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
Why This New Hampshire Democrat Wants to Restore Confidence in Voting Integrity
MANCHESTER, New Hampshire—Bill Gardner, New Hampshire’s Democratic secretary of state, is an institution in the state, having held the office for more than four decades, and now, for being one of a few Democratic election officials in the country stepping up to prevent voter fraud. Gardner, one of five Democrats on the 12-member Presidential Advisory… -
opinion
A Debt Crisis Is Coming, and We’re All to Blame
The largest threat to our prosperity is government spending that far exceeds the authority enumerated in Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution. Federal spending in 2017 will top $4 trillion. Social Security, at $1 trillion, will take up most of it. Medicare ($582 billion) and Medicaid ($404 billion) are the next-largest expenditures. Other federal… -
opinion
Conservatives Should Make Labor Law Reform a Priority
It is no secret that conservatives are hungry for legislative victories after last year’s sweeping electoral victories, and few issues present a better opportunity than labor reform. Last year, the Employee Rights Act, sponsored by then-Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., and Sen. Orrin Hatch,R-Utah, received co-sponsorship from a majority of Republicans in both the House and… -
opinion
Can a Christian Serve as a Judge Anymore?
Earlier this month, during a judicial confirmation hearing for 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals nominee Amy Barrett, who is a Catholic law professor, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., questioned whether Barrett could be a Christian and a judge at the same time: Why is it that so many of us on this side have this… -
news
21 Photos That Take You Inside Irma’s Destruction
Hurricane Irma may have weakened to a tropical storm Monday as it moved through Florida, but millions of Floridians are left without power and their homes destroyed. These photos give an inside look into Irma’s destruction. -
opinion
Leftism Is Not Liberalism. Here Are the Differences.
What is the difference between a leftist and a liberal? Answering this question is vital to understanding the crisis facing America and the West today. Yet few seem able to do it. I offer the following as a guide. Here’s the first thing to know: The two have almost nothing in common. On the contrary,… -
news
Donation Processor Drops Pro-Family Group Over ‘Hate’ Label
The founder of a nonprofit dedicated to repairing families says he thinks being incorrectly labeled a “hate group” prompted the company that processed donations to drop her organization. Ruth Institute’s biblical stance on issues such as gender identity and same-sex marriage led to its being labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center,… -
opinion
Disrespect for National Anthem Damages NFL as Unifying American Passion
In a world in which politics now seeps into everything, the degrading state of the NFL has become a perfect example of how our national consensus has frayed. Undoubtedly, the launch of this year’s NFL season came with some positive displays of patriotism. The Cleveland Browns ran onto the field with first responders and military… -
opinion
I Went to a ‘Remembering Our Fallen’ Memorial in DC. Here’s What I Saw.
In the 16 years that have passed since Islamist terrorists attacked this country on 9/11, thousands of Americans have given their lives in the conflicts that followed. On Friday, I had the opportunity to visit a “Remembering Our Fallen” exhibit at the base of the Lincoln Memorial. It was a pictorial tribute to the men… -
news
16 Years After 9/11, Government Lacks Answers in Combating Terrorism
The United States and allies seem to lack a clear strategy for toppling the terrorist threat 16 years after the worst terrorist attack in American history, experts say. Since the 9/11 attacks, there have been another 97 terrorist plots against the United States, and the bulk of those 15 successful attacks happened in the last… -
news
Wasserman Schultz IT Aide Planted Computer to Be Found, Police Report Suggests
A laptop computer that Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., fought to keep prosecutors from examining may have been planted for police to find by her since-indicted information technology staffer, Imran Awan, a police report indicates. U.S. Capitol Police found the computer after midnight April 6 in a tiny room in a House office building that… -
opinion
Not a Joke: Berkeley Offers Students ‘Counseling’ to Cope With Shapiro Speech
Maybe the coolest Halloween costume on campuses this fall will be dressing up as Ben Shapiro. Because apparently that’s about the scariest thing a college student can encounter. Shapiro, a conservative commentator and writer, is set to give a speech at University of California, Berkeley next Thursday. If you know anything about Berkeley, you’re aware… -
opinion
The Myth That Climate Change Created Harvey, Irma
Flooding in homes and businesses across Houston was still on the rise when Politico ran a provocative article, titled “Harvey Is What Climate Change Looks Like.” Politico was not alone, as another news outlet called the one-two punch of Harvey and Irma the potential “new normal.” Brad Johnson, executive director of the advocacy group Climate… -
opinion
Betsy DeVos Stands Up for Due Process Rights in Campus Sexual Assault Cases
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos announced in a speech Thursday that she will roll back an Obama-era “guidance” document that drove colleges to implement Star Chamber-like tribunals to mishandle sexual assault cases. The guidance forced colleges to weaken already minimal due process protections for those accused of rape and sexual assault, and threatened schools that refused… -
opinion
Religious Tests for Public Office Are Unacceptable. Period.
I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately about the fascinating men and women of America’s founding generation. I want to share with you one of their stories. Jonas Phillips was a penniless Jewish immigrant, an indentured servant, a hardworking businessman, and an American patriot who served in the Philadelphia Militia during the Revolutionary War…. -
opinion
Freedom Imperiled in Hong Kong After Democracy Advocates Sent to Prison
Hong Kong’s freedom from Chinese meddling is quickly eroding. Joshua Wong, Nathan Law, and Alex Chow—the leaders of the “Umbrella Revolution” student movement, which demanded democracy in Hong Kong in 2014—were sentenced last month to six to eight months in prison by an appeals court. Wong, Chow, and Law were involved in the Occupy movement that… -
news
Why It’s Now Problematic to Be a Woman of Faith
Every week, The Daily Signal’s “Problematic Women” shines a spotlight on strong conservative women, current events, and the hypocrisy of the “feminist” left. Co-hosted with Bre Payton of The Federalist, this week’s episode takes on Planned Parenthood’s failed attempt to insert itself into the immigration debate, Hillary Clinton’s new book, and Democratic senators’ religious test… -
news
Governors Urge Greater Flexibility for States in Creating and Implementing Health Care Policy
Five governors—representing both parties and from states across the country—told a Senate committee Thursday that inaction on health care is not an option and lawmakers should look to the states for solutions. Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, praised the successes of Obamacare, but said more work needs to be done. “Many people are angry… -
opinion
New Study Shows Political Unrest Often Starts With Lack of Upward Mobility
In countries with higher levels of economic freedom, individuals are free to move up (or down) the socio-economic ladder because of the decisions they make and the work that they do. They have what economists call social mobility. The freedom to earn income according to one’s talents and to own and control property are a…