Political Commentary & Opinion
Analysis, commentary, and opinion essays on politics and policy from The Daily Signal’s contributors and experts.
-
opinion
It’s a Myth That High Tax Rates Would Actually Lead to Rich People Paying More
Do you pay enough taxes? What is enough? When asked on “60 Minutes,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., didn’t seem to have a specific tax rate in mind, but then she said, “back in the ’60s … you see tax rates as high as 60 or 70 percent.” Suddenly, 70 percent tax rates are a progressive… -
opinion
Some States Abuse This Provision to Block Critical Projects. Here’s What Congress Can Do.
There are seemingly endless regulatory obstacles for critical infrastructure projects. One of these obstacles is starting to get some much-needed attention: abuse of Section 401 of the Clean Water Act. The Congressional Research Service has explained that Section 401 “requires that an applicant for a federal license or permit provide a certification that any discharges… -
news
Bill Would Give Congress Tighter Rein on National Emergencies
Congress would reclaim powers it conceded to the executive branch more than 40 years ago in the declaration of national emergencies, if a bill introduced by Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, becomes law. “If Congress is troubled by recent emergency declarations made pursuant to the National Emergencies Act, they only have themselves to blame,” Lee said… -
news
Rep. Liz Cheney Defends College’s ‘World Needs More Cowboys’ Slogan
Republican Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney responded Tuesday after the University of Wyoming’s new slogan “The World Needs More Cowboys” drew criticism for being “racist” and “sexist.” “The world does need more Cowboys,” Cheney told The Daily Caller News Foundation. “Cowboys and cowgirls embody the no-nonsense, never-back-down grit at the heart of our Wyoming heritage.” The cowboy has… -
news
School Choice Program Reduces Young Adult Crime, Study Shows
A first-of-its-kind paper on private school vouchers in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, looks beyond student test scores and focuses on the impact the school choice vehicle has on crime reduction. “We took a representative sample of participants in the [Milwaukee Parental Choice Program] and carefully matched them to similar Milwaukee public school students and then tracked their… -
opinion
Why the Commerce Secretary Shouldn’t Testify to Lawmakers About the Census
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross is scheduled to testify Thursday before the House Oversight and Reform Committee in a hearing on the Trump administration’s reinstating a standard citizenship question on the U.S. census. But with civil litigation over that very issue now before the Supreme Court, the House committee should cancel the hearing in recognition of… -
opinion
Leftism Eradicates Character
Every year, many thousands of American parents find that the son or daughter they sent to college has been transformed by college into a leftist. For left-wing parents, this may be a blessing, but for parents who are not leftist—not to mention conservative—it is often painfully jolting. It is jolting because their beloved child now… -
news
Mike Pompeo Tells Embassy in Venezuela to Come Home
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced Monday he is pulling remaining U.S. Embassy staffers from Venezuela because of the country’s worsening situation. “The U.S. will withdraw all remaining personnel from [the Caracas embassy] this week,” Pompeo tweeted late Monday night. “This decision reflects the deteriorating situation in [Venezuela] as well as the conclusion that the presence of… -
news
‘Immediate Harm to Millions’: AFL-CIO Tears Apart Green New Deal
The largest organization of labor unions in the U.S. slammed the Green New Deal for combating climate change by threatening the livelihoods of millions of Americans. The AFL-CIO sent a letter on Friday to Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey, the two lawmakers leading the Green New Deal push in Congress…. -
opinion
The Left’s Anti-Semitism Problem
Rep. Ilhan Omar’s, D-Minn., comment that the influence of the Israeli lobby in Washington pushes lawmakers to take a pledge of “allegiance to a foreign country” was bad enough. A watered-down House resolution condemning, not Omar, but “all hatred” was as tepid as denouncing drunk driving. After heated debate within their caucus, Speaker Nancy Pelosi… -
news
Geologist Accuses Apple of Political Bias in Removing App Countering Climate Alarmism
Political figures who support the so-called Green New Deal and other proposals to restrict carbon dioxide emissions are up against some “inconvenient facts” that Americans may access immediately through a smartphone application, a geologist and author says. But there’s one big problem. The app, called Inconvenient Facts, is available only to Android users through… -
opinion
Peace Cross Ruling Could Be a Decisive Moment for Religious Toleration
The Supreme Court is currently deliberating over what is arguably the biggest case of the term. The court heard oral argument on Feb. 27 in The American Legion v. American Humanist Association, a dispute over the constitutionality of a World War I veterans’ memorial. The pending outcome could make it one of the most important… -
opinion
Here Are 5 Hysterical Environmentalist Claims in Modern History
Peddlers of the Green New Deal know that the only way for their radical agenda to become reality is if Americans buy into the wildest claims of climate extremists. It’s clear that some of the most enthusiastic supporters of this radical agenda are young people. This was on full display in the now viral video… -
news
Rep. Ted Deutch Calls Out Fellow Democrats for Leniency on Rep. Omar’s ‘Anti-Semitic Lies’
Democratic Florida Rep. Ted Deutch criticized Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar on Thursday for spreading “classic anti-Semitic lies” and said his fellow House Democrats aren’t doing enough to hold her accountable. Deutch criticized Democrats for changing a House resolution condemning anti-Semitism to include other forms of hate. “Why are we unable to singularly condemn anti-Semitism? Why can’t we… -
opinion
Ocasio-Cortez and Top Aide Should Be Investigated for Possible Campaign Finance Violations
An investigation is needed to determine if socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the media magnet on the far-left fringe of the Democratic Party, has broken federal campaign finance laws. If convicted of criminal conduct, she could get up to five years in prison for each violation. We don’t know at this point if the New York congresswoman has engaged… -
news
Covington Teen’s Lawyer Likely to Sue CNN Next
The lawyer for Covington Catholic High School student Nick Sandmann will likely sue CNN next, and the stakes could be higher than their suit against The Washington Post. L. Lin Wood is representing Sandmann in another suit against The Washington Post calling for $250 million in compensatory and punitive damages over its coverage of the student’s interaction… -
opinion
These 3 Doctors in Congress Diagnose the Problems With Medicare for All
Few issues have animated conservatives as much as Obamacare. But there’s a new threat on the horizon. It’s called Medicare for All—and it would be a massive government takeover of your health care. The Daily Signal spoke with three medical doctors who are serving in the U.S. House—Reps. Scott DesJarlais, Paul Gosar, and Andy Harris—to… -
opinion
Media Misses: Media Ignores Ilhan Omar’s Anti-Semitic Comments
Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota, stirred controversy again with an anti-Semitic tirade last week, declaring to a packed audience, “I want to talk about the political influence in this country that says it is OK to push for allegiance to a foreign country [Israel].” According to the Media Research Center, “CBS This Morning”… -
opinion
New Cases of Armed Citizens Stopping Criminals in February
Last month, we documented some extraordinary examples from January of armed citizens relying on their Second Amendment rights to protect themselves and others. We pointed out that these were average, everyday Americans who were just going about their lives. They did not go looking for evil but were nonetheless prepared to deal with the evil… -
opinion
Why Congress Shouldn’t Restore Net Neutrality
Just over one year ago, the Federal Communications Commission voted 3-2 to repeal the network neutrality rules it adopted in 2015. However, the FCC regulation could make a comeback if House Democrats have their way. Lawmakers in the House and Senate introduced legislation Thursday to restore the rule. Sponsored by Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and…