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
Free People Take Responsibility and Solve Problems
Several months ago, before anyone imagined the current crisis, I read a book called “Man’s Search for Meaning” by Viktor Frankl. Frankl was a Jewish Viennese psychiatrist who was captured by the Nazis during World War II and managed to survive four concentration camps, including the infamous Auschwitz and Dachau. He went through the ordeal… -
news
Textile Industry Aims to Manufacture 10 Million Face Masks a Week
Businesses that normally make underwear are among those pivoting almost seamlessly to make protective face masks during the coronavirus crisis. Parkdale Mills Inc., one of America’s largest yarn spinners, has formed a coalition with eight other companies, including Fruit of the Loom and Hanesbrands, to produce 10 million face masks a week for health care… -
news
Texas Governor Deems Religious Services Essential
As authorities arrest pastors for holding Sunday services in defiance of social distancing orders, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Tuesday that religious services are to be considered essential in his state. Abbott issued an executive order relating to statewide continuity of essential services and activities during the coronavirus pandemic. The order mandated that all Texans will minimize… -
opinion
A Warning From the Dark Hole of Debt
It is not cognitive dissonance—the impossibility of holding two or more contradictory beliefs simultaneously—to favor the $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus bill passed by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump while worrying about what the increasing national debt (nearing $24 trillion and counting) will do to the country. Are we mortgaging our future for the… -
opinion
When Can Life Return to Normal? 4 Signs to Monitor
Americans can’t wait for the restrictions on their movements and interactions—widely known as social distancing—to end. That’s completely understandable. The coronavirus crisis has widely disrupted modern life. But as we learned Sunday, the Trump administration’s commonsense “stop the spread” increased mitigation strategy is with us for a while—at least till the end of April. Based on the… -
opinion
Managing a Disaster
I’m not sure whether COVID-19, first identified in Wuhan, China, qualifies as a true disaster in the U.S. Putting the disease in perspective, we might look at current influenza illnesses. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates, between Oct. 1, 2019, and March 14, 2020, there have been 390,000 to 710,000 hospitalizations as… -
opinion
How Crises Shine a Light on the ‘Forgotten American’
In times of crisis such as we face now with the coronavirus pandemic, presidents often speak movingly of the “forgotten Americans.” But they’re not always talking about the same Americans. In 1932, President Franklin D. Roosevelt defined “the forgotten man” as being “at the bottom of the economic pyramid”—down-and-out workers who, stuck between the breadline and a… -
opinion
We Can Do Better Than a Parking Lot for That Temporary Hospital
Coming soon to a parking lot near you—a hospital. Federal and state officials are rushing to create temporary medical centers to help patients during the pandemic. The White House recently announced that the federal government will partner with state and local governments to increase hospital capacity. One method is by directing the Army Corps of… -
opinion
‘Little Rays of Hope’: The View From a Field Hospital in Italy
Bev Kauffeldt is a team leader for the Christian aid organization Samaritan's Purse. She joins today's Daily Signal Podcast from Cremona, Italy, where she works in a field hospital set up by Samaritan's Purse in the parking lot of Cremona Hospital. We also cover these stories: Parts of Florida and all of Maryland and Virginia… -
opinion
America’s National Pastime: Remembering the Role of Women
COVID-19 continues to alter day-to-day life in America. For example, Major League Baseball’s opening day games were slated for last Thursday. But the ballparks remain shut indefinitely. When they’ll reopen is anybody’s guess. Twenty-five years ago, the baseball news was more upbeat. On March 31, 1995, Major League Baseball players agreed to end a 232-day… -
opinion
Feminists’ ‘Equal Pay Day’ Compares Apples and Oranges
Both men and women are gravely affected by the surge in unemployment due to measures aimed at containing the spread of the novel coronavirus in the United States. Pitting men and women against each other with simplistic statistics about a gender wage gap needlessly adds to the real pain. Tuesday, March 31, is a fairly… -
news
Mark Meadows to Start as White House Chief of Staff
Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., was expected to resign Monday from the House and begin serving Tuesday as White House chief of staff. A Trump administration official confirmed to The Daily Signal that Meadows resignation will go into effect Monday evening and his first day at the White House is on Tuesday. President Donald Trump announced… -
opinion
Sen. Tom Coburn Stood Tall for Taxpayers
Former Sen. Tom Coburn was a hero among fiscal conservatives and endless source of inspiration and courage. The Oklahoma Republican embodied financial stewardship, always showing great respect for the hard-earned tax dollars of working Americans. Coburn, who died late Friday at 72, helped the American people better understand the size and scope of Washington’s spending… -
opinion
It’s Fine to Talk About How This Crisis Ends
If I followed all my doctor’s instructions to the letter, life would be excruciating. It would be tantamount to having Michael Bloomberg make my life choices, which is to say my life wouldn’t be worth living. Human beings have never been as risk-averse as experts want them to be. We instinctively calculate the costs and… -
opinion
4 Charts Show Why Temporary, Targeted Support Beats Checks to Everyone
Although everyone has been affected by COVID-19, not everyone has been affected equally. The United States now leads the world in confirmed cases of COVID-19, the contagious disease caused by the new coronavirus. Efforts to slow the spread have had significant economic ramifications for Americans. Unfortunately, many are feeling the effects of reduced business activity,… -
opinion
America Needs a Formula for Reopening
This week, President Donald Trump began openly considering at what point the American government ought to take steps to reopen the American economy. He explained: “Our country wasn’t built to be shut down. America will again and soon be open for business,” suggesting that the timeline will be weeks instead of months. “If it were… -
opinion
A Public Health Crisis Is No Time for Private Pension Bailouts
Now is the time to address the COVID-19 crisis, not throw money at decades-long problems. House Democrats’ inclusion of a massive taxpayer bailout for a select group of multiemployer or union pension plans in their most recent 1400-page pork-filled COVID-19 legislative package flies in the face of 60% of U.S. households that have suffered significant… -
opinion
Ways to Find Happiness During This Difficult Time
Since we are all stuck at home for weeks, here are some suggestions to help you and help America. Watch less news. Interview and opinion shows on TV and talk radio shows that add to one’s understanding of the situation can be valuable. But watching depressing, panic-inducing news 24/7 about COVID-19 will only make you… -
opinion
Clemson U Works With Liberal Lawmakers to ‘Kill’ Requirement to Teach Constitution
Clemson University officials, concerned about the “optics” of ignoring a South Carolina law requiring public colleges to teach the U.S. Constitution, have lobbied the state Legislature to repeal the requirement. Clemson both refuses to comply with the existing law and opposes a bill in the South Carolina General Assembly to update it, according to emails… -
opinion
Pelosi’s Identity Politics Pork Barrel
“You never let a serious crisis go to waste,” Obama adviser Rahm Emanuel said during the country’s last major emergency. Now, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is bringing this noxious idea back as she uses the coronavirus pandemic to permanently stamp identity politics on corporate America. Pelosi’s coronavirus relief bill is a veritable pork barrel for…