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 State of Black Employment
The top-line numbers seem to tell it all. When it comes to American employment, a rising tide lifts all boats. The jobless rate in America reached a 50-year low in April 2019. And black unemployment, at 6%, is the lowest it has been since the Bureau of Labor Statistics began measuring it in 1972. But… -
opinion
The Ghosts of World War II
World War II ended 74 years ago. But even in the 21st century, the lasting effects endure, both psychological and material. After all, the war took more than 60 million lives, redrew the map of Europe and ended with the Soviet Union and the United States locked in a Cold War of nuclear superpowers. Japan… -
news
Labor Department to Reinstate Aide Wrongfully Accused by Media of Anti-Semitism
The Department of Labor reinstated a political appointee Wednesday night who resigned under pressure after a Bloomberg Law reporter accused him of anti-Semitism for a Facebook post in which he was actually condemning anti-Semites in the alt-right, the Daily Caller News Foundation exclusively learned. Acting Secretary Patrick Pizzella “personally made this decision after carefully reviewing… -
opinion
Terrorist Plot in New York City Thwarted Before Labor Day Weekend
Law enforcement arrested a 19-year-old New York man before the Labor Day weekend and charged him with plotting a terrorist attack in New York City. It was the 114th Islamist terrorist plot or attack against the U.S. homeland. Authorities gave this account: The man, identified as Awais Chudhary of Queens, New York, contacted an undercover… -
opinion
What You Need to Know About Boris Johnson, and the Path Forward for Brexit
Is Britain headed for a political crisis? As new Prime Minister Boris Johnson fights for Brexit to be implemented, he’s facing a wall of opposition from other government figures. The Heritage Foundation’s Nile Gardiner, an expert in British politics, joins us to discuss how Brexit could still happen on Oct. 31, what’s at stake, and… -
opinion
Problematic Women: Meet (Miss) Virginia
This week on “Problematic Women,” we interview the woman that inspired the new feature film “Miss Virginia,” Virginia Walden Ford. We talk to her about everything from her childhood years integrating the Little Rock, Arkansas, school system to working with President George W. Bush creating the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program to the star-studded cast of… -
news
EXCLUSIVE: Pompeo Says US ‘Delivered’ on Mission in Afghanistan
KYIV, Ukraine—With the U.S. inching toward a peace deal with the Taliban, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says the nation has “delivered” on its original mission in Afghanistan—to prevent al-Qaeda militants from using the country as a safe harbor to plan and execute terrorist attacks. “If you go back and look at the days following… -
news
Judge Orders White House to Restore Playboy Reporter’s Press Pass
A federal judge Tuesday ordered the White House to restore a press pass for Brian Karem, a Playboy correspondent and CNN analyst who was blocked from covering the White House following a verbal altercation in July with former Trump aide Sebastian Gorka. Judge Rudolph Contreras issued a temporary restraining order against the White House and… -
opinion
Ruling in Minnesota Wedding Videographers’ Case Properly Prioritizes First Amendment Rights
A recent decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals in a case arising from Minnesota strikes the right balance between First Amendment rights and the statutory right to be free from discrimination. The ruling came in a case involving Telescope Media Group, which produces commercials, short films, and live-event productions. Owners Carl and Angel Larsen… -
opinion
Criminologists Mislead Us
John Paul Wright, professor at University of Cincinnati, and Matthew DeLisi, professor at Iowa State University, have penned a powerful article titled “What Criminologists Don’t Say, and Why,” in City Journal, Summer 2017. There is significant bias among criminologists. The reason for that bias is that political leanings of academic criminologists are liberal. Liberal criminologists… -
opinion
How the Sexual Revolution Gave Us Identity Politics
“If you ask the question, ‘Who am I?’, up until the sexual revolution, that was not a hard question to answer,” says Mary Eberstadt, author of the new book, “Primal Screams.” She joins the podcast to discuss identity politics, the “pre-rational emotional expressionism” present in our political discussions today, and more. Read the interview, posted… -
opinion
What an Indictment of Andrew McCabe Would Mean
It has been widely reported that federal prosecutors are nearing a final decision about whether to indict former top FBI official Andrew McCabe. That would be a highly unusual event, although perhaps appropriate, given the facts. A 21-year FBI veteran, McCabe served for two years as deputy director and also served as acting director for… -
opinion
How 50 Years of No-Fault Divorce Gave Us a Throwaway Culture
Fifty years ago this week, Ronald Reagan made what he later admitted was one of the worst mistakes of his political life: As governor of California, he signed a bill bringing no-fault divorce to his state. California was the first state to take the plunge, but by no means the last. Reagan’s signature unleashed what… -
news
A Texas Town Votes to End ‘Drag Queen Story Hour’
A city council in Texas has voted to stop renting out space at the local library to public organizations, essentially canceling the town’s ability to have a “Drag Queen Story Time” for children, a move hailed by pro-family advocates. “These are people who are actually employed at adult nightclubs,” Mary Elizabeth Castle, a policy adviser… -
news
The Daily Signal Adds 6 New Contributors
The Daily Signal, the multimedia news outlet of The Heritage Foundation, has added six new contributors to expand its team and coverage. The Daily Signal’s recent growth comes as the news organization marks its fifth anniversary. The new contributors bring with them unique and diverse backgrounds, spanning a range of public policy areas. Their contributions… -
news
Trump’s Latest Appeals Court Nominees Would Cut the Vacancy Rate in Half
President Donald Trump has announced nominees for two of the four current vacancies on U.S. appeals courts, where the vacancy rate is already at a 35-year low. Trump last week announced his intention to nominate Danielle J. Hunsaker of Oregon to serve on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers most Western states…. -
opinion
Unequal Justice for James Comey
One doesn’t have to be a cynic to be cynical about the Justice Department’s decision not to hold former FBI Director James Comey accountable for what an inspector general report called his violation of FBI policies and his setting a “dangerous example” in order to “achieve a personally desired outcome.” This pretty much characterizes many… -
opinion
Women Don’t Need Planned Parenthood to Get Affordable Care
The Planned Parenthood Federation of America is a very curious health care provider. Begun long ago as a birth control organization when contraceptives were contraband, the organization evolved rapidly to adapt to the themes that preoccupied its famed leaders. First, of course, was Margaret Sanger, who combined her commitment to birth control with an embrace… -
opinion
Why This Christian T-Shirt Printer Has Unlikely LGBT Allies
Rarely are supposedly controversial cases involving freedom of speech, religious liberty, and LGBT interests so clear-cut that they unite people with opposing ideological perspectives. But the Kentucky Supreme Court recently heard a case that does. Lesbian print-shop owners and LGBT advocates have joined with free speech and religious liberty groups in agreement that the government… -
opinion
Labor Policy Is Jobs Policy
Labor Day offers Americans a chance to appreciate the tremendous value of America’s workers and job creators. At the Department of Labor, where I serve, we are proud of the hard work Americans have put in to build today’s historically strong labor market, and of the regulatory reform we’re doing to ensure opportunities continue to…