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
Fact Check: Have Over 1,600 ‘Mass Shootings’ Occurred Since Sandy Hook?
The New York Times editorial board said more than 1,600 mass shootings have occurred in the U.S. since the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School more than five years ago, in December 2012. Verdict: Unsubstantiated No universally accepted definition exists for “mass shooting,” but the one used by the Times is extremely broad. Another liberal news outlet,… -
news
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Says Colleges Treat Sexual Misconduct Allegations Unfairly
Colleges and universities have not respected the due process rights of the accused when resolving allegations of sexual misconduct, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said during public remarks. A feminist icon and patroness of the #MeToo movement, Ginsburg expressed sympathy with widely held perceptions about systemic injustice in college rape tribunals. Ginsburg told The Atlantic’s… -
news
Trump Praises ‘Incredible Job’ of Doctors, First Responders in Florida Hospital Visit
President Donald Trump praised first responders and doctors who tried to save as many victims as possible from the shooting rampage at a high school during a surprise visit Friday to Broward Health North hospital in Deerfield Beach, Florida. Trump, who visited the hospital with first lady Melania Trump, praised the speed with which law… -
opinion
I Tried Telemedicine and Was Amazed. Here’s Why It Can Be a Huge Aid This Flu Season.
Flu season is the worst it has been since health officials began keeping records in 2004, and by some measures, it’s still getting worse. According to a recent weekly flu report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been 53 flu-related deaths this season. The disease is currently active in 48 states… -
opinion
After Atheist Group Got Prayers Before Sports Canceled, Students Are Fighting Back
Most Americans have probably never heard of Beloit, Ohio. But this month, they’re starting to hear from them. It may be a small town (less than 1,000 people at most), but it’s mighty. And in the face of the bullies at the Freedom From Religion Foundation, that’s all that matters. As usual, the anti-Christian activists are always… -
opinion
Let’s Make Washington Work Like We Do
Last week, Washington, D.C., reminded us it lives by a different set of rules. That’s when Congress passed a spending bill that provided much-needed military funding—but also busted the budget caps that had previously held the line on federal spending. The result? An estimated $1.5 trillion will be added to the national debt, which is… -
opinion
Horrific Sex Ed Curriculum Is Taking Over in This Virginia County, and Objectors Are Getting Steamrolled
I usually avoid really sick, appalling spectacles. I skip movies like “Saw.” But last Thursday I saw something worse. I went to the sex education committee meeting of the Fairfax County School Board. I have never seen anything as shocking. Understand that I have sat through years of shocking meetings. My day job is monitoring… -
news
Parents Battle Court to Stop Transgender Teen’s Hormone Treatment
Parents are battling in an Ohio court to gain custody of their child, who alleges that her parents have not been supportive of her gender identity. The biological girl, 17, identifies as a boy and alleges the lack of support at home drove her to suicidal tendencies. The teen now lives with her grandparents and sits… -
opinion
This Is Not What Draining the Swamp Looks Like
President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress were elected to drain the swamp, not add water. But adding water, and lots of it, is exactly what happened with the passage of the most recent budget deal. Not only is the deal $117 billion more than Trump asked for, it’s 70 percent more than President… -
opinion
Thanks to This Change, Houses of Worship Can Now Get Disaster Relief
When Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas in late August, local churches, synagogues, and mosques were there to help. Despite suffering major damage themselves, houses of worship provided aid to their local communities and volunteered as staging grounds for private emergency response nonprofits and for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. When the storm was finally… -
opinion
Anti-Cop Frenzy Led to This Officer’s Wrongful Conviction. Prosecutors Should Be Ashamed.
As the Oklahoma attorney general’s office fights to keep hidden from public view the results of secret hearings on the DNA science flaws and falsehoods in former Oklahoma City police officer Daniel Holtzclaw’s case, two prominent experts have stepped forward to shed bright light on the government’s myriad mind-boggling failures. Forensic scientist, criminal profiler, and… -
opinion
Recovering the Keys to Black Success
Carter G. Woodson, noted scholar, historian, and educator, created “Negro History Week” in 1926, which became Black History Month in 1976. Woodson chose February because it coincided with the birthdays of black abolitionist Frederick Douglass and President Abraham Lincoln. Americans should be proud of the tremendous gains made since emancipation. Black Americans, as a group, have… -
opinion
Polygamy, Robot Sex Are Consequences of the Sexual Revolution
Not for nothing, but the latest fruits of the sexual revolution are even more bizarre than most of us imagined. We knew things would get a little freaky, but maybe we didn’t know it would involve an upswing in polygamy, amorous activities with plastic women, or cuddling sessions with electric candelabra. But that is the… -
opinion
New White House Budget Would Bail Out Obamacare
The White House’s Office of Management and Budget just released its annual budget proposal—and on health policy, it’s sending massively mixed messages. The Trump administration’s budget rightfully assumes that congressional Republicans should roll back Obamacare, which is currently having harmful effects on millions of Americans in the individual and small group markets. Obamacare continues to… -
opinion
Why Leftists Are So Unhappy
One of the most important differences between the right and the left—one that greatly helps to explain their differences—is the difference between unhappy liberals and unhappy conservatives. Unhappy conservatives generally believe they are unhappy because life is inherently difficult and tragic, and because they have made some unwise decisions in life. But unhappy liberals generally… -
news
Here’s How Planned Parenthood Is Celebrating Valentine’s Day
Planned Parenthood will celebrate Valentine’s Day by staging a protest on President Donald Trump’s budget cuts, alleging that the budget proposal will be damaging to American families and that the administration should think before enacting cuts to certain government departments. The Wednesday protest will take place on the Senate side east lawn, and speakers from… -
opinion
Democrats Are Arguing for Constitutional Right to a Tax Deduction. Here’s Why It’ll Fail.
On Feb. 1, Maryland’s attorney general signaled his state will join with the coalition of New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey, whose Democratic governors have announced their intent to sue the federal government over a provision in the Republican tax bill, which they claim unconstitutionally targets blue states. The recently passed 2017 Tax Cuts and… -
opinion
Businesses Need a Long-Term Renewal of This Expired Program
Last week, Rep. David Reichert, R-Wash., introduced a bill to renew the Generalized System of Preferences program, which expired on Dec. 31. The Generalized System of Preferences eliminates tariffs on thousands of products from around the world. Reichert’s bill would renew the program for three years. This legislation is a good start, and there is… -
news
Frederick Douglass Remains Relevant Today, Says Author
It’s been more than 120 years since his death, but abolitionist and social reformer Frederick Douglass is still relevant to this day, experts say. “One reason Douglass is relevant today is because he teaches us what classical liberalism has to offer to racial minorities,” said Timothy Sandefur, author of “Frederick Douglass: Self-Made Man.” The title…