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
It’s Time to See If Alison Grimes Violated Campaign Ethics Laws
Gerald “Jerry” Lundergan, a former Kentucky state representative and chairman of the Kentucky Democratic Party, has been convicted of violating federal campaign finance laws, and must report to prison on Nov. 30. Lundergan conspired to illegally contribute funds from one of his companies to the 2014 Senate campaign of his daughter, Alison Lundergan Grimes. Now,… -
opinion
At Age 25, She Was Just Elected Mayor of Her Tiny Hometown in Pennsylvania
Brianna Howard says she never thought she would run for public office, but when no one else was on the ballot for mayor in her hometown of Mount Jewett, Pennsylvania, she rose to the challenge. Howard ran as a write-in candidate, won, and will serve as mayor of the town for the next four years,… -
news
Suspect in Wisconsin Parade Horror Faces 5 Homicide Counts
Police said they will charge a Wisconsin man with five counts of intentional homicide after he allegedly drove an SUV into a Christmas parade Sunday, killing at least five adults and injuring more than 40, including children. At a press conference Monday, Dan Thompson, chief of the Waukesha Police Department, told reporters that Darrell E. Brooks, 39,… -
opinion
Did Common Core Standards Contribute to Slide in Eighth-Grade Math Scores?
For the first time in the study’s 50-year history, the National Assessment of Educational Progress’ 2020 Long-Term Trend Assessment revealed that U.S. 13-year-olds’ scores in both reading and math experienced statistically significant declines over the past eight years. Despite record-high education spending, these declines are the latest evidence casting significant doubt on Common Core’s learning… -
news
Texas National Guard Prepares to ‘Repel and Block’ Illegal Caravans at Border
RIO GRANDE VALLEY—A top official within Texas’ effort to secure the U.S.-Mexico border told the Daily Caller News Foundation that his troops are prepared for a worst case scenario situation and that they can be deployed within hours to tackle it. “We’re prepared to repel and block any sized element coming across,” Maj. Mike Perry,… -
opinion
Why No Media ‘Reckoning’ Over Phony Steele Dossier?
Axios says there’s a “reckoning” in the media over coverage of the Steele dossier after the partisan oppo document’s primary source was charged with lying to the FBI. “It’s one of the most egregious journalistic errors in modern history,” writes Sara Fischer, “and the media’s response to its own mistakes has so far been tepid.”… -
news
In 2020, Their Family Business Burned Down in Kenosha Riots. Here’s How They’re Doing Today.
KENOSHA, Wis.—Last year, The Daily Signal shared the story of a family whose business was destroyed during the 2020 riots in Kenosha. “Everything burned to the ground,” Raquel Santiago told The Daily Signal in 2020 about her family’s ice cream shop, which had opened in 2004. “Expensive machines, compressors. I mean, things that you cannot… -
opinion
A Former Prosecutor’s Take on the Rittenhouse Trial and Verdict
Could Kyle Rittenhouse face another trial? Does Rittenhouse have grounds to sue media outlets for defamation? What about the behavior of the prosecutors during the trial? The Heritage Foundation’s Zack Smith, a former prosecutor, joins Tim Doescher of “Heritage Explains” to answer these questions and more. Watch the full interview here or read, below, an… -
opinion
Joy Reid and White Male Tears
MSNBC host Joy Reid is the only minority host on her network from noon to midnight, so it’s only natural she would be most expected to lecture on the evils of whiteness, especially white maleness. It can even happen on her social media accounts. On Nov. 16, Reid took to TikTok to compare the Kyle… -
news
Reporter Describes What He Saw Night of Rittenhouse Shootings
Townhall’s Julio Rosas was in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and filming the night of the Kyle Rittenhouse shootings. Rosas, author of the forthcoming “Fiery But Mostly Peaceful: The 2020 Riots and the Gaslighting of America,” recalls what the night was like in an interview, conducted Thursday, with The Daily Signal. Watch above. -
opinion
A Democratic Ally, Taiwan Merits Greater Trade With US, Europe
“We came here with a very simple, clear message: You are not alone. Europe is standing with you.” Those are the words offered to Taiwan from the head of the first-ever formal delegation of the European Parliament to the Asian island nation earlier this month. The leader of the delegation further noted: “Not cooperating with… -
opinion
Garland’s Lawsuit Against Texas Election Integrity Law Is Partisan and Political
A recent lawsuit filed by the U.S. Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division against Texas may make the Biden administration’s political allies happy, but it borders on the frivolous. The lawsuit, which challenges an election reform bill that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law in September, reveals the motives behind the left’s strident opposition to… -
news
What I Saw at Kenosha Courthouse When Rittenhouse Verdict Announced
KENOSHA, Wis.—The Daily Signal was at the Kenosha County Courthouse when the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict was announced. Rittenhouse was declared not guilty on all counts. I show the scene outside the courtroom. Plus: I speak to Townhall’s Julio Rosas, who was present and filming in Kenosha the night of the Rittenhouse shootings, and Mark McCloskey,… -
news
EXCLUSIVE: 16 Attorneys General File Amicus Brief Supporting Masterpiece Cakeshop Owner Jack Phillips
Sixteen attorneys general have filed an amicus brief in the contentious Masterpiece Cakeshop case, arguing that custom cakes are artistic works protected by the First Amendment. “There are many costs of doing business but they do not include your civil rights,” Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, who led the coalition of attorneys generals in filing… -
news
What I Saw at the Kenosha Courthouse
KENOSHA, Wis.—The Daily Signal was on the scene at the courthouse here Thursday where a jury deliberated for a third day about the verdict for Kyle Rittenhouse, who is facing five felony charges. People stood around the courthouse—chanting, holding signs, and more. What it was like at the courthouse: A trial attendee shares what it… -
news
6 Takeaways From Hearing for Biden’s Controversial Pick for Currency Chief
President Joe Biden’s nominee for comptroller of the currency spent much of her time Thursday before the Senate Banking Committee explaining what she really meant in past comments and writings. Cornell Law School professor Saule Omarova wrote in an October 2020 policy paper, titled “The People’s Ledger,” that the nation should “fully replace” private bank… -
news
International Olympic Committee Says Biological Male Trans Athletes Should Not Have to Lower Testosterone to Compete in Women’s Events
The International Olympic Committee recommended that sports organizations allow biologically male, transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports without lowering their testosterone levels. The committee stated that no athlete should be excluded from competition based on unverified, alleged, or perceived unfair competitive advantage due to biological sex in a Tuesday report. The report says athletes should compete in… -
opinion
Government Supports Would Grow to $76,400 per Poor Family
The House of Representatives is expected to vote this week on the partisan Build Back Better Act. This legislation, if enacted, would generate the largest increase in means-tested welfare spending in U.S. history. >>> Update: The House narrowly passed the $2 trillion social spending bill Nov. 19 by a vote of 220-213. The Senate will… -
opinion
Here’s What You Need to Know About the Border Crisis in Poland
Thousands of illegal immigrants are attempting to enter Poland from Belarus, with violent clashes with border guards breaking out on Tuesday. To help understand what is happening at the Poland-Belarus border, The Daily Signal spoke with Alexis Mrachek, a research associate focusing on Russia and Eurasia at The Heritage Foundation. The Daily Signal: We are… -
opinion
The Left’s Appalling Efforts to ‘Normalize’ Pedophilia
Some on the left have made a concerted effort of late to “normalize” pedophilia by twisting language and shifting concern from would-be victims to the pedophile himself. That’s a dangerous precedent everyone must understand and confront. In a Nov. 8 interview with the Prostasia Foundation, a San Francisco-based nonprofit organization purportedly dedicated to safeguarding kids,…