Political Commentary & Opinion
Analysis, commentary, and opinion essays on politics and policy from The Daily Signal’s contributors and experts.
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news
Losses in Recent Lame-Duck Sessions Fuel Conservative Wariness
The next fight looming in Washington is all about scheduling, and conservatives already are struggling for control of the congressional calendar. The aim of their tussle over timing is to keep any major legislation from taking flight during the lame-duck session of Congress. A natural part of every legislative progression, the lame duck occurs every… -
opinion
This Year, the Deficit Is Rising Faster Than Predicted
Congress left town this August for an extended recess without passing a budget or any required spending bills, and spending has largely been ignored as a major issue in the presidential election. But just because the politicians and media are distracted doesn’t mean the nation’s most critical problems are going away. Case in point: The… -
opinion
The Next Steps on the Road to Brexit
Britain’s vote to leave the European Union on June 23 was a milestone in the history of the United Kingdom, and of the defense of British freedom and sovereignty. But it was also just the start of securing Britain’s independence. It is one thing to vote to stand on your own two feet, it is… -
opinion
20 Years Ago, Welfare Reform Was Signed Into Law. Here’s What We’ve Learned.
Two decades ago, President Bill Clinton signed one of the most successful public policies into law: welfare reform. It was called the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act—and its results were dramatic. Watch to learn more. -
opinion
One of America’s Greatest Patriots Passes Away at 94
Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. John W. Vessey Jr., passed away on Thursday evening, leaving behind three children and a legacy of service. Vessey enlisted in the Army National Guard in 1939 when he was only 16 years old ,and over the course of a distinguished 46-year military career, progressed to the… -
opinion
Almost Everything the Media Tell You About Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Is Wrong
A major new report, published today in the journal The New Atlantis, challenges the leading narratives that the media has pushed regarding sexual orientation and gender identity. Co-authored by two of the nation’s leading scholars on mental health and sexuality, the 143-page report discusses over 200 peer-reviewed studies in the biological, psychological, and social sciences,… -
opinion
Did Welfare Reform Really Throw 3.5 Million Children Into Third World Poverty? The Facts May Surprise You
Today is the 20th anniversary of welfare reform. Two decades ago, President Bill Clinton signed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, known as welfare reform, into law. The highly popular reform cut welfare caseloads by over 50 percent, sharply boosted the employment of the least-skilled single mothers, and pushed the poverty rates of… -
news
Boycotters Say New Target Transgender Policy Still Allows Predators ‘Easier Access to Their Victims’
Target plans to spend $20 million adding single-stall, lockable bathrooms to all store locations after a controversy over a new policy that allows transgender people to use the restroom and fitting room that correspond with the gender they self-identify with. “Across the board, our goal is to make sure that everyone feels welcome at Target,”… -
opinion
Farm Subsidies Lead to Gluts and Calls for More Subsidies
Lobbyists generally have a bad reputation, but all they really do is advocate for their client’s best interest. Those particular interests may not be best for the rest of the public, but that’s fine as long as the rest of the public understands what’s going on. Farm subsidies provide the perfect example. A farm lobbying… -
opinion
How the Government Is Mandating Food Waste
The federal government forces certain fruit and vegetable (and nut) growers to limit the sale of their goods. Just ask tart cherry growers. In July, a Michigan tart cherry farmer posted a photo on Facebook showing piles of his wasted cherries that will rot on the ground. He says 14 percent of his cherries are… -
opinion
The Real Story About Free Trade and Manufacturing
International trade figures heavily in the presidential race. Presidential candidate Donald Trump said, “Hillary Clinton unleashed a trade war against the American worker when she supported one terrible trade deal after another—from NAFTA to China to South Korea.” And adding, “A Trump administration will end that war by getting a fair deal for the American… -
news
This Olympic Star Could Signal Big Change in Women’s Sports
A star athlete poised to win gold in the women’s 800-meter race at the Rio Olympics has sparked an ethics debate over gender and sex in competitive sports. “Semenya has been nearly unbeatable, prompting speculation that she had been suppressing her testosterone with medication.”—@SITimLayden @SInow Caster Semenya, of South Africa, has her eyes on the… -
news
The Truth About How Many Americans Are Living on Less Than $2 a Day
Over the last 20 years, welfare reform has reduced poverty trends, national welfare experts say. President Bill Clinton signed into law the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act in 1996. This comprehensive, bipartisan welfare reform act contains work requirements and supports families moving from welfare to work. After the law went into effect, welfare… -
opinion
I’m From Louisiana. Here’s the Flooding Story the Media Should Cover.
As a south Louisiana native who lived through Hurricane Katrina, I have every right to be aggravated with the national news coverage of the state’s latest natural disaster. Due to massive flooding over the last week, one-third of the state’s parishes (called counties everywhere else) are official federal disaster areas. The population for those parishes… -
opinion
What’s Wrong With the EPA Analysis Used to Justify New Fuel Standards for Trucks
In a continued effort to address alleged man-made global warming, the Obama administration has finalized energy efficiency standards for medium and heavy-duty trucks. While the administration is pledging to reduce fuel use and cut greenhouse gas emissions, its stringent energy mandate will do nothing to affect climate change. What it will do, however, is take… -
opinion
Central Banks Now Selling US Debt at Record Pace
In the first six months of 2016, foreign central banks sold a net $192 billion of U.S. Treasury bills, notes, and bonds. This is more than double the pace from the same time last year. China, Japan, and Brazil were the leaders in selling U.S. debt. With the U.S. debt running at approximately $19.4 trillion,… -
opinion
Marriage Reduces Child Poverty, but Our Welfare System Penalizes Marriage
According to a recently released study from the American Enterprise Institute, 82 percent of lower-middle-class families with young children face “marriage penalties” in the welfare system. Couples who marry would lose all or some of their welfare benefits because their combined income is often greater than each of their independent incomes. The study found that… -
opinion
The Facts Show Louisiana’s Floods Not Caused by Man-Made Climate Change
Is man-made global warming to blame for the heavy rainfall and flooding in Louisiana? Former Vice President Al Gore sure thinks so. And The New York Times ran a story with the title “Flooding in the South Looks a Lot Like Climate Change.” But the climate research suggests otherwise. Speaking in Houston to train more… -
news
After Crimea ‘Incursions,’ Russia and Ukraine Step Back From All-Out War
KYIV, Ukraine—In a familiar cycle of brinksmanship, Russia and Ukraine once again edged toward the brink of open war last week, only for the bellicose rhetoric and military posturing to dissipate rapidly, leaving the conflict in eastern Ukraine no closer to a long-term solution. Russia’s successor spy agency to the KGB, the Federal Security Service,… -
opinion
It’s Telling the Left Targets Only This State Law on Public Restrooms
Pop quiz: Which of the following sentences comes from North Carolina’s new law protecting privacy in public schools and government buildings? 1. “The provision of separate facilities or schedules for female and for male patrons, does not constitute a discriminatory practice when such separate facilities or schedules for female and for male patrons are bona fide…