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
Why Media’s Normalizing of White Nationalists Matters
In 2016, a bunch of real-life white supremacists—not just Republicans who happen to disagree with the Democrats’ preferred immigration policy—put together a conference in Washington, D.C., to attract attention. All kinds of major news networks dutifully showed up, because legacy media has something of a symbiotic relationship with the alt-right. White supremacists get to feed… -
news
Rep. Omar Stonewalling Hometown Paper on Marriage Controversy, Editor Says
Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar has allegedly been uncooperative with her hometown newspaper’s efforts to get to the bottom of accusations that she committed marriage fraud, the paper’s political editor said. Omar’s brief congressional career has been dogged by accusations—which she has denied—that she married a male relative, possibly her brother. Omar and her current… -
opinion
The War Over America’s Past Is Really About the Future
The summer season has ripped off the thin scab that covered an American wound, revealing a festering disagreement about the nature and origins of the United States. The San Francisco Board of Education recently voted to paint over, and thus destroy, a 1,600-square-foot mural of George Washington’s life in San Francisco’s George Washington High School…. -
news
City of Berkeley Bans Gendered Words Like ‘Manhole’ and ‘Manpower’ From Code Book
One of California’s most liberal cities voted Tuesday to revamp its city code book by replacing terms like “manhole” and “manpower” with gender-neutral terms. The Berkeley City Council voted to replace around three dozen terms found in the municipal code. Terms like “policeman,” “policewoman,” “chairwoman,” and “chairman” will be changed, as will “he,” “she,” “him,” and… -
opinion
The High Cost of ‘Free’ College Tuition
In the lead-up to the 2020 elections, we’ve heard several proposals offering free college tuition for all, and loan forgiveness for those still carrying debt. While proponents call these proposals “investments in our future,” the reality is they would be a suffocating financial burden on every taxpayer, but especially on middle- and lower-income citizens. There’s… -
opinion
50 Years Ago, the Eagle Landed
Let us pause to celebrate the 50th anniversary this Saturday of a mission once thought impossible: the landing of a man on the moon. Let us proclaim, without embarrassment, that America, and only America, had the requisite leadership, scientific community, and resources to make it possible for Apollo astronaut Neil Armstrong to take that giant… -
news
Broad Skepticism of Big Government Is Good for Federalism, Mulvaney Says
As polarized as politics might seem to have become, both sides seem to agree on one thing that advantages conservatives, acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney says. “You’ve got an audience of people who say, ‘OK, [the federal] government doesn’t work,’” Mulvaney said Wednesday at a Heritage Foundation forum on federalism. The event,… -
opinion
The Legacy of the Moon Landing
As a young reporter for a local TV station in Houston, I frequently visited NASA (“the space base,” we dubbed it), met many of the astronauts, and reported on their exploits. Along with people from around the world, I watched the lunar landing on television, July 20, 1969, fulfilling President John F. Kennedy’s goal of… -
opinion
Things Haven’t Always Been This Way
Here’s a suggestion. How about setting up some high school rifle clubs? Students would bring their own rifles to school, store them with the team coach and, after classes, collect them for practice. You say: “Williams, you must be crazy! To prevent gun violence, we must do all we can to keep guns out of… -
opinion
Women’s Soccer Team More Proof the Left Ruins Everything It Touches
For the first time in my life, I did not root for an American team. Whatever the sport, I have always rooted American. But if those who called into my radio show were representative of my audience, many millions of Americans made the same sad choice. It takes a lot for people like me not… -
opinion
Improper Payments Are Costing Taxpayers a Fortune
We all make mistakes, but most of us don’t make mistakes with billions of dollars of someone else’s money. We can easily forgive the drive-thru worker who fails to “hold the pickles,” but it’s tougher when it comes to bureaucrats playing fast-and-loose with the federal purse. What exactly does this neglect look like? As Sen…. -
news
Planned Parenthood Ousts Leana Wen as President
Planned Parenthood removed Leana Wen from her position Tuesday after she had served only 10 months as president. The Planned Parenthood board voted Wen out of her position Tuesday and temporarily replaced her with the co-founder of the progressive Perception Institute, Alexis McGill Johnson, according to The New York Times. McGill Johnson will temporarily serve as… -
news
Deceased Navy Veteran’s Name Cleared in ‘Clean Water’ Case
After being convicted, fined, and imprisoned under the Clean Water Act for digging ponds to protect his Montana home from forest fires, Joe Robertson had his name cleared last week. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated Robertson’s conviction in a legal victory that comes posthumously, since the Navy veteran died four months ago… -
news
Murder, Rape, Assault, Burglary: 6 Examples of California’s Sanctuary Policies Leading to More Crimes
Illegal immigrants released by local police in California after their arrests for minor offenses go on to be charged with more serious crimes such as murder, rape, and assault, according to a new government report. Those crimes could have been prevented if these sanctuary jurisdictions had turned over those accused to federal immigration officials for… -
opinion
Trump’s Deplorable Tweets Overshadow How His Policies Benefit Minorities
President Donald Trump clearly enjoys his unfiltered ability to communicate directly with the American people. But because of a racially charged tweet Sunday morning, he’s stirred hurtful memories among minorities and done a grave disservice to himself. Trump’s policies have been welcome news for many minorities in America. Unemployment rates for blacks and Hispanics have… -
news
‘I Can’t Breathe’: No Federal Charges for NYPD in Eric Garner’s Death
The Justice Department decided Tuesday it will not level charges against the New York City police officer responsible for the death of Eric Garner whose last words—“I can’t breathe”—became a rallying call for the Black Lives Matter movement. Police confronted 43-year-old Garner—a black man—in July 2014 when he was alleged to have sold cigarettes individually—a… -
opinion
Red States Could Lose Big Because of the Census, Rep. Mo Brooks Explains
Is it fair to distribute Electoral College votes and congressional seats by counting all people, not just citizens? Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala., is suing the federal government because he thinks Alabama will be hurt because of the current methodology of the census. Read his interview, posted below, or listen on the podcast: We also cover… -
opinion
California Public Schools Promote Polyamory for Preteens
The world recently learned that the American Psychological Association promotes “polyamory,” “swinging,” and “relationship anarchy.” Its experts say it’s healthy and ethical. They’re crazy. Leftists who run our nation’s public schools love to hide behind the skirts of the American Psychological Association when it comes to crazy sex ed. So in a recent column I wondered… -
opinion
How Students Have Turned Their Backs on Civil Discourse
More than a half-century ago, Coretta Scott King addressed Harvard University students in the wake of the assassination of her husband, Martin Luther King Jr. She said: Today’s student is a serious-minded, independent-thinking individual who seeks to analyze and understand the problems of our society, and find solutions to these problems, which are in keeping… -
opinion
Podcast: This Liberal’s Been Married to a Conservative for Decades. Here’s Her Advice.
Jeanne Safer, author of the new book “I Love You, but I Hate Your Politics,” joins The Daily Signal Podcast to discuss how we can maintain relationships with friends and family despite political differences. Safer, a psychologist, should know: While liberal herself, she has long been married to National Review senior editor Richard Brookhiser. “Never…