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
‘Digital Babies’ and the Culture of Lifestyle Over a Culture of Life
“Could the future of parenthood be having virtual children in the metaverse?” An article featured in British newspaper The Guardian forecasts a world in which it is commonplace for young adults and would-be parents to opt toward raising “digital babies” over having real children of their own. Powered by virtual reality and artificial intelligence, these…Scott Zipperle -
- Opinion
Meet the Conservative Comic Artist Countering the Left Online
Scrolling through the sea of posts, pictures, and memes online can make conservatives feel like they’re outcasts. Endless screeds claiming anyone to the right of Mao is a bigoted and hateful person make up most of Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. But a growing cadre of conservative creatives is trying to make its mark online and…Douglas Blair -
- Opinion
Killing of Former Prime Minister Shocks Japan, but Shinzo Abe’s Legacy Lives On
Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was fatally shot Friday at a campaign rally ahead of Japan’s elections Sunday for the upper house of its parliament. The event has shocked Japan, which has extremely tight gun control laws and one of the world’s lowest rates of gun violence. Abe, who was 67, was a towering…Bruce Klingner -
- Opinion
An Assassin Kills Japanese Leader Shinzo Abe. Here’s What You Need to Know.
Shinzo Abe, a former prime minister of Japan, was slain Friday by an assassin at a campaign event. Abe, who was 67, served two stints as the Asian island nation’s leader, leaving office in 2020, and his legacy loomed large over Japan. The longest-serving Japanese leader’s killing sent shock waves throughout the country and across…Douglas Blair -
- Opinion
Ruling in West Virginia v. EPA Scores Win for Representative Government
Under the U.S. Constitution, only Congress possesses federal lawmaking power. But anyone familiar with the massive administrative state might question whether that’s true in practice. After all, federal agencies make a habit of acting as though there’s a special lawmaking power just for bureaucrats. On June 30, though, there was some good news on the…Daren Bakst -
- Opinion
Another Year, Another Bloody Summer
The surge in violent crime that began a few years ago continues. It will abate only when Americans demand and get action from local and national leaders. The crime numbers we’ve seen already this year highlight the problem. A serious upswing in violent crime often follows significant anti-police protests and less aggressive policing. Researchers call…Jarrett Stepman -
- Opinion
Hershel ‘Woody’ Williams: A True American Hero
America just lost another hero from “the greatest generation.” Hershel “Woody” Williams, the last surviving World War II veteran awarded the Medal of Honor, died June 29. He was 98. Enlisting in the Marine Corps in 1943 at the age of 19, Williams was a demolition corporal when he and his Marine battalion landed on…Aaron Eudaimon -
- Opinion
What Explains the Disappearing American?
“Help wanted” and “Now hiring” signs are everywhere. Flights, construction projects, and health care services are delayed—or unavailable—due to labor shortages. Hourly and monthly wages spiral. There is a growing disequilibrium between the number of available jobs and the declining pool of workers needed to fill them. What’s going on? During the nearly two yearlong…Victor Davis Hanson -
- News
‘Hopeful Sign’: 72% Still Proud to Be American, Poll Finds
A new poll finds that patriotism is alive and well among most Americans, with nearly 3 in 4 saying they are proud of their country despite divisive domestic issues and the findings of other recent surveys. The poll results come amid nationwide controversy in recent months over issues such as record-high gas prices, mass shootings,…Evalyn Homoelle -
- Opinion
Biden’s Twin Dumpster Fires: Raging Inflation and Open Borders
Faced with several serious domestic and foreign policy problems all at once, the Biden administration’s reaction has been so catastrophically incoherent, it’s hard to know whether to blame leftist ideology or just plain incompetence. Inflation hits all of us right now. While the nation is supposed to be grateful for the 16 cents that the…Simon Hankinson -
- Opinion
New York Times Pays for Opposition Research Into Conservative Media
Here’s one easy way to figure out if a newspaper is in the tank for the Democrats: Does it spend money to study how Democrats are being unfairly attacked on conservative talk radio? The answer is “yes” at The New York Times. Its front page on July 5 carried a story titled “Right-Wing Radio Sows…Tim Graham -
- Opinion
Celebrities Are Saying Only Women Are Women. Is Transgender Movement Fading?
Singer Macy Gray and actress Bette Midler made headlines recently for saying only women are women. The two celebrities made their bold statements—bold for this day and age, at least—over the July Fourth holiday weekend. “WOMEN OF THE WORLD! We are being stripped of our rights over our bodies, our lives and even of our…Virginia Allen -
- Opinion
What Could Have Prevented Highland Park Mass Shooting?
America recently has suffered through a spate of mass shootings. Most recently, a gunman fired on a crowd of people on the Fourth of July in Highland Park, Illinois. Seven were killed and more than 40 others were injured. Across the country, concerned citizens ask, “Why?” Why does this keep happening and what can we…Douglas Blair -
- News
Political Fallout Over California’s Concealed Carry Data Leak
Tim Sylvester, a self-described gun collector in California’s Central Valley, is incensed by last week’s admission by California’s Department of Justice that it made public the personal information of perhaps hundreds of thousands of gun owners, likely including his own. “It’s a breach of trust,” Sylvester, an almond and grape farmer who taught firearm safety…Susan Crabtree -
- Opinion
Tweetstorm Over Disney’s Baymax Shopping for Tampons Reveals Clash of Cultures
In an article for City Journal in March, journalist Christopher Rufo revealed how The Walt Disney Co. had pledged to embed radical sexual politics in its films and TV programming. Left-wing Disney employees announced in a series of meetings that they were going to “change everything from gender pronouns at the company’s theme parks to…Nicole Russell -
- Opinion
Why We Can’t Have a Nice Independence Day
On July 3, 1776, shortly after the approval of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress, John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail. “I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States,” Adams wrote. “Yet through…Ben Shapiro -
- News
‘We’re Being Invaded,’ Local Texas Leaders Say as Border Crisis Worsens
The flood of illegal migrants coming across the border has gone from an emergency to an invasion, local Texas officials say. Leaders from Kinney County, which borders Mexico, and from several other Texas counties gathered Tuesday to declare they are under invasion. “If we keep our open border, we’re not going to have…Virginia Allen -
- Opinion
For July Fourth, NPR Ditches Declaration of Independence
At National Public Radio, the document that effectively created the United States is out. Predictably, this year the left-wing media churned out a drumbeat of pieces about why Independence Day isn’t so great for one reason or another. It’s an annual tradition, so no surprise. The left had a bad month at the Supreme Court,…Jarrett Stepman -
- News
White House ‘Disinformation’ Campaign Against Climate Policy Critics Sparks Litigation
Climate activists are working in coordination with the Biden White House and Democrat-dominated congressional committees to silence political opponents under the guise of “disinformation,” legal and energy policy analysts say. Under President Joe Biden, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy has kept a tight lid on how the administration advances its climate…Kevin Mooney -
- Opinion
Avoiding the Approaching American Catastrophe
It’s hard not to worry about America’s future these days. Warning signs are everywhere. Trust in institutions is at all-time lows. Inflation is out of control. The nation’s long-term finances are in shambles. People are at each other’s throats. Drug overdoses are booming. Suicide is booming. Growing elements on both the left and the right…Neil Patel