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
Electoral College Foes Continue Push to Make Popular Vote Winner President
Efforts to elect the president by popular vote has had mixed popularity this year, as Arizona and Maine failed to gather the required number of signatures to appear on the November ballot. Still, after the Connecticut Legislature voted in May to join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, the plan is just 98 Electoral College… -
opinion
The Daily Signal Podcast: Tuesday, Aug. 28
After six years of working for Sen. John McCain, Walter Lohman, now director of Asian Studies at The Heritage Foundation, got to know him pretty well. He shares his insights on the late senator, and what made him unique. Plus: A new study shows a third of teens don’t even read one book for fun… -
opinion
Michael Cohen Didn’t Actually Violate Federal Campaign Laws. Here’s Why.
Hey, Michael Cohen: You actually didn’t violate that election law. Cohen, the president’s former attorney, agreed to two counts of campaign finance law violations last week. First is that he violated the law against making corporate contributions, and second, that he knowingly violated the law against making excessive personal contributions. He did not need to… -
news
MLK’s ‘Dream’ Speech Is Coming True, His Niece Says
Martin Luther King Jr.’s niece says her uncle’s vision in his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech is being brought to fruition today. “Are we living in a perfect society today? No, but the dream is being realized 55 years later,” pro-life activist Alveda King told The Daily Signal in an interview Monday ahead of… -
opinion
The Daily Signal Podcast: Monday, Aug. 27
Even before President Donald Trump announced Judge Brett Kavanaugh as his nominee to the Supreme Court, the mood was volatile. But as Kavanaugh gears up for his confirmation hearings beginning on Sept. 4, the atmosphere has grown increasingly tense. Time’s Up, originally a legal fund designed to help those impacted by sexual assault and harassment,… -
opinion
The Legacy of John McCain
A lot will be said in the coming days about Sen. John McCain and his place among a pantheon of American heroes. It will all be very well-deserved. McCain, who was the son and grandson of admirals, was indeed a hero. The Arizona Republican’s service in Vietnam was testament to that, as was his career… -
opinion
Omarosa, Cohen Defections Raise Questions About Trump’s Leadership Style
My respect and appreciation for the many milestones our president has accomplished during his two years in offices remains unwavering. But because I am his friend, I feel I must address the rampant disloyalty among staff that seems to constantly plague him. The most recent violation of trust includes revelations by long-time Donald Trump associate… -
opinion
More on Criminal Justice Reform: A Response to Paul Mirengoff
Opposition to the criminal justice reform proposals that the Senate is now considering, which promise significant public safety gains, continues to miss the mark. Last week, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., wrote an editorial in The Wall Street Journal expressing his strong opposition to some modest sentencing reform proposals that have been offered by Sen. Chuck… -
opinion
Right Side of History: Foreign Meddling in US Campaigns Didn’t Begin in 2016
“The Right Side of History” is a podcast dedicated to exploring current events through a historical lens and busting left-wing myths about figures and events of America’s past. On this week’s episode, hosts Jarrett Stepman and Fred Lucas discuss the history of foreign powers meddling in U.S. presidential campaigns. It didn’t begin with Russian and… -
opinion
New Report Shows US, Not Countries Promoting Climate Change Activism, Reducing Emissions the Most
Take a wild guess what country is reducing its greenhouse gas emissions the most? Canada? Britain? France? India? Germany? Japan? No, no, no, no, no, and no. The answer to that question is the United States of America. Wow! How can that be? This must be a misprint. Fake news. America never signed the Kyoto… -
opinion
The Daily Signal Podcast: Friday, Aug. 24
The transgender movement, like so many others, looks to federal courts for major policy breakthroughs. Today we talk to Alliance Defending Freedom’s Gary McCaleb, who has perhaps the most close-up perspective imaginable when it comes to gender and the law. Plus: David Hogg, the lightning rod gun-control activist, goes ageist against Nancy Pelosi and other… -
news
Court Order for EPA to Ban Pesticide Spotlights Need for ‘Transparency’ Rule
How can Americans be certain that scientific studies that are the basis of costly EPA regulations are accurate, and that the benefits of the regulations outweigh the expense? Contrary to what critics say about a proposed rule from the Environmental Protection Agency, part of the answer lies in greater openness and transparency by federal officials,… -
opinion
How International Tax Competition Benefits American Workers
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is continuing to produce tangible benefits for Americans, growing the U.S. economy and making it more competitive for business investment and job creation. Wages are rising, unemployment rates are declining, and there is more money in taxpayers’ pockets. The larger economy materializes as significantly higher take-home pay for the typical… -
opinion
Problematic Women: Is #MeToo Movement in Trouble?
This week on “Problematic Women”: First lady Melania Trump’s cyberbullying summit gets buried in a busy news week, a prominent #MeToo advocate who accused Harvey Weinstein of rape is accused of sexual assault herself, Mollie Tibbetts’ horrible death sparks a heated immigration debate, a woman in Saudi Arabia might get beheaded for protesting the government,… -
opinion
Pakistan Is Taking a Dark Turn. It’s Time for a New US Policy.
Pakistanis went to the polls last month for elections to choose their provincial and national leaders, and the results were disturbing. Imran Khan—a 65-year-old former cricket star turned Islamo-nationalist politician—was declared the winner as the country’s new prime minister. His Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party will be the majority forming a coalition in the national assembly. The results… -
opinion
The Daily Signal Podcast: Thursday, Aug. 23
The Heritage Foundation’s Hans von Spakovsky weighs in on the Mollie Tibbetts case. The man charged with her murder is believed to be an illegal immigrant. Plus, von Spakovsky analyzes Michael Cohen’s guilty plea and the implications for President Donald Trump. We also cover these stories: Cohen’s lawyer, Lanny Davis, says Cohen wouldn’t take a… -
opinion
We Could Use Martin Luther King’s Dream Once Again. Here’s Why.
We are approaching the 55th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech, delivered Aug. 28, 1963, in Washington, D.C. Reading through the speech, it’s hard not to be in awe, like those who stood and heard King then, by the greatness and truth of his words. He captured with precision… -
opinion
Let’s Join Together to Stop Out-of-Control Prosecutors
At this unique moment in American history, liberals and conservatives have something in common: an abhorrence of government prosecutors run amok. Republicans are livid at the federal fishing expedition known as the Mueller investigation. Bit players have been dragooned into an endlessly politicized probe. The media has taken sides; nonstop leaks have tainted the process…. -
news
Rep. Duncan Hunter Indicted for Allegedly Misusing $250K in Campaign Funds
California Rep. Duncan Hunter and his wife were indicted by a federal grand jury on Tuesday on charges that they illegally spent more than $250,000 in campaign funds on vacations and personal items. The scheme took place between 2009 and 2016, according to the Justice Department. Hunter, a 41-year-old Republican, took office in 2009. “The…