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
Taking a Knee or Taking a Stand on the NFL
Sundays aren’t just for church anymore, they are for getting a political sermon from the National Football League. Football is a truly American game, and it is more than a little tragic to witness the rapid unraveling of the NFL as a unifying passion. The response from the league and players after the terrorist attacks… -
opinion
Trump’s Latest Travel Order Is Common Sense
If you haven’t heard many details about the latest proclamation signed by President Donald Trump, it’s probably because critics—including media—don’t want anyone reading it. Why? Because contrary to their irrational claims, this lawful order represents common sense on national security issues vital to our safety. As James Carafano, vice president for foreign and defense policy… -
news
The Obscure Law Affecting Puerto Rico’s Ability to Recover After Hurricane Maria
A relatively obscure maritime law is in the spotlight after the devastation of Puerto Rico from Hurricane Maria. The Merchant Marine Act of 1920, better known as the Jones Act, has typically been confined to debates about energy independence, trade, and regulation. The law requires shipments between two U.S. ports be on U.S.-built, U.S.-manned, and… -
opinion
Puerto Rico Needs Help. Here’s What You Should Know.
Only days after narrowly dodging the eye of Hurricane Irma, Puerto Rico sustained a direct hit from Hurricane Maria. It was the most powerful storm to hit Puerto Rico since 1928, and the 10th most powerful hurricane on record. Maria made landfall on Sept. 20 as a Category 4 hurricane producing winds of up to… -
opinion
The NFL Has Its Hands Deep in Taxpayer Money
I’m calling foul on all the leftists rushing to protect the NFL’s protest crusaders from President Donald Trump’s criticism of their national anthem antics. Their shabby line of defense? The NFL is a “private enterprise” whose “rights” are being violated by those who dare to challenge the league’s political radicalization. The anti-Trump Democratic Coalition has… -
opinion
Tax Reform Just Got Real. Why the GOP Tax Plan Is Great News for America.
Bold tax reform got a big boost on Wednesday. Leaders in the House, the Senate, and the White House have all agreed on a tax outline, meaning a true update to our broken tax system could be imminent. First, the GOP tax plan framework would lower taxes for individual Americans. It would double the standard… -
news
Fund for American Studies, Invented by a Son of Edison, Celebrates 50 Years
Fifty years ago, a former governor of New Jersey and son of famed inventor Thomas Edison spent his last years trying to counter the radical extremes of social change during the 1960s. “In the next 50 years, we hope to continue to expand our programs and our influence.” –@TFASorg’s Steve Slattery In response to some… -
news
Conservatives Encouraged by Republican Framework for Tax Reform
Any tax reforms passed by Congress should give relief to middle-class families and small businesses, bring jobs and capital back to the United States, and make the tax code more fair by ending loopholes and breaks for special interests, congressional Republicans said Wednesday in what they call a framework for debate. The framework from House… -
opinion
Not a Day Care
Our college-age population consists mostly of 18- to 30-year-olds, and likewise our armed forces. I wonder whether they shared common responses to the 2016 presidential election. Many college administrators provided students with therapy dogs, play dough, coloring books, bubbles, videos of frolicking kittens and puppies, and soft music. They even canceled classes and postponed exams… -
news
Roy Moore Defeats Trump’s Pick, Luther Strange, in GOP’s Alabama Senate Runoff
Challenger Roy Moore soundly defeated incumbent Luther Strange in Tuesday’s runoff to choose the Republican nominee in Alabama’s U.S. Senate race. With all precincts reporting after 11 p.m., Moore had 54.6 percent or 262,204 votes and Strange had 45.4 percent or 218,066 votes. The Associated Press called the race when results from about half… -
opinion
Here’s How Much Money the NFL Rakes in From Taxpayers
The National Football League is now plunged into politics as players throughout the sport kneel for the national anthem and President Donald Trump continues to rebuke them publicly. Undoubtedly, the situation has left many fans and non-fans of the league conflicted or angry. This fiasco may, however, open the eyes of the public to a… -
opinion
Will American Workers Get to Help Rebuild Puerto Rico?
As Puerto Ricans begin to clean up the rubble in the wake of Hurricane Maria, they are already looking to their fellow Americans on the mainland for help. Unfortunately, American workers and businesses will not be able to play a major role in the reconstruction unless President Donald Trump overrules the Department of Homeland Security… -
news
Army Captain Is Sole Pittsburgh Steeler to Stand for National Anthem
Only one member of the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers stood for the national anthem Sunday afternoon after President Donald Trump said that those players who don’t respect the flag should be fired. That player was Alejandro Villanueva, an offensive tackle for the Steelers and a veteran who served three tours of duty in Afghanistan. The Army… -
opinion
The Hypocrisy of the NFL
Genevieve Wood wants to know why the Dallas Cowboys weren’t allowed by the NFL to wear police decals in honor of those police officers killed in Dallas last year, but players are permitted to not stand for the national anthem. Plus, she interviews two Americans outside a Washington, D.C., sports bar about their views on… -
opinion
Global Trade Volume Is Up, No Thanks to Protectionism
In a sign of improving economic health around the world, the World Trade Organization has strongly upgraded its forecast for the 2017 growth in world trade volume. The World Trade Organization previously estimated trade expansion in 2017 to be 2.4 percent, but now looks to hit 3.6 percent growth for the year. This is welcome… -
news
3 Key Elements of Trump’s New Travel Ban
President Donald Trump’s new restrictions on travel from certain nations adapt to the latest threats and affect countries without Muslim majorities, but face legal challenges similar to previous ones. On Sunday, Trump issued a presidential proclamation on what he calls “extreme vetting” that builds on his March 6 executive order that barred immigration from six… -
opinion
How the GOP Can Make Graham-Cassidy a Success
Over the weekend, Republican senators released a new version of “Graham-Cassidy,” their latest effort to undo Obamacare’s damage. It’s far from clear the bill can get enough votes to pass, but negotiations continue behind closed doors. Here at The Heritage Foundation, we have kept close track of the major bills Congress has considered to provide… -
news
Ohio Bill Would Make It Illegal to Abort Babies Because They Have Down Syndrome
Lawmakers in Ohio are considering legislation that would make aborting Down syndrome babies illegal. The bill, if passed, would penalize doctors for performing abortions on pregnant women who received a positive test that their baby will have Down syndrome. The state would not fine or punish a woman who aborts the baby after receiving a… -
news
Hawaii Pregnancy Centers Go to Court Over Law Requiring They Promote Abortions
A conservative legal organization went to court Friday in Hawaii over a law that forces pregnancy care centers to provide free advertising for abortion. “They are requiring pregnancy centers [that] just give away diapers and baby clothes to refer women to the state, to a website that connects them with certainly abortion causing drugs, and… -
opinion
30 Years Later, Bernie Sanders’ ‘Medicare for All’ Plan Hasn’t Improved With Age
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., was against socializing the U.S. health care system before he was for it. Who knew? In the late 1980s, Sanders, who at the time was the mayor of Burlington, Vermont, acknowledged that a Canadian-style government-run health care system “would bankrupt the nation.” But that was then, and this is now. With…