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
What Happened When Jackson Went Easy on This Sex Offender
Editor’s note: This article has been corrected to reflect that Dixie Bennett, not Ketanji Brown Jackson, wrote the presentence mitigation report quoted. In text messages, Neil Stewart talked explicitly about his interest in sex involving minors while setting up what he thought was a meeting at the National Zoo with a man and his 9-year-old daughter, according to… -
opinion
DC’s David Outlasts Goliath: Big Board Pub Can Reopen, Serve Liquor Again
Beleaguered Washington, D.C., restaurant owner Eric Flannery finally has a small reason to celebrate. On St. Patrick’s Day, Flannery was told he can finally serve liquor again at his restaurant, The Big Board. The Buckeye Institute, an Ohio-based think tank representing Flannery in an ongoing lawsuit against the D.C. city government, announced that the city… -
news
‘The Equal Rights of Female Athletes Are Being Infringed’: Women’s Group Files Civil Rights Complaint Over Transgender Swimmer
Concerned Women for America filed a formal civil rights complaint against the University of Pennsylvania on Thursday, contending the school is violating Title IX requirements designed to protect the rights of female student athletes. The complaint came the same day transgender University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas, a biological male, won the 500-yard freestyle at… -
news
Trans Swimmer Lia Thomas Beats Out Female Competitors by 1.75 Seconds in NCAA Championships
University of Pennsylvania transgender swimmer Lia Thomas won the 500 free event at the NCAA Women’s Championships by 1.75 seconds Thursday. In first place, Thomas finished at 4:33.24, according to results published on swimmeetresults.tech. The three runners-up swam 4:34.99, 4:35.92, and 4:36.18. Thomas also won the Thursday morning qualifier, beating the second-place swimmer by 2.97 seconds, a… -
opinion
Iran Escalates Shadow War With US, Israel in Latest Missile Attack
Iran launched at least a dozen ballistic missiles on Sunday that struck several buildings near a United States consulate compound being built outside the city of Erbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdish province in northern Iraq. According the Department of Defense, there were no casualties and no damage to any U.S. facilities. But the attack… -
opinion
Republicans, Embrace the Culture War and Cruise to Victory
For conservatives and Republicans, the present flare-up in Ukraine has shone a spotlight on the extent to which there is profound foreign policy disagreement within the broader ranks. From the ultra-hawkish calls for a U.S.-imposed no-fly zone or even the assassination of Russian strongman Vladimir Putin from the likes of Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., and… -
news
Soft on Crime? Here’s Jackson’s Record on Sex Offenders and Other Criminals
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson once expressed concern about a “climate of fear, hatred, and revenge” surrounding sex offenders. Jackson later opposed the confinement conditions of a Taliban leader suspected of running a terrorist cell. The judge also routinely ruled against the Trump administration on immigration enforcement cases, as detailed here. Now, as President Joe Biden’s… -
opinion
Like Constitutional Checks and Balances, Tax Competition Is a Bulwark Against Growth of Government
We live in a fallen world. Because man has a corruptible heart, when he is given a position of authority, he tends to amass more and more power for himself. The father of the U.S. Constitution, James Madison, summed it up, “The truth [is] that all men having power ought to be mistrusted.” Because the… -
opinion
‘Freedom Isn’t Free’: A Disturbing Generational Split on What’s Worth Fighting For
The line at the post office was long, so the woman in front of me decided to turn around and start a conversation. She was concerned about the current generation of young people and whether they would have enough inner strength to stand against an invading army as many Ukrainians are doing. She said she… -
opinion
Leftists’ War on Kids
Why are leftists being so creepy lately? Planned Parenthood has an “ice cream truck” in Texas, but instead of frozen treats, it’s distributing condoms. Meanwhile, Florida lawmakers pass a bill prohibiting teachers from planned instruction about gender identity and sexual orientation to kindergartners through third graders … and liberals are mad about it. And over… -
opinion
America’s Enemies Find Weakness at Every Turn
There is no substitute for American strength. When America’s enemies find weakness, they exert pressure. And today, America’s enemies are finding weakness at nearly every turn. Vladimir Lenin supposedly stated that his preferred foreign policy strategy was to “probe with bayonets: If you find mush, you push. If you find steel, you withdraw.” Russian President… -
opinion
Florida Bill Is Pro-Freedom, Not Anti-LGBTQ
The distorted rhetoric—should I say lies?—labeling Florida’s legislation about parental rights in public schools as “Don’t say gay” demonstrates the hypocrisy of LGBTQ activism. I say hypocrisy because this movement has always showcased itself as being about freedom, rights, and social justice. But the reality is that LGBTQ activism is not at all about freedom… -
opinion
With Its New President, Chile Could Take a (Left) Turn for Worse
Gabriel Boric, Chile’s youngest president ever, was sworn into office on March 11, and will shape the direction of the country over the next four years. Boric, a former student protest leader and member of Congress, won the Chilean presidency last year by riding a left-wing populist wave of anti-market sentiment. The 36-year-old president, the… -
opinion
What’s Driving Up Gas Prices—and Why the White House Won’t Help
When a news anchor confronted Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm about high gasoline prices and asked about the Biden administration’s plan to increase oil production in America, she burst into laughter. “That is hilarious,” she said. It was early November 2021, and gas prices were averaging $3.39 nationally. The reporter wasn’t laughing. And now, with the… -
opinion
Saga of Postal ‘Reform’ Bill: Pricey Little Sideshow in 3 Acts
Last week, amid Russia’s ruthless invasion of Ukraine and the rapid passage of a massive 2,741-page, $1.5 trillion spending bill, it’s not surprising that enactment of a postal reform bill (H.R. 3076) got little attention. Touted as a long-awaited “bipartisan” measure, the postal legislation, 15 years in gestation, is anything but noncontroversial. Fast-tracked through Congress,… -
opinion
‘God and Man at Yale’ Turns 70
Last year, in the midst of all the COVID-19 chaos, it was easy to miss a major milestone in the history of American conservatism and the battle of ideas. Regnery Books released a 70th anniversary edition of William F. Buckley’s seminal work “God and Man at Yale” (with a new introduction by Michael Knowles)—first published… -
opinion
How to Fix the Media
The Daily Signal is featuring the latest episode of “The Kevin Roberts Show.” The podcast includes an interview with Townhall reporter Julio Rosas, author of “Fiery But Mostly Peaceful: The 2020 Riots and the Gaslighting of America.” Kevin Roberts: For this episode, we’re going to talk about something we consume every day. We watch it,… -
news
His Great-Great-Grandmother Was a Slave. He Sees Forgiveness as Path Forward.
Editor's note: Rev. Dean Nelson, a staunch defender of the unborn, passed away Saturday at the age of 55. ‘It is with profound gratitude for his life that we mourn the loss of our Executive Director, Reverend Dean Nelson,” Human Coalition wrote on X, formerly Twitter, Sunday. “He has gone home to his eternal reward… -
news
Rhode Island Drops Order Prohibiting Unvaccinated Doctor From Practicing
The state of Rhode Island on Friday dismissed an order that had prevented a doctor from practicing because he declined to take a COVID-19 vaccine. Dr. Stephen Skoly, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, sought a medical exemption from getting the vaccine because he has a condition called Bell’s palsy. The state denied the exemption in… -
news
‘They Don’t Say a Word’: DeSantis Slams Disney’s Opposition to Florida Bill
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis criticized Disney for its opposition to the state’s parental rights legislation in a video shared by Fox News on Thursday. “When you have companies that have made a fortune off being family-friendly and catering to families and young kids, they should understand that parents of young kids do not want this…