Political Commentary & Opinion
Analysis, commentary, and opinion essays on politics and policy from The Daily Signal’s contributors and experts.
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How the House Freedom Caucus Plans to Make MAGA Affordable
With the GOP’s razor-thin majority in the House of Representatives, the House Freedom Caucus’ conservative members could have a veto over the upcoming budget reconciliation package that aims to pass massive portions of President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda. The Freedom Caucus made its budget reconciliation priorities known Thursday, releasing a proposal that seeks to make the…George Caldwell -
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How a Woke Newsom Appointee Dismantled California’s Volunteer Firefighting Force
FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—A high-ranking military appointee of California Gov. Gavin Newsom diminished the state’s emergency response volunteer firefighting units, according to Maj. Gen. Jay Coggan, retired commanding general of the California State Guard. California is now struggling to contain destructive wildfires, which have killed 25 people and displaced more than 80,000 in…Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell -
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A Breath of Fresh Air
This week, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominees began their Senate confirmation hearings. After four years of the administrative malaise of the Biden administration, the nominees proved to be a breath of fresh air. They completely reject the failed philosophies of the Biden years—and the contrast is absolutely stunning. Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth explained that…Ben Shapiro -
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Make DC Safe Again
It’s time to make Washington, D.C., safe again. Washington is one of the most dangerous capital cities in the civilized world. Tourists, diplomats, members of Congress and their staffs, and residents—especially in minority neighborhoods—have all been victims of crime. If Washington, D.C., was a state, it would have the highest per capita homicide rate of…Cully Stimson -
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Where Did MAGA Come From?
Editor’s note: This is a lightly edited transcript of today’s video from Daily Signal Senior Contributor Victor Davis Hanson. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see more of his videos. Where did MAGA come from? Ronald Reagan used the term in 1980, “Make America Great.” Bill Clinton used it in 1992. In 2011, Donald Trump wrote…Victor Davis Hanson -
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Align Foreign Policy ‘to Our National Interest,’ Secretary of State Nominee Rubio Says
When Sen. Marco Rubio was asked Wednesday how he would define success as secretary of state, for which he has been nominated, he told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee: “The alignment of our foreign policy to our national interest.” Throughout the hearing, Rubio outlined a foreign policy philosophy of skepticism toward the postwar consensus. “The…Jacob Adams -
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House Speaker Wants a New Chaplain for the Chamber
House Speaker Mike Johnson is looking for a new chaplain for the House of Representatives. Johnson, R-La., the leader of the House Republicans, initiated the personnel change last week when the incumbent chaplain, Margaret Grun Kibben, was made acting chaplain, rather than being included in the resolution for new officers of the House. The move…Jacob Adams -
- Opinion
For Republicans, Lots of Work, Little Time to Waste
Luck, the saying goes, is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. That’s good luck. What about bad luck? It’s the opposite. Bad luck is what happens when lack of preparation meets an ongoing threat. We’re watching this play out now as fires tragically turn large swaths of Los Angeles’ most valuable real estate to ashes,…Star Parker -
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Anarchists Versus Libertarians
“Donald Trump will be a tyrant!” So my neighbors claim. I live in Manhattan. Feel for me. Yes, Trump says wild things, like riffing about “terminating” parts of the U.S. Constitution. But I don’t think he means it. As Joe Rogan said to Trump when candidate Trump came on his show, “You say a lot…John Stossel -
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The More Democrats Go to Church, the More They Look Like Republicans: Study
The more often Americans attend virtually any Christian denomination, as well as Jewish services, the more likely they are to adopt conservative political views, according to a recent statistical analysis. “The more Democrats go to church, the more they look like Republicans,” states the study. “Being politically liberal and being highly religious are just not…Ben Johnson -
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Washington Reacts to Hegseth Confirmation Hearing
Lawmakers and allies weighed in on Tuesday as the Senate Armed Services Committee held its confirmation hearing for Pete Hegseth, the former Army National Guard officer, former Fox News host, and President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of defense. “I’ve known Pete for some time. I was a female in the military. We want to…Jacob Adams -
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‘REPREHENSIBLE’: LA Fire Victims Sick of Democrat Politicians
LOS ANGELES—Los Angeles residents who lost their homes in the ongoings California wildfires are sick of their Democratic leaders dodging responsibility for poor preparation and slow response time. “It feels like the C-team is running the show,” a Democrat who lost his home in the Palisades fire told The Daily Signal. “We don’t have the…Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell -
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Two House Democrats Vote to Pass Bill Protecting Women’s Sports from Biological Male Infiltration
The House passed legislation Tuesday to protect women’s and girls school sports from biological male athletes. “The last time my bill passed the House, not a single Democrat supported it,” bill sponsor Rep. Greg. Steube, R-Fla., told The Daily Signal. “The Democratic Party should listen to the mandate we just received from America: 70% of moderate…Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell -
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To Stop Wildfires, Burn Wokeism
Wildfires are inevitable. The apocalyptic devastation seen in Los Angeles isn’t. The Palisades Fire started recently in west Los Angeles. Driven by intense Santa Ana Winds, the fire quickly spread into the residential area of Pacific Palisades. That fire, along with others in LA, forced more than 175,000 residents to flee. The fire destroyed more…Victor Joecks -
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I Live in Pacific Palisades and I Know Who Caused the Fire
As officials investigate what caused Los Angeles’ devastating fires, I know the answer. It was the homeless. The Los Angeles Fire Department reports that 54% of fires in 2023 were started by homeless. They responded to almost 14,000 fires that year alone related to homelessness. Regardless of whether the Pacific Palisades fire was directly started…James Breslo -
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Heritage Foundation Launches Ad Supporting Former Dem RFK Jr. for HHS Secretary
DAILY CALLER NEWS FOUNDATION—The Heritage Foundation on Monday launched an advertisement campaign supporting Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination to direct the Department of Health and Human Services. The ad, first obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation, touts Kennedy as “fearless,” and promotes his policy agenda to make America healthier and combat the chronic disease…Ireland Owens -
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Newsom’s Governorship Going Up in Smoke
California’s Democrat Party elites are feeling the burn of their own failures to protect their state from devastating, uncontrolled fires. No politician’s reputation has been sullied as much as Gov. Gavin Newsom’s. As the wildfires in Los Angeles continue to rage, Newsom has sputtered and flailed—sometimes literally. He’s becoming the object of ire for appropriately…Jarrett Stepman -
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‘FINAL POTSHOT’: What to Expect From Merrick Garland’s Release of Special Counsel Report
The first volume of special counsel Jack Smith’s final report–cleared for release this week–may be little more than a parting shot by the Biden administration’s Justice Department days before Donald Trump’s second inauguration. “There could be a few interesting tidbits about who testified to the grand jury and so forth, but as for hard evidence,…Fred Lucas -
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‘75% Incompetence’: Dem Ex-Lawmaker Rips California Leaders’ Wildfire Failures
PALOS VERDE, Calif.—Years of policy failures, bookended by insufficient preparation in the days leading up to the California wildfires, laid the groundwork for historic destruction, former California state Rep. Mike Gatto says. “When the history of these fires are written, people will conclude that it was 25% the weather and 75% incompetence and poor management,”…Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell -
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THE TYRANNY OF TABOOS: Causes of LA Wildfires Can’t Be Spoken
Editor’s note: This is a lightly edited transcript of today’s video from Daily Signal Senior Contributor Victor Davis Hanson. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see more of his videos. Hello, this is Victor Davis Hanson for The Daily Signal. We’re into about the fourth or fifth day of the Los Angeles fires, and people are…Victor Davis Hanson