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
Kerry Seen as Helping Iran ‘Drive Wedge’ Between US, Allies
Former Secretary of State John Kerry’s secret negotiations to try to preserve the Iran nuclear deal went well beyond what most past secretaries of state have done, a veteran expert on the Middle East says. “Many former secretaries of state remain actively engaged in foreign affairs,” Jim Phillips, a senior research fellow at The Heritage… -
opinion
California’s Effort to Ban ‘Conversion Therapy’ Failed. Here’s a Better Path We Can All Agree On.
There were plenty of good reasons to vote against California’s AB 2943. The measure would have declared it “consumer fraud” for any counselor—secular or religious—to accept money in exchange for helping people who experience unwanted same-sex attractions to overcome those feelings or resist acting on them. It was a threat to freedom of speech, freedom… -
opinion
If Congress Can’t Pass a Conservative Farm Bill, It Should Extend Existing Law
Congress should not rush to pass a farm bill. Lawmakers should seek to pass sound policy, not lock in bad policy for five years. This means passing a conservative farm bill—one that would include strong food stamp work requirements, significant reforms to the out-of-control farm handout system, and repealing the Obama administration’s Clean Water Rule…. -
opinion
I Was Adopted Through a Faith-Based Adoption Provider. LGBT Groups Want Them Shut Down.
When it comes to adoption, I’m incredibly biased. Although I was conceived in rape, my birthmom chose to be stronger than her circumstances. She rejected the further violence of abortion, and gave me life and the gift of adoption. I grew up in a family of 15; nine of my 12 other siblings were also adopted. We were all… -
opinion
Why Small Businesses Are More Optimistic Than Ever Before
Small business optimism, as measured by the National Federation of Independent Businesses, hit an all-time high in August, shattering a 35-year-old record. The good news comes amid the Trump administration’s rollback of business-stifling regulations and the recent tax cuts for businesses. Both have greatly increased small business owners’ chances at success. It costs much more,… -
opinion
Kosovo Can Be a US Foreign Policy Success Story in the Balkans
The Balkans appeared on President Donald Trump’s foreign policy radar for the first time late last month, and that’s a good thing for southeastern Europe. John Bolton, the president’s principal national security adviser, during a visit to Ukraine, said Aug. 24 that “the United States would not oppose a territorial exchange between Kosovo and Serbia… -
news
Her College Told Her Not to Give Out Bible-Themed Valentines. She Isn’t Backing Down.
Polly Olsen didn’t feel the love when she gave out handmade, Christian-themed valentines to fellow college students last Valentine’s Day, as she has for years to follow her mother’s example. A campus security guard intercepted Olsen, a student in the college’s paralegal program, and escorted her to the security office, where she was told to… -
news
On the Street: Real Americans Tell Us What’s Wrong With Washington
What do people outside Washington think of the national political scene? We took our cameras to Texarkana, Texas, to talk with some local Republican activists about what they think is working, what’s not, and what message they’d like to send to lawmakers in D.C. Watch the full video for their answers. -
opinion
The Daily Signal Podcast: Fox’s Steve Hilton on ‘Positive Populism’
America experienced the latest wave of populism with the election of Donald Trump in November 2016. Since then, people across the country have been trying to define populism, how the Trump presidency embodies it, and what it means for our nation. Steve Hilton, host of Fox News Channel’s “The Next Revolution,” joins The Daily Signal… -
news
Twitter Rejects Ads Using the Words ‘Illegal Alien’ and ‘Criminal Alien,’ Calling That ‘Hate Speech’
Twitter rejected four tweets from a Washington-based immigration research center’s advertising campaign as “hate speech” Tuesday because they used the legal terms “illegal alien” and “criminal alien.” The rejected tweets by the Center for Immigration Studies, proposed for its Twitter Ads campaign to attract more followers, generally provided a statistic or factual statement and pressed… -
opinion
Why the BUILD Act Can’t and Won’t Achieve UN’s Sustainable Development Goals
As they continue to press for full Senate approval, proponents of a new U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, which would be established by the BUILD Act of 2018, assert that the new corporation would help the world realize the United Nations’ grand-scale “sustainable development goals.” But seeking to gain support from conservatives for the International… -
opinion
Hurricane Florence on Collision Course With Southeastern Coast
Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Maryland have all declared states of emergency in preparation for Hurricane Florence. According to the National Weather Service’s National Hurricane Center, a life-threatening storm surge, catastrophic flash-flooding, and significant river flooding are all likely over portions of the Carolinas and the Mid-Atlantic states from… -
opinion
Hurricane Florence Is Not an Omen About Climate Change
In today’s hyper-politicized world of climate science, hardly a thunderstorm passes without somebody invoking the “scientists say” trope to blame it on carbon emissions. The logic seems to be: If it’s bad, it was caused by carbon emissions, and we are only going to see more and worse. More and worse floods, droughts, tornadoes, and… -
opinion
The Post-9/11 Cycle of Cynicism
Remember. Forget. Repeat. For 17 years, America has engaged in a collective ritual every Sept. 11: hang flags, light candles, bow heads, and make vows to “Never forget.” Then, every Sept. 12, it’s back to business as usual: See something, do nothing. Did you remember that five of the 9/11 hijackers—Mohamed Atta, Marwan al-Shehhi, Hani… -
news
Tax Reform Spurs a Doubling of This Texan’s Business
Republican-passed tax reform has helped to more than double his supply company’s business, a Texas entrepreneur says. “The tax reform took our taxes from 34 percent down to 21 percent, so we had additional capital and we used that capital to reinvest in the business,” Jim Cramer said in a phone interview Thursday with The… -
opinion
The Daily Signal Podcast: ‘Gosnell’ Filmmaker Shares Why This Story Had to Be Told
It’s been eight years since abortionist Kermit Gosnell’s House of Horrors shocked us. We sit down with Ann McElhinney, the producer of a new film recounting the Gosnell episode. Plus: A school in Georgia is bringing back the paddle—yes, the paddle for spanking students. We also cover these stories: House Republicans unveiled Tax Reform 2.0… -
news
Government for Hire? Emails Show ‘Climate Industry’ Funds Jobs in Offices of Governors, Attorneys General
California Gov. Jerry Brown is host of a three-day “Global Climate Action Summit” in San Francisco organized by an “activist donor network” that has burrowed into state government agencies, a climate change skeptic says in a new report. Chris Horner, a senior fellow with the Competitive Enterprise Institute, is the author of two reports detailing… -
opinion
Attempt to Diminish Heroism of Alamo Defenders Is a Shameful War on History
The next generation of Texans may not care to “remember the Alamo” after a recent decision by the Texas State Board of Education. The Battle of the Alamo, which occurred during the Texas Revolution of the 1830s, is one of the most famed military actions in Texas and American history. Just a few hundred Alamo… -
news
Watchdog Eyes Classified Material as Deadline Looms on Clinton Emails
The classified material Hillary Clinton sent and received using an unsecure, private email server included correspondence with foreign leaders, according to documents obtained from the State Department by a government watchdog group. Judicial Watch, which has called on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to order “an honest criminal investigation” of Clinton’s email practices while she was… -
opinion
Here Are 3 Major Ways Tax Reform 2.0 Would Help Americans
The 2017 tax reform bill has been a boon for American workers. In addition to the average household’s $1,400 tax cut this year, there are now more jobs available than people looking for them. Just last month, average wages went up by 2.9 percent—the largest wage increase since the summer of 2009. On Thursday, the…