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
He Rented Out His Condo After Losing His Job. Now Austin Wants to Ban That.
For 17 years, Ahmad Zaatari has called Austin, Texas, home. It’s a fact that’s not lost on him—Zaatari has now lived in Austin longer than he’s lived in any other place, including his native Lebanon. But now, because of new regulations on rental properties put in place by the City Council, he’s not sure whether… -
news
For This Convention Delegate, a Shorter Platform Is a Better One
CLEVELAND—Early Monday morning when Boyd Matheson proposed radically shortening the Republican Party’s platform, reporters in the press pen snickered. As the platform committee dragged into the night, they groaned. After considering hundreds of amendments and several dozen pages of policy for more than 12 hours straight, Matheson, a Utah delegate to the Republican National Convention,… -
opinion
Fire Grants: Do Not Fund the Ineffective and Wasteful Program
In June 2016, the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released highly critical audits of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants administered by the U.S. Fire Administration within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Both audits assess grants funding… -
opinion
House Shouldn’t Rubber-Stamp Senate’s Misleading GMO Bill
Federal legislation that requires the labeling of genetically engineered food is making its way through Congress. This new law runs counter to science, free speech, and could harm agricultural production as well as American consumers. Last week, the Senate passed a federal mandatory GMO labeling bill. Now the House is expected to consider and pass… -
news
Iowa Civil Rights Agency Says It Won’t Tell Pastors What to Preach on Sexuality
Iowa’s human rights agency, in a “clarification,” says it will not muzzle churches that teach on matters of biblical sexuality, nor force them to open single-sex restrooms to members of the opposite sex. The Iowa Civil Rights Commission said it has revised its brochure on “Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity” to state that churches generally are… -
opinion
Despite Setback, India Should Press on — Supported by U.S. — with NSG Membership Bid
The 48 member states of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), an international coalition that aims to prevent nuclear proliferation by controlling nuclear-related exports, gathered at the annual plenary session in Seoul on June 23 and 24, where the topic of India’s candidacy for NSG membership was deliberated. Although the NSG failed to develop consensus approving… -
opinion
Why Young Adults Both Want and Fear Marriage
When we interviewed Carly, 31, in the summer of 2010, she had been in an on-again, off-again cohabiting relationship with the father of her child for about 12 years. Never married, she called marriage a “piece of paper.” One year later, however, she had broken up with her longtime boyfriend and was engaged to a… -
opinion
Proposed Regulations Could Lead to More Forgiveness of College Loans, Hurting Taxpayers
A new regulation issued by the Obama administration could impose yet another cost on higher education, with no real benefits. The proposed rule, published last month in the Federal Register, is very long and includes a number of troubling provisions. Overall, the rule is intended to expand upon “borrower defense”—a provision that insulates students from… -
opinion
Trademark Protection Inspires Taylor Swift to Keep Up the Sick Beats
The lyrics were exquisitely tailored and told a story with swift staccato phrasing: Just think while you’ve been getting down and out about the liars and the dirty, dirty cheats of the world, You could’ve been getting down to this sick beat. Was Judge Gail J. Standish standing in the back of the stadium? Were… -
opinion
‘Uplifting’: Fourth of July Feature Strikes Chord With Daily Signal’s Audience
A Fourth of July reflection from abroad by Nolan Peterson, The Daily Signal’s foreign correspondent, prompted readers to share their own thoughts about America’s place in the hearts of those yearning for freedom, whether in Iraq or Ukraine. Here’s a sampling, edited only for style, with the permission of the writers. Great Spark of Hope… -
opinion
What Government Action Poses the Greatest Risk to Growth
Proponents of higher government spending have used the Great Recession to argue that balanced government budgets hurt economic growth. In a new paper published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, economists Antonio Fatás and Larry Summers argue that deficit cuts during the recovery from the Great Recession, particularly in Europe, seriously hurt growth prospects… -
opinion
A Lesson in Affordable Living From Canada
How much more would cities grow if government regulations on construction were lighter and more predictable? New research from the Canada-based Fraser Institute says that heavy regulation—especially delays in approving new projects—can bring growth to a standstill, leading to longer commutes and scattered communities. Urban areas form the backbone of the Canadian economy and are… -
news
Before Shooting, Dallas Police Department Known for Community Outreach
The police department that became the victim of the deadliest attack on American law enforcement officers since 9/11 is known for its innovative, community-focused approach to the job of protecting the public, and enforcing the law. The killing Thursday night of five police officers in Dallas, and the police shootings in Louisiana and Minnesota earlier… -
opinion
An Act of Terror Against the Men and Women of Law Enforcement
Like most observers, I watched as events unfolded last night in Dallas with a sense of disbelief and horror. When some semblance of calm was restored and the carnage could be assessed, we learned that five Dallas-area police officers had lost their lives in a senseless act of violence. Sadly, although nearly beyond comprehension, it… -
opinion
How to Turn Countering Violent Extremism Into Combating Islamist Terrorism
In the aftermath of Orlando, many in Congress are rightly looking for ways to deal with the problem of homegrown Islamist terrorists in the U.S. After all, of the 86 Islamist terrorist attacks and plots aimed at the U.S. homeland since 9/11, 75 involved individuals who radicalized while in the U.S. The Senate held a… -
opinion
Republican Leaders Afraid to Lead, Reward Democrats for Their Sit-In Stunt
While the United States remains vulnerable to the threat of radical Islamist terrorism, House leadership idles its time by considering a vote on a bill that cooperates with the left’s narrative and erodes the rule of law and our God-given, constitutional rights. Last week, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., properly called out the Democrats for… -
opinion
Shanghai: The New Silicon Valley?
Shanghai’s benchmark stock exchange, in combination with China’s other major bourse in Shenzhen, have the highest stock-market capitalization in all of Asia. Until recently, few people would have considered Shanghai as a venture capital (VC) wonderland, given the domination of China’s state-owned enterprises in Shanghai. According to Zero2IPO Group, China’s venture capital funds raised an… -
opinion
India Rising?
India has emerged as the most favored destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2015, outpacing China (for the first time) and even the U.S. India’s Recent Successes Recent economic events confirm India’s success. FDI inflows into India during January–June stood at $31 billion, ahead of China’s $28 billion and the U.S.’s $27 billion. While… -
news
US Should Be Wary of New Philippines President
It was a crazy election. One of the candidates for president threw around wildly irresponsible ideas, perhaps for entertainment value, perhaps because he really meant them. He offended many of his countrymen, and generated angst among the country’s closest friends and allies. No one knows what vile thing the former mayor of Davao City, Rodrigo… -
opinion
Keep Calm and Carry On Trading
Former British Prime Minister David Cameron warned that it could lead to war. A Brookings Institution scholar wondered ominously if it was the “greatest catastrophe” of the 21st century. CNN’s Peter Bergen compared it to appeasing Hitler. And what exactly caused all these predictions of doom and bouts of anxiety? Not a violent military coup….