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
New Year, Same as the Old Year
The Romans set January as the first month of the year. Originally, March had been the start of the new year. But the early Roman kings, before the republic, moved it to coincide with Janus, a two-faced god who looked backward with an old face and forward with a young face. Julius Caesar realigned Roman…Erick Erickson -
- Opinion
Make a Resolution to Fix Social Security
In the dreamlike days between Christmas and the regular work week’s return in the new year, it’s easy to believe all things are possible. Indulge in as much pie as you like—a resolution to eat healthier in 2025 will balance the scales. For most of us, this is harmless self-deception. Unfortunately, Congress has the same…Daniel McCarthy -
- News
Chief Justice Blasts Intimidation, Defiance of Judges in Year-End Report
“Four areas of illegitimate activity … threaten the independence of judges on which the rule of law depends,” U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts warned in his 2024 year-end report. He identified “(1) violence, (2) intimidation, (3) disinformation, and (4) threats to defy lawfully entered judgments” as the top behaviors that threaten to undermine the…Joshua Arnold -
- Opinion
Meet America’s 6’6” Revolutionary War Legend You Never Knew About
Travis Bowman is a seventh-generation descendant of one of America’s most remarkable yet overlooked Revolutionary War heroes: Peter Francisco, known as “The Virginia Giant.” During a recent visit to Washington, D.C., Bowman visited The Daily Signal to share the incredible tale of Francisco’s life: from his mysterious beginnings in the Azores, to his kidnapping by…Rob Bluey -
- Opinion
Bourbon Street Massacre Is What ‘Globalize the Intifada’ Looks Like
As woke illiberalism replaced live-and-let-live liberalism as the animating ideology of the American Left, the state of Israel has increasingly found itself on the outs. Never mind that modern Israel was founded by, and for three decades politically dominated by, a bunch of left-wing socialists. Never mind that Harry Truman, an iconic liberal Democratic president,…Josh Hammer -
- News
In Shocking Turn of Events, Johnson Reelected House Speaker
This article has been updated since publication to reflect that two lawmakers changed votes. After what looked to be a loss, Mike Johnson has emerged the winner, successfully being reelected House speaker in a 218-215 vote. In a shocking twist, two Republican members who voted for other candidates changed their votes to Johnson. Three Republican…Jacob Adams -
- News
San Francisco Starts Ban on Cash Welfare for Drug Addicts Who Refuse Treatment
THE CENTER SQUARE—San Francisco started its ban on county-funded cash assistance for individuals with substance abuse disorders who refuse to engage in treatment. Measure F, approved by voters in March 2024, applies to the $714 per month payments to housed low-income adults, and $109 per month to homeless individuals who have been in San Francisco for more…Kenneth Schrupp -
- News
Here’s What House Members Told The Daily Signal Before Speaker Vote
The first big decision the new House of Representatives has to make: Whether or not Speaker Mike Johnson will retain his speakership. Johnson can only afford to lose one Republican vote to secure the speakership, and crucial members of the Republican House spoke to The Daily Signal as they entered the chamber Friday afternoon. Rep….Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell -
- News
Here Are Mike Johnson’s Potential Holdouts
President-elect Donald Trump’s legislative agenda will meet its first hurdles Friday afternoon, as Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., vies to stay on as House speaker with a narrow Republican majority. The Louisiana representative, who emerged from obscurity after the overthrow of Rep. Kevin McCarthy as speaker, has warned that if he is not reelected, Trump’s legislative…George Caldwell -
- News
UK Labour Party Blocks Inquiry Into Prime Minister’s Conduct as Prosecutor in Pakistani Sex-Groomer Gang Cases
The United Kingdom’s Labour Party blocked an inquiry into Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s conduct as the head of the Crown Prosecution Service, which was charged with investigating a massive child-sex grooming operation in Oldham more than a decade ago. That’s according to The Telegraph of London and other news outlets. The story has been in the news as of…Jarrett Stepman -
- Opinion
Germany’s New Morgenthau Plan
Less than a year before the end of World War II, then-U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Henry Morgenthau drew up a nightmarish plan to punish postwar Germany. After the serial 1870-1871 Franco-Prussian War, World War I, and World War II—along with the failed Versailles peace treaty of 1919—the Allies in World War II wanted to…Victor Davis Hanson -
- Opinion
The Wages of the Media’s Big Lie of 2024
In a year filled with media misses, the biggest collective lie of all not only cost Democrats the election but may have permanently reshaped the landscape of journalism in America. The Wall Street Journal has recently released a series of reports about how President Joe Biden was essentially incapable of carrying out the duties of…Jarrett Stepman -
- Opinion
How to Fix the FBI
As a retired FBI special agent, I worked to protect my family and the American people in a fair and apolitical way. I understood that the public perception of the agency directly impacted the success of our mission. Moreso, I took to heart the core of that public perception: trust in us by our fellow…Richard Stout -
- News
What Will Jan. 6 Committee Democrats Do When It’s Time to Certify Trump’s Win?
House Democrats on the select committee that accused President-elect Donald Trump of inciting an insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, are not saying whether they will vote to certify Trump’s victory next Monday, Jan. 6, 2025. A week after two prominent Democratic lawyers penned an op-ed urging House Democrats to overturn the 2024 presidential election, Democrats…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
What ‘America First Abroad’ Should Look Like
What is an America First foreign policy? Though President Donald Trump’s first term provided noteworthy clues, no one on his team ever articulated clear, overarching themes. The question continues to reverberate even among his supporters, pitting neo-isolationists against those who argue that a fundamental reassertion of America’s national interests requires rethinking and reworking—but not necessarily…Bruce Abramson -
- Opinion
Pardoning Fauci Would Be Disservice to Him and Americans
It seems President Joe Biden won’t stop at letting his convicted son Hunter off the hook. The White House staff is reportedly pondering an unprecedented, preemptive set of presidential pardons for numerous officials who haven’t been formally charged or convicted of federal crimes but may be liable for indictment or conviction under the incoming Trump administration. Prominent on that list is…Robert Moffit -
- News
FBI Identifies Texas Man as Bourbon Street Attacker
THE CENTER SQUARE—The FBI has identified the driver of a truck that plowed into a crowd of people celebrating New Year's on Bourbon Street early Wednesday, killing at least 15 people and injuring 35. Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, a U.S. citizen and U.S. Army veteran from Houston, rented the F-150 Lightning truck, the FBI said. Alethea…Steve Wilson -
- Opinion
Three Classic Children’s Books Series to Revisit in 2025
The new year is a time for new things, but it can also be a time to rediscover hits from the past. For parents who want their kids reading great fiction with good values, here are three classic book series to revisit. The Adventures of Tintin Georges Remi (Hergé) Egmont Ages: 7+ I can’t recall what…Mark Guiney -
- Opinion
The National Nightmare Is Ending
Après Biden, “L’audace, l’audace, encore l’audace, toujours l’audace!” To paraphrase mixed French 18th-century memorable quotations: After Biden, follows not the deluge, but now daring, and still more daring, and always more daring. Why? A combination of two self-evident truths. Joe Biden’s inept administration proved an ungodly disaster, not just for America but for the West…Victor Davis Hanson -
- Opinion
33 Books You Should Read in 2025
As you set your 2025 goals and New Year’s resolutions, The Daily Signal encourages you to make reading books a priority (or listening to them, if that’s your preference). We asked our own staff, plus others from The Heritage Foundation and Heritage Action for America, to offer their book recommendations. They are listed below. Do…Daily Signal Staff