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 ‘Sexual Rights’ Movement Is Gaining Power Globally. Here’s What to Expect.
The United Nations recently appointed Dr. Tlaleng Mofokeng as the U.N. special rapporteur on the right to health. “Dr. T,” as she is known to fans, is a sexual rights advocate who—like Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif.—supports decriminalizing prostitution. Mofokeng promoted “sex work” to readers of Teen Vogue last year. She said, “The idea of purchasing… -
opinion
As US Space Force Turns 1, Its Trajectory Is on Target
The U.S. Space Force will celebrate its first birthday on Dec. 20. Through a year of news cycles dominated by coronavirus-driven lockdowns and the presidential election, you might have lost track of just how much progress this youngster has made, but its accomplishments are worth more than a passing glance. From his first moments in… -
opinion
Forget the ‘Progressive’ Promise of Free Care for All When It Comes to Government-Controlled Health Care
Be prepared for delays and denials of medical care, if self-styled “progressives” in Congress abolish all private health coverage and enact a federal government program of national health insurance, all in the name of “free care for all.” In a hefty 206-page report, the Congressional Budget Office posits five scenarios in estimating the costs of such… -
opinion
Goodwill From Iran at Year’s End? Not a Chance
There’s more trouble coming from Iran—not that we should be surprised. This week, the Iranian defense minister announced that the country’s already worrisome nuclear research program would be nearly tripling—yes, tripling—its annual budget with a 256% increase. I wonder what the Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research, which was once headed by the infamous nuclear… -
opinion
Julian Assange Should Not Be Pardoned
Every year at this time, presidents issue pardons, and some of the most controversial pardons have been issued when they are leaving office. For example, President Bill Clinton pardoned Marc Rich, a fugitive from justice who was facing 51 counts of tax fraud and was alleged to have owed $48 million to the IRS. Rich’s… -
opinion
The Long Shadow of the Identity Politics ‘Constitution’
Some governing areas fall neatly under easily recognized policy umbrellas. Relations with other countries come under the auspices of “foreign policy,” and when those relations break down and things end in a shooting war, then the “defense policy” folks come to the forefront. Not so with one of the most important areas of life today: identity… -
opinion
How Pornhub Videos Hurt Abuse Survivors
Visa and Mastercard are reportedly blocking payments on Pornhub due to allegations of child pornography on the website. What is going on here? Nicholas Kristof, an opinion columnist for The New York Times, recently wrote a heartbreaking column on the children of PornHub, telling some of the stories of the children of PornHub. What are… -
opinion
The War on History Comes for Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln didn’t do enough for black lives, according to militant proponents of the woke revolution. In October, the San Francisco Unified School District School Names Advisory Committee suggested a list of school names to be replaced in the city. On that list was a school named after Lincoln, the Great Emancipator. In just a… -
opinion
Hanukkah, Made in the USA
Most American Jews celebrate Hanukkah, at least with a family dinner or the lighting of a menorah, and in America, most non-Jews have heard of the holiday. It’s easy to find Hanukkah goods at Target, Hanukkah TV specials, and since 1979, a menorah has been erected annually on the White House Ellipse. Considering that… -
news
CNN Silent on Sexual Harassment Allegations Against Andrew Cuomo
CNN has not covered former adviser Lindsey Boylan’s Sunday allegation that Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed her “for years.” “Yes, @NYGovCuomo sexually harassed me for years,” Boylan tweeted Sunday morning. “Many saw it, and watched. I could never anticipate what to expect: would I be grilled on my work (which was very good) or… -
news
DC Mayor Backs Down Following Catholic Church Lawsuit, Eases Restrictions on Churches Ahead of Christmas
Democratic D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has eased restrictions on houses of worship following a lawsuit by the Catholic Church accusing the Democrat of “arbitrary” and “discriminatory” restrictions on churches ahead of Christmas. In a lawsuit filed Dec. 11, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Washington said Bowser’s restrictions “bear no relation to either the size of the building… -
opinion
Why Is the Left Attacking Transparency at the EPA?
The Environmental Protection Agency is trying to promote transparency by making it easier for Americans to see how it makes regulatory decisions. Many on the left, however, are attacking those efforts. Two current examples highlight this campaign against open government. First, there’s the EPA’s final cost-benefit rule under the Clean Air Act, which would require… -
news
GOP Wins Big in State Capitals. What It Means for the Next Decade.
Carrie Delrosso, a Republican, won her campaign in Pennsylvania’s 33rd House District by defeating House Minority Leader Frank Dermody, a Democrat, to capture the seat. In Ohio’s 75th House District, Gail Pavliga won her election, flipping the seat to the GOP after running a campaign on solving the opioid crisis in the district. Delrosso and… -
opinion
Remembering Walter Williams, Friend and Mentor
I met economist and professor Walter Williams when I interviewed him while hosting a local TV show in Cleveland. We discussed a number of topics but focused on race-based preferences, aka affirmative action. Williams adamantly opposed it, still an unpopular position to take, but especially back then and especially for a black person. He calmly… -
news
How Democrats Attempted a 2016 Electoral College Coup
Many on the left were indignant when the Trump campaign legal team tried to convince legislatures in several battleground states to appoint a new slate of electors after asserting election irregularities. However, four years ago, many Democrats, liberal activists, and Hollywood stars tried to pressure electors to reverse the results of the November election. Here’s… -
opinion
This Reporter Spent 2020 Covering Riots. Here’s What She Saw.
This year has been strange for all of us, but especially for Shelby Talcott, The Daily Caller’s media reporter and field correspondent. Talcott spent much of 2020 traveling across America to report on the race riots and protests. Today, Talcott joins “Problematic Women” to share what it was like to be in the center of… -
opinion
Eliminating Filibuster Would Allow Left to Accomplish Extreme Agenda
Most of what you’ve heard about the left’s extremist agenda is true. It hasn’t been exactly quiet about it. The radical left, which is now setting the agenda for the incoming White House and at least one chamber of Congress, is intent on imposing a government takeover of the health care system, implementing the job-killing… -
opinion
The World Trade Organization Gets It Wrong: It Is Not the Government’s Job to Pick Innovators
The World Trade Organization has released a new report that offers recommendations to world governments on how to stimulate innovation in digital economies. Regrettably, the policy recommendations are heavy on big government intervention and ignore a fundamental principal of free-market economics: that governments should first and foremost get out of the way of competitive entrepreneurial… -
opinion
Eulogy for My Dad, Walter Williams
In the late 1980s, when telemarketing was at it is peak, a company called our home during dinner. I picked up the phone and handed it to my dad. This is what we heard him say: “I’m not interested.” “No. No, thank you.” “Well … I’m not ever going to die.” And then he hung… -
opinion
New Leadership Is Exactly What Voice of America Needs
Voice of America is under new leadership starting this week. Author and veteran broadcaster Robert Reilly became the new director of the U.S. government’s flagship broadcast network—commonly known as VOA—on Monday as part of a desperately-needed cleanup. Reilly’s appointment was made public in a statement by Michael Pack, the CEO of the U.S. Agency for…