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
To Fix Health Care We Need Prices, Not Price Controls
You can’t have a market without prices, which is a major reason why health care is such a mess. Nobody knows what anything costs, even though the vast majority of medical services are not emergencies. In President Donald Trump’s first term, he took this problem on by mandating that hospitals that participate in Medicare and… -
opinion
Biden Turned Patient Protection Into Slush Fund, and Trump Is Doing Something About It
President Donald Trump signed the No Surprises Act in 2020 to stop patients from getting ambushed by medical bills they never agreed to pay. Under the Biden administration, it became one of the most lucrative slush funds for providers who use a loophole in the law to overbill for procedures and drive-up costs for all… -
opinion
America’s Promise to Veterans Cannot Become a One-Way Ratchet
America has made a sacred promise—some might call it a contract—to our veterans. That contract should never be broken. But does upholding it mean that Congress must maintain every veterans’ program exactly the way it is today? Or could keeping that promise mean having the courage to evaluate whether veterans’ programs are still effective at… -
opinion
OMB’s Proposed Grant Reform Promises a Major Victory for Religious Liberty
Americans should not have to surrender their constitutional freedoms to partner with a government program. Churches that receive federal grants should not have to hide their crosses. Religious charities should not have to secularize their missions. And citizens should not face higher fees to speak on public property simply because officials dislike their political or… -
opinion
Indiana Watchdog Releases DEI Audit. This Is a Model for States Across the US.
Last year, many Indiana public school teachers promised to end racist diversity, equity, and inclusion practices in schools. If successful, such assurances and the policies that follow would be models for other states. How’s it going? Turns out, the racism in public education runs deep. This week, the Indiana Family Institute released an audit of… -
opinion
What DEI Means to You
To most Americans, diversity, equity, and inclusion is an abstract, boring idea they don’t have time to worry about. But I’ve written a book on it—“The Ten Woke Commandments (You Must Not Obey)”—and I’m here to tell you why you should be paying attention to DEI. DEI means that when you apply for a job… -
opinion
Why Lower Gas Costs Take Time to Reach the Pump
When crude oil prices drop sharply, why do drivers have to wait for relief at the pump? The answer follows a convoluted and policy-constrained path from drill rigs to local gas stations. The prices we encounter at the pump result from this complex chain, which begins with global crude and passes through refining, wholesale, independent… -
opinion
Texas Expects Students to Know the Bible Because It Is Part of Our History
On June 26, the Texas State Board of Education voted on the new K-8 social studies standards. These revised standards remove critical race theory, reject disputed claims about Islam’s influence on the Alamo, restore instruction on classical Greek and Roman influences, and—most controversially—include instructing students about America’s Judeo-Christian heritage. The motion passed 9-5. As you… -
opinion
False Narrative: How Dare Trump Deport Venezuelans to Earthquake ‘Hell’
AUSTIN, Texas—The close timing of two high-casualty earthquakes in Venezuela on June 24 and a June 25 Supreme Court ruling allowing the Trump administration to deport some 605,000 U.S.-based Venezuelans has given rise to a mounting pressure campaign arguing that President Donald Trump must, on moral grounds, let them stay. Seizing on one tragic event… -
opinion
Florida’s DOGE Has Promoted Government Efficiency Under DeSantis
Saving taxpayer dollars by eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse is a priority at all levels of government. Floridians can rest easy knowing Gov. Ron DeSantis is dedicated to good governance and fiscal responsibility. Federal spending attracts substantial media attention, but the scale of state and local spending—which handles the bulk of public services—requires systematic reviews… -
opinion
Why I’m Picking Up the Mic Charlie Kirk Left for America
My generation will carry the memory of Sept. 10, 2025, with us forever. You probably remember the exact moment you heard Charlie Kirk had been shot during Turning Point’s American Comeback Tour. Each of us made a decision the day Charlie left us. I know I did. Would we let Charlie’s microphone remain silenced, or… -
opinion
Does Better Health Require Fewer Freedoms?
“Be careful of the steps.” “Get out and walk for five minutes.” “1,354 calories.” Such was life during my four days in London last week. Innumerable precautions, suggestions, and ‘useful information’ litter the streets, hotels, and menus across the pond, all in the name of “public health and safety.” As someone with sensitivities to a… -
opinion
Defending America’s Founding Principles in a Divided Age
The United States nation faces threats that extend beyond the familiar divide between Democrats and Republicans. Increasingly, two ideological movements—one on the far left, one emerging on the populist right—share a willingness to undermine the principles that have long defined the American experiment. On one side stands the Democratic Socialists of America, whose influence within… -
opinion
Brad Lander and the Changing Face of the Democratic Party
A little over a year ago, I saw what is easily my favorite election polling graphic of all time. The picture showed the results of a citywide poll on the mayoral election in New York. Conducted by Emerson College Polling, the survey measured support for three candidates, with their percentages reflected in the snapshot. At… -
opinion
AP Warns Against Trump’s ‘Darkly Political’ Anti-Communist Remarks
Communism is an evil philosophy. Communist regimes have killed hundreds of millions of people and made millions more live in a police state. But somehow, speaking ill of communism alarms the same journalists who constantly suggest democracy is in peril under President Donald Trump. Authoritarianism is bad—unless it’s communist. Trump denounced communism in a July… -
opinion
The Ghost of Graham Platner Will Haunt Establishment Democrats
Democrats are in the process of exorcising Graham Platner from the party and the Maine Senate race, but Platner’s ghost could haunt Democrats for years to come. Platner’s candidacy was an ambitious experiment led by progressive party outsiders, as self-proclaimed socialists racked up wins from California to New York and plenty of states in between…. -
opinion
Success in Ankara and a Stronger NATO
The 2026 NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey, concluded successfully, with messages of unity, support for Ukraine, increased spending by European NATO allies, and big agreements on coproduction of military systems, especially precision-guided munitions. Ahead of the meeting, President Donald Trump was adamant that Europe needed to increase defense spending and take more responsibility for its… -
opinion
The Grid Is Failing: Let’s Fix It and Secure Our Electricity
When the lights stay on, most Americans assume the electricity system is working. It is not. Beneath the surface, the markets that produce and price your power are manufacturing a reliability crisis. The organizations running those markets have already admitted they cannot solve it under the current rules. The result? A market that over-rewards weather-dependent… -
opinion
Welfare: It’s Not Just for Americans Anymore
Leftists like to claim that virtually no benefit money is given to noncitizens. A recent analysis by the Center for Immigration Studies argues that this is false. Households headed by noncitizens are not only receiving government benefits, but they are receiving them at higher rates than citizen households. Steven Camarota, director of research for the… -
opinion
Why Japan and South Korea’s Deepening Defense Ties Are Good News for the US
Two of America’s closest security partners in Asia, Japan and South Korea, have historically struggled to cooperate due to historical animosities. However, at the urging of the U.S., in recent years, Tokyo and Seoul have increasingly collaborated with each other and trilaterally with Washington. Last month, that cooperation took another step forward. Japanese Defense Minister…