to the 21st Congressional District of Texas to Stand Up for America…Virginia Allen -
- News
EXCLUSIVE: Marsha Blackburn Resolution Calls Out Democratic ‘Attacks on the Constitution’
Sen. Marsha Blackburn has introduced a resolution defending the Constitution from “leftist attacks” and affirming that “the Constitution of the United States is not a flexible document, but an enduring covenant.” Blackburn, R-Tenn., is pushing back on ongoing attacks from leftists on the United States Supreme Court, particularly following the recent pro-life victory in Dobbs…Mary Margaret Olohan -
- Opinion
When Will Low-Income Americans Stop Looking to Government?
New polling data from Gallup show Americans are not having an easy time through this period of rising prices. According to Gallup, 56% of Americans say now that rising prices are causing severe or moderate hardship. Drilling down, we see that the hardship is not shared equally. Among low-income households, those with income less than…Star Parker -
- Opinion
Left’s Vision for America Grows Increasingly Dark
The Left’s vision for America has grown increasingly dark. Its embrace of identity politics has morphed into an all-out drive for divisiveness, demonizing huge swaths of the American people for purely political purposes. The most recent examples of this came last week when President Joe Biden labeled tens of millions of his own constituents—Americans who oppose his…Kevin Roberts -
- Opinion
The Passing of an Era
The death of Queen Elizabeth II marked the passing of an era in British and world history. Elizabeth II, who first became queen when Winston Churchill was prime minister in 1952, carried the British monarchy through the turbulent twentieth and early twenty-first centuries until her death on Sept. 8. Not only that, Elizabeth II…Jarrett Stepman -
- News
House Freedom Caucus to GOP: Vote ‘No’ on Funding Democrat Policies
The leader of the House’s most conservative caucus is calling on party leadership to prevent “leftist Democrats” from getting “another bite” at tyranny as Congress prepares to vote on a short-term government spending bill before the fiscal year ends Sept. 30. “We call on each and every Republican to vote ‘no.’ Vote ‘no’ to…Samantha Aschieris -
- News
Court Rules Mail Voting Law Is Illegal Under Delaware Constitution
A vote-by-mail law approved in July does not bode with Delaware law and the process cannot be used in the upcoming November elections, a state judge ruled Wednesday. Delaware Gov. John Carney, a Democrat, signed a bill July 22 that allows any voter to ask for a mail-in ballot with no excuse. But Vice Chancellor Nathan Cook…Gabe Kaminsky -
- Opinion
If ‘Politics Is Downstream From Culture,’ the Right Must Jump in to Redirect Cultural Tide
Time and time again, Democratic and Republican politicians shout that there’s an ideological battle for the heart and soul of the nation and hope to win the trust and support of disenchanted voters. A poll released in July by the University of Chicago Institute of Politics found that 73% of Republicans and 74% of Democrats…Micah Hart -
- Opinion
Robbing Pavel to Pay Pedro: The Biden White House’s New Refugee Plan
The Biden administration recently sent Congress a proposal to admit a total of 125,000 refugees in the fiscal year that begins next month. If recent years are any guide, though, President Joe Biden won’t get anywhere near that target. In fiscal year 2021, the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program let in only 11,411 refugees out of…Simon Hankinson -
- Opinion
How Can You Befriend a ‘Semi-Fascist’?
Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, at a recent event with a liberal audience, praised Justice Clarence Thomas, her ideological adversary. Sotomayor said, “He is a man who cares deeply about the court as an institution.” She added that while the two often disagree over judicial decisions, “We share a common understanding about people and kindness…Larry Elder -
- Opinion
The ‘Secure Border’ of Kamala Harris
When Donald Trump was president, the Border Patrol in fiscal year 2019 did not encounter a single individual on the terrorist watchlist trying to illegally cross the U.S.-Mexico border between legal ports of entry. In the first 10 months of this fiscal year, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Border Patrol encountered 66…Terence Jeffrey -
- Opinion
Iranian Ayatollah’s Declining Health Complicates Nuclear Deal Negotiations
Rumors of the declining health of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have further complicated the cost-benefit calculus for U.S. policymakers on the Iran nuclear issue. Khamenei’s health problems would make another nuclear deal even more risky than the original agreement of 2015. As the ultimate decision-maker in Iran’s Islamic revolutionary regime, the supreme leader’s…James Phillips -
- News
After Botched Census Counts in 14 States, House Democrats Push Less Accountability for Bureaucrats
As the Census Bureau faces questions about a botched population count in 2020, the White House expressed conditional support Tuesday for legislation that would loosen the agency’s accountability to taxpayers and elected lawmakers. The Office of Management and Budget released a statement of President Joe Biden’s administration policy in support of HR 8326, a bill dubbed…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
California Is Both Increasing Electrical Demand and Cutting Off Access to Electricity Sources
California may be a trendsetter or bellwether in many ways, but after 10 grid alerts and emergency declarations in as many days, let’s hope that’s not the case when it comes to energy and climate policy. Over the past two weeks, shortly after state bureaucrats finalized a regulation banning sales of gasoline-powered cars after 2035,…Katie Tubb -
- Opinion
Forgetting Some Lessons of 9/11
On the 21st anniversary of Sept. 11, President Joe Biden repeated the same tired nostrums we have heard for the past several years on the anniversary of the worst terrorist attack in American history: “We will never forget. We will never give up. Our commitment to preventing another attack on the United States is without…Ben Shapiro -
- Opinion
Ken Starr, Rest in Peace
Famed lawyer Ken Starr died unexpectedly Tuesday following complications from surgery after a long and previously undisclosed illness. He had a long and storied—and somewhat controversial—career. Starr, 76, was born in Vernon, Texas, and was a Texan through and through. A graduate of George Washington University and Duke Law School (with a master’s degree from…John G. Malcolm