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
Report: 1 in 8 Christians Worldwide Is Persecuted ‘Because of Faith in Jesus’
One in every eight Christians around the world faces persecution, ranging from imprisonment and censorship to extra-judicial and government-sanctioned martyrdom, according to a new report. “Each year, an estimated 300 million Christians around the world are persecuted because of their faith in Jesus. Our brothers and sisters in Christ are beaten, imprisoned, and even killed…Ben Johnson -
- Opinion
Confirm Patel, Capsize the FBI
Kash Patel, President reelect Donald Trump’s nominee for FBI chief, heads into Senate confirmation hearings next week. His critics will warn ominously that Patel would turn the FBI upside down. As well he should. The FBI’s decent, diligent field agents might be the people most betrayed by their bosses in Washington, D.C. The bureau’s leftist command…Deroy Murdock -
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Andrew Breitbart, Mark Zuckerberg and the Two-Way Street of Politics and Culture
The late, great Andrew Breitbart was one of the most quotable conservatives of his era. “Walk toward the fire,” he exhorted his fellow activists. “Don’t worry about what they call you. All those things are said against you because they want to stop you in your tracks.” It was good advice when Breitbart said it…Josh Hammer -
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An Ideological Agenda Leaves Californians Vulnerable to Wildfires
While California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass blame this week’s devastating wildfires on climate change or claim that they did all they could to prepare, the evidence tells a different story. Their focus on a woke, climate-driven agenda has come at the expense of practical, effective wildfire prevention measures. The result?…Mario Loyola -
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A Progressive Hellscape
“February was the wettest month in downtown Los Angeles since 1998. With over 12 inches of rain drenching the city, it was the fourth-wettest February—and the seventh-wettest month overall—in the city’s nearly 150-year recorded history,” said Judson Jones’ report on Los Angeles’ weather on March 2, 2024, in The New York Times. Just under a…Erick Erickson -
- Opinion
Double Standards: Carter’s Kindest Media Eulogists Were Rough on Reagan
In all the somber coverage of Jimmy Carter’s death, the audience could and should expect the tone of kindness that wafts over wakes and funerals. Each president served as leader of our nation, shouldering a great burden over a large country with an ever-enlarging government. But sometimes the tributes grow a little too treacly. CBS…Tim Graham -
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DeSantis Tells Media Point-Blank Newsom Would’ve Been ‘Nailed to the Wall’ Over Wildfires If He Was Republican
DAILY CALLER NEWS FOUNDATION—Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, accused reporters Thursday evening of going easy on California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, over his handling of wildfires in the Los Angeles area. The area around Los Angeles has been hit with multiple wildfires that rapidly spread through Pasadena and other localities, destroying hundreds of buildings and leaving…Harold Hutchison -
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Within a Month, 6 Largest US Banks Leave UN Net-Zero Banking Alliance
THE CENTER SQUARE—Within one month of each other, six of the largest U.S. banks left the United Nations Net-Zero Banking Alliance not soon after Donald Trump was elected president. Last month, Goldman Sachs was the first to withdraw from the alliance, followed by Wells Fargo, The Center Square reported. By Dec. 31, Citigroup and Bank of…Bethany Blankley -
- Opinion
One Reason Why Young People Are Delaying Marriage and What You Can Do About It
Why are so many Americans waiting so long to get married? One-third of young adults will likely never marry, according to recent research. Lyman Stone, a research fellow at the Institute for Family Studies, analyzed the data and came to some important conclusions. The Knot, a wedding website, ran a study finding that the average…Timothy Goeglein -
- Opinion
California Inferno Was ‘Preventable.’ Blame Malfeasance of Newsom, Bass for Catastrophe.
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. I'm here in California. I've been a lifelong resident of the state, fifth generation to live in the same house. I had a house in the…Victor Davis Hanson -
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Tennessee Judge Blocks Law Requiring Age Verification for Porn Sites
Does protecting kids from being exposed to pornography suppress the free speech rights of adults? According to U.S. District Judge Sheryl Lipman of Memphis, Tennessee, the answer is yes. But her opinion may be in the minority. In recent months, at least 19 states have passed laws that require age verification on porn sites to help decrease…Sarah Holliday -
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After Controversial Raids in 2024, Changes at ATF Are Likely Under Trump
Under the Biden administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives gained new authority, but after a tumultuous year, the agency’s director, Steven Dettelbach, plans to resign before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. In November, the ATF raided the home of Baltimore gun rights activist Mark “Choppa” Manley, but made no arrests or confiscations. Agents…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
Remembering Jean-Marie Le Pen, France’s Instrument of Right-Wing Populist Discontent
Jean-Marie Le Pen, erstwhile leader of France’s political party National Front (now National Rally), died on Tuesday at the age of 96. For more than 50 years, Le Pen was a mainstay in French politics, known for his outspoken views on limiting immigration to France and Europe. Quick-witted and incendiary, his surprise elevation to the…Jacob Adams -
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Michigan Republicans Vow to Investigate Whitmer Admin Using Panel’s Subpoena Power
Michigan Republicans are seeking accountability for what they consider gross mismanagement and corruption under Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration, taking advantage of their new majority in the state House of Representatives. On Wednesday, Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall gave the Republican-controlled oversight committee broad subpoena power to investigate alleged corruption and incompetence in a state…George Caldwell -
- Opinion
The Age of Censorship Is Ending
This week, in a stunning volte-face, Mark Zuckerberg announced that Facebook would now be revising its censorship policies to accord with his older vision of free speech. Specifically, Zuckerberg committed Facebook to revising a series of standards: reliance on left-wing fact-checkers will end, replaced by an X-like community notes system in which fact-checking will be…Ben Shapiro -
- Opinion
Gavin Newsom Has No Credibility on Forest Management
As wildfires engulf Los Angeles, California’s Democrat governor, Gavin Newsom, is facing renewed scrutiny for his record on forest management. As of Thursday morning, multiple wildfires, including the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire, are raging across Southern California, leaving at least five dead and burning more than 27,000 acres, Fox News reported. Amid the conflagrations,…Tyler O’Neil -
- Opinion
Burma’s War Shouldn’t Be Allowed to Catch Washington Off Guard
As war rages in Europe and as Israel confronts adversaries from all sides in the Middle East, Americans would be forgiven not knowing about the yearslong conflict raging in Burma—the world’s longest-running civil war. The violence has ravaged the Southeast Asian nation for decades, and battlefield developments indicate the conflict may be reaching a new…Brent Sadler -
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California Slapped With Lawsuit Over ‘Unconstitutional’ Sanctuary Law
DAILY CALLER NEWS FOUNDATION—A major California city is suing the state over its sanctuary law, arguing that it violates the Constitution and prevents local officials from protecting their community. The City of Huntington Beach filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against SB 54, otherwise known as the California Values Act, which dramatically restricts how local and state law…Jason Hopkins -
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Where Does the Money Come From? Elderly Democrats Say Donations Made in Their Names Aren’t Genuine
Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue may have raked in millions through fraudulent donations, according to the testimonies of elderly Americans who said federal election records do not reflect their giving. Eighteen registered Democrats in Connecticut, all over the age of 70, appear to have donated $1.9 million to Democratic causes, including ActBlue, through hundreds of thousands…Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell -
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Nancy Pelosi’s Stock Portfolio Explodes in Value, Beats Market by Nearly 200%
DAILY CALLER NEWS FOUNDATION—Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi beat the S&P 500 by nearly 200% in 2024, continuing her streak of outperforming the stock index. Pelosi’s portfolio grew 70.9% between Dec. 29, 2023, and Dec. 30, 2024, compared to the S&P 500’s 24.9% return for the period, according to financial data platform Unusual Whales’ 2024 Congress Trading Report….Owen Klinsky