Political Commentary & Opinion
Analysis, commentary, and opinion essays on politics and policy from The Daily Signal’s contributors and experts.
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news
Conservative Leaders, Chamber Clash on Trump’s Revised Fuel Standards
A coalition of conservatives is supporting the Trump administration’s plan to roll back Obama-era fuel efficiency standards, which it says could reduce the cost of cars and light trucks for consumers. The support came a day after the U.S. Chamber of Commerce released a report with a letter urging the Trump administration not to revise… -
news
DNC Resolution Celebrates Religiously Unaffiliated
The Democratic National Committee passed a resolution at its summer meeting championing “religiously unaffiliated” voters, who the resolution noted are the “largest religious group” within the party. The DNC’s “Resolution Regarding the Religiously Unaffiliated Demographic” stated that “religiously unaffiliated Americans overwhelmingly share the Democratic Party’s values,” and “have often been subjected to unfair bias and… -
opinion
Automakers’ Flip-Flop on CAFE Standards Kicks Car Buyers to the Curb
After advocating for the Trump administration to relax former President Barack Obama’s stringent fuel economy mandates, several major automakers have rebuked the administration’s proposed rule for freezing the mandate at model year 2020. Now, the automakers are siding with California, voluntarily agreeing to increase the average fuel economy of their fleets to about 50… -
opinion
The Left Can’t Stop Lying About the Tea Party
“In the late summer of 2009, as the recession-ravaged economy bled half a million jobs a month, the country seemed to lose its mind,” The New York Times says, kicking off its 10th anniversary retrospective of the tea party movement. As you can imagine, the rest of the article continues in this vein, portraying conservatives… -
opinion
Dissident Colombian Rebels Are Resuming Their Armed Struggle Against the Government. US Policymakers Should Be Alarmed.
In the early hours of Aug. 29, Ivan Marquez and other leaders of the demobilized terrorist group known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) announced they resumed the armed conflict against the Colombian government. Marquez and other dissident FARC combatants invited another terrorist group known as the National Liberation Army (ELN) and other… -
opinion
The College Board Scraps Controversial ‘Adversity Score,’ but Continues Plan to Weigh College Admissions
It appears that many Americans still believe that merit is the most important factor in determining who will get into our top colleges and universities. On Tuesday, the College Board announced—after receiving considerable criticism—that it will no longer pursue adding an “Adversity Score” to the SAT. In May, the organization announced that it would start… -
opinion
Even Friends of the Arms Trade Treaty Admit It’s Not Working
The nations that are party to the Arms Trade Treaty gathered for their annual meeting this week in Geneva. The United States is not there, as President Donald Trump wisely withdrew from the treaty last month. The U.S. isn’t missing much in Switzerland. Even the treaty’s friends admit it’s a failure. The nominal purpose of… -
opinion
The Facts You Need to Know About the Amazon Rainforest Fires
Are the fires in the Amazon rainforest, dubbed the “lungs of the earth” by environmentalists, a crisis? The Heritage Foundation’s Nick Loris joins us to discuss what’s really happening—and add some much-needed context. Read the interview, posted below, or listen to the podcast: We also cover these stories: Former FBI Director James Comey mishandled sensitive,… -
opinion
Here’s Why We Aren’t—and Never Should Be—a Pure Democracy
Is America a democracy or a republic? This debate, if you can call it that, was launched on Twitter by two freshmen lawmakers, Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas. Crenshaw noted on Twitter that the Electoral College prevents pure democracy, and that’s a good thing. Ocasio-Cortez said a few days later that, essentially,… -
opinion
Why Bolton’s Trip to Belarus Matters
White House national security adviser John Bolton traveled Thursday to Belarus to meet with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. That’s significant, because no senior U.S. official had visited Belarus in more than 18 years. During the meeting, Lukashenko said that he would like to open a “new chapter” in U.S.-Belarus relations, despite what Bolton called “significant… -
news
Biologically Male College Runner Switches to Women’s Team for Senior Year
A biologically male runner in the NCAA’s top division is competing in women’s cross country this fall. June Eastwood, who identifies as a transgender woman, will represent the University of Montana at a cross country meet Saturday. Eastwood competed on the men’s track and cross country teams through May 2018, the Bozeman Daily Chronicle reported. “I… -
opinion
Problematic Women: No, Taylor Swift, You Need to Calm Down
This week on “Problematic Women”, we sit down with one of America’s newest citizens, Heritage Foundation scholar Romina Boccia, to talk about going through the citizenship process and what becoming a U.S. citizen means to her. We also get her insight on a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News survey that shows a growing gulf of… -
opinion
Is Turnabout Fair Play? Legacy Media Dish Out Scrutiny, but Can’t Take It.
It seems that working for The New York Times, perhaps the world’s most prominent and powerful media organization, entitles one to a cocoon of privilege, where criticism is equated with tyranny. The New York Times reported on Sunday that—shockingly—it is looked upon unfavorably by President Donald Trump and that the administration might be working with… -
opinion
Our Changing Values Should Worry Us. But We Can Still Change Course.
The late historian and political philosopher Harry V. Jaffa noted the significance that the preamble to our Constitution concludes with the words “secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.” This is how the drafters of our Constitution saw its purpose. Jaffa continues, saying, “a blessing is what is good in the eyes… -
news
Alaska Moves to Comply With Supreme Court on Deducting Union Dues
Alaska’s labor policies need a “course correction” to ensure the First Amendment rights of public employees are protected under a recent Supreme Court ruling, the state’s attorney general has told Gov. Michael Dunleavy in a legal opinion. Because public sector employers no longer are permitted to deduct labor union dues or fees from an employee’s… -
opinion
Good and Bad Ideas in the Senate’s Medicare Drug Bill
Responding to popular anxiety over prescription drug prices, the Senate Finance Committee last month approved a bill to restructure the Medicare prescription drug benefit. The bill is part of broader congressional and administration efforts to address rising health care costs, one in which lawmakers are laying aside partisan differences to seek constructive solutions. The committee… -
news
Washington Post Publishes, Retracts Attempt to Link Conservative Author to White Nationalism
The Washington Post on Tuesday retracted an op-ed writer’s distorted attempt to link conservative author J.D. Vance to white nationalism. Left-wing writer Marissa Brostoff penned an op-ed for the Post accusing the mainstream pro-life movement of aligning with white nationalists. Brostoff’s accusation depended on two examples: pariah Republican Iowa Rep. Steve King—whose comments on white nationalism were unanimously condemned by Republicans in… -
opinion
Recent Grad Details How Colleges Promote Hookup Culture
In the opening weeks of fall, a number of colleges now feature what they call “Sex Week,” a week in which risky and irresponsible sexual behaviors are encouraged and even facilitated. It’s a trend many parents will be stunned to learn about—to unpack the phenomenon, today we’ll hear from Kara Bell. Read the interview, posted… -
opinion
New York Times’ ‘1619 Project’ Has Key Error About Our Founding
The New York Times has begun a major initiative, the “1619 Project,” to observe the 400th anniversary of the beginning of American slavery. It aims to reframe American history so that slavery and the contributions of black Americans explain who we are as a nation. Nikole Hannah-Jones, staff writer for The New York Times Magazine,… -
opinion
Equinox Owner Surrenders to the Left. Here’s a Loyal Customer’s Response.
On Aug. 8, CNN headlined: “Owner of SoulCycle and the Miami Dolphins faces outrage and calls for boycott over Trump fundraiser.” The report began: “The billionaire owner of Equinox is planning a high-dollar Hamptons fundraiser for President Donald Trump, leading to calls for a boycott of the luxury gym and its associated businesses SoulCycle and…