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
How Jeff Sessions Is Getting Tough on Drug Crime
Being a drug dealer in the United States just got more risky. Last Friday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued a memorandum directing all federal prosecutors to “charge and pursue the most serious, readily provable offense.” This means that absent extenuating circumstances, prosecutors must pursue offenses that carry the highest penalties under federal guidelines, including mandatory… -
opinion
Why Conservatives Should Be Excited About New EPA Agenda
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt has been in his new role for just over 80 days. He spoke with The Daily Signal about his objectives for the first year, which he says include “getting back to basics.” Pruitt says the agency needs to do a much better job of respecting individual states and the… -
opinion
We Hear You: ‘The Objective of Communism Is Total Servitude’
Editor's note: Walter Williams' commentary on communism's racist roots proved to be one of our our most popular pieces in the past week. Today's mailbag begins with another take on that history.—Ken McIntyre Dear Daily Signal: The Karl Marx quotes in Walter Williams' commentary were very relevant to a recurrent aspect of communism that I never… -
news
Texas Takes Steps to Protect Religious Convictions of Adoption, Foster Care Providers
Texas lawmakers are debating a bill that shows how states can protect faith-based adoption and foster care providers from religious discrimination, proponents of the legislation say. The Texas House of Representatives voted 93-49 Wednesday to pass a bill that would make room in a changing society for adoption and foster care providers associated with a… -
opinion
Betsy DeVos Says We Should ‘Start Fresh’ on Higher Ed. Here’s Where to Begin.
Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos stated during a speech in Salt Lake City on Tuesday that instead of reauthorizing the Higher Education Act, lawmakers should consider a “fresh start.” Yes, Congress should consider alternatives to the Higher Education Act, which authorizes all federal higher education spending such as student loans and grants. Enacted in 1965… -
news
Trump Has Vowed to Eradicate MS-13. What You Need to Know About the Gang.
In describing its effort to enforce immigration laws aggressively, the Trump administration repeatedly has invoked the threat of MS-13, a violent international gang with ties to Central America. The Democrats don't want money from budget going to border wall despite the fact that it will stop drugs and very bad MS 13 gang members. —… -
news
Largest US Solar Panel Maker Files for Bankruptcy After Receiving $206 Million in Subsidies
The company once hailed as Europe’s largest solar panel producer filed for bankruptcy Wednesday, blaming cheap Chinese panels for flooding the market. “The ongoing price erosion and the development of the business” has left the company “over-indebted and thus obliged to file for insolvency proceedings,” SolarWorld, which is also the largest U.S. solar panel maker,… -
opinion
US Army Needs More Troops to Confront Global Threats
The United States today faces a rising number of threats to national security from around the world, whether it be from North Korea, ISIS, or Russia. To deter and counter these threats requires a strong ground combat force, and it is the shared responsibility of the executive branch and Congress to adequately resource that force…. -
opinion
The Ugly Racism of Karl Marx
Editor’s note: This commentary contains language, although used in historical context, that may offend some readers. May Day celebrations were held all across the fruited plain, with leftist radicals and unionists worshipping the ideals of communism. Communism is an ideology calling for government control over our lives. It was created by Karl Marx, who—along with… -
opinion
New Jersey Man’s Confessed Bombing Plan Is 95th Terror Plot in US Since 9/11
While the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, is on the retreat in some parts of the Middle East, its reach in the Western world remains a serious threat. A recent arrest in New Jersey shows just how vigilant the U.S. must remain. In February, police charged Gregory Lepsky, 20, with attempting to provide material support to… -
news
The Growing Problem of ‘Fake Science’
Viewers may question much of what they hear and read about scientific and medical studies after watching the latest “Full Measure” cover story. It’s a cautionary note issued by respected industry leaders who say unseen interests are exerting enormous control over research and what is—or isn’t—published. Their startling claim: that a large percentage of articles in prestigious… -
news
Texas Files Lawsuit Against Potential Opponents of New Anti-Sanctuary Law
Texas lodged a preemptive lawsuit Monday against local officials considered hostile to the state’s new anti-sanctuary cities law, the first salvo in an expected legal fight over the controversial measure. State Attorney General Ken Paxton said the federal lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, is necessary to protect… -
news
Oregon Man Fined $500 for Challenging Timing on Red-Light Cameras
Mats Jarlstrom’s trouble all began with a red-light camera. In April 2013, Jarlstrom’s wife, Laurie, received a ticket after driving her Volkswagen through an intersection in Beaverton, Oregon, that was equipped with a traffic camera. His wife paid the fine, but the timing of the traffic lights at the intersection piqued Jarlstrom’s interest, so he… -
news
How Trump’s ‘Buy America’ Push Could Harm This US Steel Mill
FARRELL, Pa.– Halfway between Cleveland and Pittsburgh, in a piece of middle America collectively known as Shenango Valley, stands a steel mill that dates back to the late 1800s. Ed McMurray, 44, has spent nine years at the mill, NLMK USA, where he says he has worked “here, there, and everywhere,” spanning various components of… -
opinion
Congress Has Ceded Too Much Authority to Agencies. This Bill Would Restore a Healthy Balance.
Congress’ power of the purse is one of its bedrock responsibilities listed in Article 1 of the Constitution. The Supreme Court has reaffirmed this power on several occasions, including in a 1976 case when the Court declared, “The established rule is that the expenditure of public funds is proper only when authorized by Congress, not… -
opinion
‘Centrist’ Victory in France Calms Nerves, Yet Solutions to Core Problems Seem Distant
Emmanuel Macron, a 39-year-old former investment banker running for office for the first time in his life, won elections Sunday in a landslide and will soon become the next president of France. It will be a stretch, however, to say that it was his globalist ideas that carried the day. Macron took 66 percent of… -
opinion
We Hear You: ‘I Never Knew the Wall Made That Much Difference’
Editor's note: We got some great feedback about our video report on the effects of the border wall built near San Diego, and this week's mailbag leads off with your comments.—Ken McIntyre Dear Daily Signal: Kelsey Harkness did a really good job covering the border wall in San Diego ("Underreported: How Building a Border Wall Changed San… -
news
Texas Concealed Carry Holder Thwarts Potential Mass Shooting
Police in Texas say a concealed carry holder is a hero for shooting a crazed attacker Wednesday and preventing what could have been a slaughter inside a crowded sports bar. The man, who was dining with his wife at Zona Caliente in Arlington, Texas, sprang into action when he saw a gunman shoot and kill the bar… -
opinion
New Strategy Needed to Confront Islamist Threats in War of Ideas
Coming into office, President Donald Trump declared defeating and destroying ISIS to be his top foreign policy priority. In contrast with the Obama administration, he had no hesitation defining precisely the root of the threat: Islamist terrorism—not vaguely phrased “violent extremism,” “workplace violence,” or “manmade contingencies.” This definition of the threat also needs to come…