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
Will Mike Johnson Keep the Speaker’s Gavel?
The 118th Congress is all but over. For the House, it ended in much the same way it began: With various factions within the Republican Party jostling for their priorities and for power. Is the 119th Congress in for a repeat of those dynamics as House Speaker Mike Johnson’s gavel could be in jeopardy and…Bradley Devlin -
- Opinion
Student Loan Regulations in Reverse and Seasonal Signs of American Democracy
Are you aware that in our democracy the people least able to pay their debts are the ones who acquired expensive degrees to improve their earning potential? If you weren’t before, your ignorance has surely been remedied after no less than five rounds of Department of Education rulemaking aimed at relieving the distress of student-loan borrowers…Jack Fitzhenry -
- Opinion
THAT’S A WRAP: The Political Winners and Losers of 2024
For those of us in the news business, 2024 provided a steady stream of stories to cover—and rarely a dull moment. From the Republican primaries early in the year to the assassination attempts and political conventions this summer, our Daily Signal team stayed busy through Election Day and in the days that followed. During his…Daily Signal Staff -
- Opinion
Is Climate Change Making Hurricanes Worse?
Climate alarmists like President Joe Biden assure us that all we need do to avert the destruction of hurricanes—or at least to lessen it—is to sacrifice offerings to the climate gods by giving up our gas-guzzling internal combustion engines and paying indulgences to Al Gore or something. You see, humans as a species have sinned,…Tyler O’Neil -
- Opinion
NYC Subway Incident, Neely’s Death Didn’t Have to Happen. But Family, Laws Failed Him.
Jordan Neely could have been my brother. Both were diagnosed with severe schizophrenia, both with violent criminal histories, and both forcibly, temporarily hospitalized at Bellevue Hospital—New York City’s flagship hospital for the mentally ill. The stark difference: My mother and I proactively fought the legal battle for guardianship of my brother to keep him off…Carrie Sheffield -
- Opinion
Defenders of Trans Athletes’ Invasion of Women’s Sports Need to See This New Documentary
What do Charlie Baker, president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and Washington Post sports columnist Sally Jenkins have in common? They’re both in deep denial about the inherent unfairness of transgender faux females competing in collegiate (and, by extension, high school) athletics against real girls and women. Apparently, like Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown…Peter Parisi -
- Opinion
Be Not Afraid of the Climate
President Joe Biden reiterated before Christmas that climate change is an existential threat even as climate alarmism reaches new levels of urgency. But the premise that the world is becoming less livable because of climate change is simply incorrect. Government data show that the world is getting better for human life in nearly every measurable…Diana Furchtgott-Roth -
- Opinion
Tonight, We’re Gonna Party Like It’s 2019!
Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy, and the new Department of Government Efficiency should help President reelect Donald J. Trump implement a straightforward reform: Return federal spending to 2019 levels. Americans lived large just before COVID-19. On New Year’s Eve 2019—nearly five years ago—the U.S. economy boomed. Real annual gross domestic product grew by 2.5%. Unemployment was just 3.5% and at or near record depths for blacks, Hispanics,…Deroy Murdock -
- Opinion
Defunding Planned Parenthood Is a Matter of Life and Death for Black America
The prospect that American taxpayers, who morally object to abortion, may no longer be forced to fund Planned Parenthood when President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House, feels promising this time around. And according to Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk, the newly slated Department of Government Efficiency advisory committee just might lead the charge to…John Amanchukwu Sr. -
- Opinion
A Light in the Darkness
The week before Christmas in 2006, on the same day I lost my job, doctors gave my wife six months to live. I had to be the one to break the news to her. I sat in her recovery room following a lung biopsy surgery, waited for her to be awake and aware, and told…Erick Erickson -
- News
Pornhub to Block Access in 13 States as Age-Verification Laws Spread
THE CENTER SQUARE—The pornography website Pornhub soon will be inaccessible in 13 states after lawmakers passed a flurry of restrictions for social media and other internet sites. The bills require certain age-verification measures for websites hosting adult content. A total of 16 states—Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina,…Nolan McKendry -
- Opinion
The Vindication of Daniel Penny
It didn’t take long for Daniel Penny, the subway savior who was persecuted by the New York City justice system for having the temerity to help fellow passengers, to be completely vindicated. By trying—and, fortunately, failing—to convict Penny in the death of Jordan Neely, a homeless drug addict with a long rap sheet who yelled…Jarrett Stepman -
- News
Rand Paul’s Report Details $1 Trillion in Gov’t Waste. Here Are the Worst Offenders.
Sen. Rand Paul released a report on Monday outlining more than $1 trillion in government waste from the past year. The 2024 “Festivus” report highlighted various instances of wasteful government spending from the federal government, including a pickleball complex in Las Vegas and a cabaret show on ice. This year marks Paul’s 10th annual report. “This year,…Ireland Owens -
- Opinion
Questioning Vaccines Shouldn’t Be Verboten
In the Harry Potter series, the villain, Lord Voldemort, is known as “He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.” There’s a similar sentiment whenever someone expresses a heterodox opinion on vaccines. The long knives are already out for Health and Human Services secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. While there are valid concerns among pro-life activists, the most prominent objection is…Victor Joecks -
- News
A Christmas Tale, 1919
Editor’s note: This true story about my family was first published by The Wall Street Journal in 2008. It has now been 105 years since my father fled Russia after the communists took over, but his five children, of which I was the fourth, still celebrate his escape every Christmas. And we still feel very blessed to have…Hans von Spakovsky -
- Opinion
Jordan Peterson’s New Book on Religion Strikes a Chord
In his new book, Jordan Peterson solidifies a complete transformation away from his teenage beliefs claiming “religion was for the ignorant, weak and superstitious.” His fourth book, “We Who Wrestle with God: Perceptions of the Divine,” is essentially a Bible study, albeit one far more sophisticated and classical than your average Protestant workbook. Peterson surveys…Carrie Sheffield -
- Opinion
The White Pill
The movie “The Matrix” gave us the “red pill” and the “blue pill.” The red wakes you up to reality; the blue keeps you indoctrinated. Internet culture then invented a black pill. Those who take it think the world is doomed. So, podcaster Michael Malice wrote the book “The White Pill,” calling it a “symbol…John Stossel -
- Opinion
Capitol Hill’s DOGE Lawmakers Ready to Reduce Regulatory Burdens for Everyday Americans
In Ronald Reagan’s stirring 1964 “A Time for Choosing” speech, he said: “No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. So governments’ programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we’ll ever see on this earth.” Reagan’s words were as true 60 years ago as they are…Rep. Ron Estes -
- Opinion
How to Reduce Housing Costs
Editor’s note: This is a lightly edited transcript of the accompanying video from professor Peter St. Onge. Can Donald Trump reduce house prices? A recent study by Redfin found that millions of Americans are skipping meals, selling belongings, and even delaying medical care to afford housing. Three in four Americans making less than $50,000—nearly half…Peter St. Onge -
- Opinion
A Return to Narnia Through Blue’s Tooth by Way of Ford’s Edge
It’s been quite some time since I’ve visited Narnia. I tend to give Disney’s 2005 adaptation of “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” a watch every Christmas season—it is a Christmas movie after all. I’ve loved the film since seeing it in theaters. It is a faithful representation of the book, though not quite…Bradley Devlin