Political Commentary & Opinion
Analysis, commentary, and opinion essays on politics and policy from The Daily Signal’s contributors and experts.
-
news
The Reason This Pastor Isn’t Handing Over His Sermon Transcripts to the Government
A public health official who also is a lay minister says he will not turn over his sermons and related documents to the state of Georgia, which he contends fired him for what he preached from the pulpit of his church. “My faith has fueled me,” Dr. Eric Walsh, who served as an associate pastor… -
opinion
The Astonishing Ignorance of Young Adults
Do you wonder why Sen. Bernie Sanders and his ideas are so popular among American college students? The answer is that they, like so many other young people who think they know it all, are really uninformed and ignorant. You say, “Williams, how dare you say that?! We’ve mortgaged our home to send our children… -
opinion
AT&T and Time Warner Make a Bet on Innovation, but Regulators May Get in the Way
Two of America’s best-known companies have announced they will be merging, causing consternation on Capitol Hill and calls to block the deal. But lawmakers—and regulators—could hurt rather than help consumers if they leap in to stop the transaction. AT&T Inc.—a company that dominated telephone service in the United States for nearly a century—and Time Warner… -
opinion
Media Made Right Call to Ignore Climate Change in Debates
To the dismay of some pundits, celebrities, and environmental activists, three presidential debates produced zero questions on global warming. Simply wishing an issue to be a priority won’t make it one. Americans and people around the world are apathetic to taking action on climate change. And for good reason. Chicken Littles have incorrectly predicted doomsday… -
news
How This Red State Is Grappling With Influx of Refugees
Greg Haney is able to capture the change happening in the largest city of this small state better than most. Haney shoots school photographs for his father’s 39-year-old local company, chronicling increasingly diverse student bodies that span Fargo, North Dakota, and Moorhead, Minnesota, twin cities in bordering states separated only by the Red River. Haney… -
opinion
Stop the Cheese Bailouts
Milk production in the U.S. is growing, benefiting from favorable weather, low feed prices, bigger cow herds, and increasing production per cow. This is good news. However, it hasn’t been good news for taxpayers. Large milk supplies are bringing down the price of milk. As a result, in August, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) purchased… -
news
How America Ranked in New Study of Nations’ Generosity
When it comes to generosity, the United States came in second in a new edition of an annual index. “Americans should be proud of their long tradition of giving to good causes and helping others,” Ted Hart, chief executive officer of Charities Aid Foundation of America, an international charity, said in a statement. The Charities… -
opinion
How My Husband Ended Up in Jail After Walking Our Dog
For the record, I told you so, Peter! In 2007, my British husband got a ticket for walking our dog Henry without a leash in Washington, D.C. The National Park Service made it impossible to pay the ticket. So, a newly minted citizen, Peter said he’d wait for his day in court. I told him… -
opinion
What You Need to Know About the National Debt, in 2 Charts
The fact that the national debt jumped by $1.4 trillion in one short year should spur Congress to put an end to this excess. The debt hit a record-breaking high of $19.6 trillion at the close of the federal government’s 2016 fiscal year on Sept. 30. It had totaled $18.1 trillion at the end of… -
opinion
Within a Generation, Our National Debt Will Cost the Typical Family $12,000
When confronted in the final presidential debate with the assertion that each of their plans would increase the national debt, the candidates denied it by saying either economic growth or higher taxes would offset this increase. But deficit spending and unsustainable debt pose a significant threat to our economy. The House Budget Committee recognizes this… -
news
How Republicans Plan to Shape the Next President’s Iran Policy
Republican opponents of the Iran nuclear deal have been stymied in their ability to shape U.S. policy with America’s longtime adversary in the Middle East. “We are very frustrated as members of Congress with this issue because whatever we do, President [Barack] Obama seems hellbent on currying favor with Iran, and nothing we do persuades… -
opinion
Rising Graduation Rates Not Good Enough When Academic Achievement Isn’t Improving
Earlier this week, the White House announced with great fanfare that graduation rates across the nation have hit a record high of 83.2 percent. The most recent data show improved graduation rates across all reported student groups although significant achievement gaps remain for disadvantaged and minority students. Graduation rates have been steadily rising since 2011…. -
opinion
From Apples to Soup: How the Administrative State Creates Food Crimes
What do cottage cheese, “extra fancy” apples, and chicken noodle soup all have in common? It’s a crime to sell any of them without meeting arcane federal regulatory standards. Heritage Foundation scholars James Gattuso and Diane Katz write in their 2016 report, “Red Tape Rising,” that the costs of federal regulations “have not been fully… -
opinion
Islamist Terrorist Attacks and Plots Against the US Homeland Rise to 92
The Heritage Foundation is adding to our terror plot timeline as the past several weeks have seen two successful attacks and one plot foiled by law enforcement. This brings the total number Islamist terror plots and attacks against the U.S. homeland since 9/11 to 92. #90 Dahir Ahmed Adan Stabs 10 in Minnesota Mall On… -
opinion
The Government Just Spent $168 Billion More Than the Year Before
New numbers on federal spending are in from the Congressional Budget Office, and they’re not pretty. The federal government spent $3.9 trillion in fiscal 2016, which ended Sept. 30, or $168 billion more than in fiscal 2015. The federal government ran a deficit of $588 billion, an increase of $149 billion. That’s a one-third increase… -
opinion
Taxi Monopolies Hurt Opportunity
If a person wants to go into business as a taxicab owner, what requirements should be imposed to protect the public? The prospective taxicab owner should show that he is honest and can operate a vehicle safely. His vehicle should pass a safety inspection, and he should have a liability insurance policy. Some cities require… -
opinion
What the Candidates Need to Know About Yucca Mountain
The final presidential debates take place Wednesday in Las Vegas. Given the location, a controversial issue sure to come up is that of a nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain. The repository is designed to hold spent nuclear materials from national security activities and commercial nuclear power reactors. Billions of dollars have already been spent… -
news
Former Black Lives Matter Leader Says Movement Is ‘on the Wrong Side of History’
An active community member and a cultural liaison in his hometown of St. Paul, Minnesota, it was only natural for Rashad Turner to take on a leadership position with Black Lives Matter. So when the opportunity came to organize a local chapter, he took it. But even Turner will admit that some of the tactics… -
news
15 States Have Moved to Defund Planned Parenthood Since Undercover Videos Were Released
In the wake of a series of undercover videos that hit the abortion industry last year, 15 states have attempted to cut funding to Planned Parenthood. After the Center for Medical Progress released undercover video footage that raised questions about whether Planned Parenthood was making a profit from selling aborted baby body parts (Planned Parenthood… -
opinion
A Baby With 3 Parents Has Been Born. These Are the Dangers You Should Know About.
The first baby with three parents has been born this year, raising troubling questions about our culture’s dedication to human dignity. The U.S. Constitution is predicated on the principle of the inherent worth and dignity of the human individual. Fundamental rights do not depend on any other fact than that each of us is a…