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
Transgender Graduates Get $20,000 Each After Restroom Dispute
A Pennsylvania school agreed to pay three transgender students $20,000 each in a settlement allowing the students to use the restroom corresponding to their gender identity. The details of the costly settlement—totaling $60,000 awarded to the students and $75,000 to their attorney—were released Tuesday after the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette requested the information from the Pine-Richland School District under the state’s sunshine law,… -
news
Tech Tycoon Wants to Punish ‘Wicked’ Foes of LGBT Activism
A Colorado high-tech multimillionaire backing LGBT activism warns that his foundation will “punish the wicked”—those who oppose the political agenda advanced in the name of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans. Tim Gill created the Gill Foundation with a $300 million endowment to promote LGBT legislation. The foundation, based in Denver, has worked against religious… -
opinion
How the Latest GOP Health Care Bill Stacks Up
After last month’s disappointing failure to roll back Obamacare’s damage, senators are now reflecting on how best to proceed. One approach reportedly under consideration is a bill put together by Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.; Bill Cassidy, R-La.; and Dean Heller, R-Nev. Relief from Obamacare includes three major elements: regulatory relief, financing reform through tax cuts,… -
opinion
Free Trade Must Remain a Bipartisan Issue
In 1979, then-California Gov. Ronald Reagan launched his presidential campaign saying, “A developing closeness among Canada, Mexico, and the United States—a North American accord—would permit achievement of that potential in each country beyond that which I believe any of them—strong as they are—could accomplish in the absence of such cooperation. “In fact, the key to… -
news
Bankrupt Puerto Rico Gives Millions to Sketchy Firms With Government Ties
Bankrupt Puerto Rico has awarded nearly $11 million in consulting contracts to various businesses, including marketing, lobbying, and public relations firms, some with ties to government officials. The U.S. territory, which filed for bankruptcy in May, recently closed nearly 200 schools to save $7 million. Yet officials on the Caribbean island also issued 107 consulting contracts since… -
opinion
Desperate Patients Shouldn’t Need Permission to Try to Save Their Own Lives
The anguish experienced by Connie Yates and Chris Gard—parents of Charlie Gard—has sparked outrage and sympathy across the globe. Their 11-month-old son died in hospice care from a rare genetic disease after losing an extended legal battle. The British National Health Service wanted to cease treatment for Charlie because it believed his case was hopeless…. -
news
‘Stress Reduction Policies’ Let Students Choose Their Own Grades
A professor at the University of Georgia created a “Stress Reduction Policy” that allows students who feel “unduly stressed” to choose their own grades, according to a Monday report. Richard Watson incorporated the policy into two business courses, Campus Reform reported. The syllabi have since been updated to remove the policy, but an archived version of one is available. “If… -
news
NYT’s ‘Leaked’ Bombshell Climate Report Was Actually Public for Months
A draft government climate assessment The New York Times “obtained” and claims is not yet public has actually been available online since January, according to scientists who worked on the report. The Times reportedly obtained a draft copy of the upcoming National Climate Assessment, quoting unnamed scientists who feared “the Trump administration could change or suppress the… -
opinion
Congressman’s Bill Would Make It Too Easy to Prosecute Innocent People
Earlier this year, Rep. Daniel Donovan, R-N.Y., introduced a bill that would criminalize the mailing of tableting or encapsulating machines with only few exceptions, presumably to prevent their use in illegal drug manufacturing. The basic function of a tableting machine is to compress powdered materials into solid tablets. These machines are often used by pharmaceutical… -
news
UCLA Professors Protest Symphony Conducted by ‘Horribly Bigoted’ Conservative Commentator
UCLA professors are protesting a symphony conducted by a conservative commentator whom they call “horribly bigoted." History professor Andrew Apter and political science professor Michael Chwe released a letter in which they advise readers to boycott a concert where conservative commentator Dennis Prager will be the guest conductor, according to a report Wednesday in Campus Reform. “Please urge your friends to not… -
news
Evergreen State Police Chief Resigns: ‘We Should Have Rifles’
The police chief of the Evergreen State College resigned after the campus administration would not let her or her officers have access to rifles, according to a Wednesday report. Stacy Brown resigned as chief of Evergreen’s police services, according to The Olympian. Campus protesters demanded Brown’s firing in May. The students leveled allegations of racism against… -
opinion
Microsoft’s Plan to Expand Broadband Would Benefit Rural Americans
The growth of “broadband” (or high speed) internet access has bestowed enormous benefits on the American economy. Roughly 300 million Americans have access to broadband—increasingly on mobile devices—which enables them to buy and sell goods and services; carry out business transactions; connect with clients, friends, and relatives; and obtain their entertainment, among other uses. In… -
news
Wasserman Schultz Says Laptop She Sought to Keep From Police Was IT Aide’s, Not Hers
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., said in a newspaper interview that she never actually saw a laptop that she fought to block U.S. Capitol Police from examining as evidence in a criminal case against her IT aide by saying it was hers. Wasserman Schultz, who resigned under a cloud last year as head of the… -
news
West Virginia Governor’s Party Switch Shows ‘Momentum’ for Republicans
Republicans now control the governorship and legislature in 26 states, as West Virginia’s governor announced his switch from Democrat during a rally Thursday night with President Donald Trump. “The Democrats walked away from me,” West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice said at the rally in Huntington, West Virginia. “I can’t help you any more being a… -
news
Ben Shapiro, Cenk Uygur Lock Horns on Health Care Bills
Ben Shapiro and Cenk Uygur got to the heart of the health care disagreements between conservatives and liberals in front of 3,000 people in Pasadena, California. The two pundits debated Congress’ recent attempts at health care legislation at Politicon 2017, an annual nonpartisan gathering aimed to bring together rising political figures. Shapiro is editor-in-chief of… -
news
Bernie Sanders Joins UAW in Mississippi Push for Nissan Union Vote
High-profile Democratic Party leaders and Hollywood celebrities are partnering with the United Auto Workers to help Big Labor gain footing in Southern states. The UAW won a deal with Japanese-based Nissan Motor Co. allowing close to 4,000 full-time employees at its Canton, Mississippi, plant to vote on whether to organize as a labor union. Sen. Bernie… -
news
Government Has No Clue How Much Land It Bought With $815 Million
Interior Department officials have no idea how much land they bought for $815 million, nor if the properties are being used for their intended purpose, a government watchdog reported. The department’s officials couldn’t provide its inspector general with data about land purchase programs, the watchdog’s report said. The inspector general consequently surveyed 108 programs and found… -
opinion
New York Times ‘Voter Suppression’ Video Game Is Pure Propaganda
An “Oregon Trail”-style “Op-Doc” video game released by The New York Times just days before the 2016 election asks readers to “find out if your vote can survive the great, flawed adventure of American democracy.” The premise: The race of the character you choose determines whether your vote survives “the GOP’s tactics.” This biased game… -
opinion
The Fascist Roots of the American Left
In 1925 the Jewish philosopher Theodor Lessing spoke out against the repressive political climate of Weimar Germany. Although Lessing’s explicit target was the cravenness of the Weimar regime of Paul von Hindenburg, his real target was the emerging power of Nazism, and he blamed the government for yielding to it. The Nazis recognized immediately the… -
opinion
5 Reasons H.R. McMaster Is the Right Leader for a Tough President
For months, there have been reports of strong disagreements in the White House. There’s nothing wrong with that. In our view, that’s often the best way tough decisions get made. In national security adviser H.R. McMaster, the president has a leader of the National Security Council who has made a career of fighting for national…