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
The Embarrassing Casting of Emma Corrin in New ‘Pride and Prejudice’
Like Shakespeare producers of yore, who enlisted lithe lads to play Juliet and Ophelia, Netflix hotshots have decided they don’t see gender. Or they don’t believe gender identity, when mismatched to biological sex, is real. Take your pick. But regardless of which scenario, it’s an insult to Jane Austen that the latest adaptation of “Pride…Katrina Trinko -
- Opinion
Passover Wisdom for a Nation Losing Its Memory
America is suffering from a cultural Alzheimer’s. An ancient Jewish ritual—the Passover seder—may hold the cure. Last year, more than 7 in 10 Americans failed the basic civic literacy quiz administered annually by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Even among college students, knowledge of basic facts about American history and civics is shockingly low….Jason Bedrick -
- Opinion
Virginia Democrats’ Increasing Political Obstructionism
During the 2013 campaign for Virginia governor, the GOP nominee, then-Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, warned that if his opponent, Democrat and Bill Clinton confidant Terry McAuliffe, were to win, “D.C.-style politics would take over in Richmond.” Well, a dozen years later, his words seem to be prophetic and ironic at the same time. McAuliffe did…Joe Thomas -
- News
Texas AG Paxton Announces 2026 GOP Primary Challenge Against Sen. Cornyn
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced this week his long-expected 2026 Senate primary challenge against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. Both politicians cast long shadows in the Lone Star State. In his announcement, Paxton characterized the run as bolstering support for President Donald Trump in the Senate. “We have another great U.S. senator in Ted…Jacob Adams -
- News
We’ll Know Causes of Surge in Autism by September, RFK Jr. Vows
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made a bold claim at a Cabinet meeting Thursday with President Donald Trump, promising that his department will uncover environmental causes of autism by September. “We’ve launched a massive testing and research effort that’s going to involve hundreds of scientists from around the world,” Kennedy told…George Caldwell -
- News
FEC Opens Probe of Rep. Jasmine Crockett Donations
The Federal Election Commission opened an investigation into firebrand Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, regarding donations to her 2024 campaign made through ActBlue, a Democrat fundraising powerhouse organization. The Coolidge-Reagan Foundation, a conservative advocacy group, made the FEC complaint on March 26, as first reported by The Daily Signal. On April 2, the FEC notified the…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
Trump’s Reality-Driven U-Turn
President Donald Trump did what he had to do. Last week, Trump dropped an economic neutron bomb by declaring tariffs on virtually every country on the planet—tariffs based not on reciprocal tariff rates, but on trade deficits. After an initial stock dump of approximately 10% and then days of the markets bouncing up and down…Ben Shapiro -
- News
Bipartisan Bill Aims to Correct Headstones of Jewish Veterans
A bipartisan group of members of Congress and senators on Monday introduced a bill that would ensure hundreds of Jewish-American service members are buried under grave markers that reflect their religion. Sens. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., and Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., and Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., and Max Miller, R-Ohio, are seeking through the Fallen Servicemembers Religious Heritage…R.E. Wermus -
- Opinion
Our Worst Trading Partner
When Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., was in the midst of his record 25-plus hours of speaking on the Senate floor on April 1, he yielded to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, who wanted to ask him a couple of questions. One was on the tariffs that President Donald Trump was set to…Terence Jeffrey -
- Opinion
Why Ranked Choice Voting Was Bad for Virginia—and for Any State
Among the bills that the Virginia General Assembly passed in its 2025 session was one that would bring a process called ranked choice voting to the commonwealth. Ranked choice voting has been gaining traction in some states while it has been explicitly banned in others. Senate Bill 1009, introduced by state Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim,…Joe Thomas -
- Opinion
Cory Booker’s Blab-a-Thon Underlines ‘Fact-Checker’ Tilt
On April 7, Facebook pulled the plug on the censorship of “independent fact-checkers,” replacing it with a “Community Notes” approach, like Elon Musk’s X uses. No one was more upset than the censorious left-wing “fact” police. Angie Holan, the leader of the Poynter Institute’s International Fact-Checking Network, marked “International Fact-Checking Day” by proclaiming they are…Tim Graham -
- Opinion
Rod Dreher: Communist Dissidents Have a Message for the West
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was arrested on Feb. 12, 1974, for speaking out about the evils of Soviet communism. The next day, he was exiled to the West and would not touch Russian soil again for more than 15 years. On the day of his arrest, Solzhenitsyn published an essay titled “Live Not by Lies.” The four-page…Bradley Devlin -
- Opinion
Reversing the Decline: Christianity Showing Signs of Rebounding in America
Christianity’s decline in America has slowed and could be turning a corner upward—just what our country needs to return to its rich history rooted in “In God We Trust.” As a 2017 convert to Christianity from agnosticism myself, this is encouraging news. Pew recently reported in its annual religion study: “After many years of steady…Carrie Sheffield -
- News
$3 Billion Up From Down Under to Help US Build Submarines
Given the regular flow of dollars out of the country and into foreign economies, it bears mentioning that one ally has, in fact, extended financial support to help revitalize American shipbuilding. Australia, one of America’s closest and most dependable allies, is doing just that. A total of $3 billion will be provided to restore shipyards…Anna Gustafson -
- Opinion
Why Is Wall Street Panicking?
Editor’s note: This is a lightly edited transcript of today’s video from Daily Signal Senior Contributor Victor Davis Hanson. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see more of his videos. Hello, this is Victor Davis Hanson for The Daily Signal, speaking on a Monday that the market’s gone down 300 points. It’s about where we were…Victor Davis Hanson -
- Opinion
Tom Cotton’s New Book Addresses China’s Global Threat You Can’t Talk About
Sen. Tom Cotton’s new book, “Seven Things You Can’t Say About China,” asks the reader to give renewed focus on perhaps America’s greatest nemesis—the People’s Republic of China. In seven chapters, Cotton outlines the nature and severity of the threat—and it’s a warning that is sorely needed. While many Americans pay attention to a few high-profile…Horace Cooper -
- News
Washington State Sheriff Rips Sanctuary Policies That ‘Shield Repeat Offenders’
Criminal organizations and human traffickers are using liberal cities’ and states’ sanctuary policies to their advantage, says Sheriff Dale Wagner of Adams County, Washington. “While proponents claim sanctuary policies protect vulnerable populations, they also shield repeat offenders who exploit the system,” Wagner said in testimony Wednesday before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity,…Virginia Allen -
- Opinion
White House Meme Machine and Strategy Behind It
The Trump White House is using social media unlike any prior administration, capturing the president’s policy agenda through unconventional videos and images. Take the issue of curbing illegal immigration, arguably President Donald’s Trump No. 1 policy priority. The Trump administration has released multiple videos of the deportation of illegal aliens set to popular songs, such…Virginia Allen -
- News
Treasury Report Exposes How Fentanyl Traffickers Exploit Financial System
The fentanyl trade—which claimed tens of thousands of American lives in 2024 alone—is a multibillion-dollar business supported by sophisticated money laundering schemes, a new report from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent revealed Wednesday. Bessent released the report amid President Donald Trump’s push to use tariffs as a weapon against foreign nations' reputed abuses of their financial…George Caldwell -
- News
Ethics Complaint Claims Booker Improperly Linked 25-Hour Talkathon With Fundraising
While Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., spoke for 25 hours on the Senate floor last week, a series of emails with contribution links and links to his campaign store was sent out, according to an ethics complaint from the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust. FACT, a conservative nonprofit watchdog group, says that violates Senate ethics…Fred Lucas