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
Judge Rules Catholic Diocese Can Fire Employee in Same-Sex Marriage
A Missouri court has ruled that religious liberty rights prohibit courts from interfering with a Catholic diocese’s firing of an employee for being in a same-sex marriage, which conflicts with church teaching. The Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph terminated Colleen Simon’s employment in 2014, citing “irreconcilable conflict between the laws, discipline, and teaching of the Catholic Church”… -
opinion
Obama Administration Looks to Erase Castro’s Worst Crimes
Even before President Barack Obama’s trip to Cuba next month, his administration has looked to rewrite the history of the Castros’ worst crimes. An example of this was in 2014, when the Obama administration commuted the double life sentence of Gerardo Hernández. Hernández had been in jail for conspiracy to commit murder through his actions… -
opinion
The Problem With Looking to the Government to Fix Flint’s Water
Oil-black water flowed through the pipes of Crystal City, Texas, last week. That marks one more American city that cannot provide the most basic necessity of life. And as instances of government negligence like this proliferate, we continue to run to the government for help, instead of accountability. Crystal City resident Nora Flores-Guerrero told reporters,… -
opinion
The Truth About Low-Wage Jobs and Robots
The Economic Report of the President reports that low-wage jobs in America have an 83-percent chance of being automated. Before you tell your supervisor to take that cash register and shove it, however, it should be noted that the automation of most jobs is not going to occur any time soon. Before you tell your… -
opinion
What This Washington Post Columnist Got Wrong in Analysis of Conservatives
Beware of friendly progressives like E. J. Dionne, Jr., who come bearing beguiling gifts like how conservatism can get back on the right track. In his new book, “Why the Right Went Wrong: Conservatism from Goldwater to the Tea Party and Beyond,” Dionne, a featured columnist of the always helpful Washington Post, argues that because… -
opinion
Nigeria’s Trouble With Islamist Terrorism
At dawn on Feb. 10, a camp for displaced people in the northeast Nigerian town of Dikwa began stirring to life. Three unaccompanied young girls asking for shelter had arrived the day before and spent the night with approximately 50,000 others who had fled the Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram. That morning, in the midst… -
news
White House ‘Shirks Responsibility’ for Renewed Border Crisis, Senator Says
The Obama administration isn’t prepared for a revived wave of unaccompanied children crossing illegally into the United States, Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said Tuesday. In opening remarks before a Judiciary Committee hearing, Grassley criticized the White House for “shirking responsibility” while the influx of Central American children fleeing across the U.S.-Mexico border threatens to outpace 2014’s crisis. “We… -
news
NY Farmers Fined $13K For Declining to Host a Same-Sex Marriage End Their Legal Fight
Cynthia and Robert Gifford, the owners of a small farm in upstate New York who were ordered to pay $13,000 for refusing to host a same-sex wedding ceremony, chose to end their legal battle with the state of New York on Tuesday. Of the decision, their lawyer, James Trainor, told The Daily Signal the lawsuit… -
opinion
Why Family-Friendly Movies Are Gaining Ground in Hollywood
Moviegoers may think of the Oscars as the ultimate awards ceremony, but if you are interested in the best family-friendly movies and televisions shows of the past year, then you’ll want to check out the Movieguide Awards, airing this week on ReelzTV and listed here. I attended the awards event and spoke with Movieguide founder… -
opinion
Government Drone Registry Under Legal Fire
Feb. 19 marked the final date that drone owners can register with the federal government to avoid being branded a felon by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). As of now, all recreational drone owners whose quadcopters weigh more than 0.55 pounds—including those who owned drones before the registry went into effect on Dec. 21 of… -
opinion
Solidifying the Turn-Around in US-Sri Lankan Relations
This week Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera is visiting Washington to participate in the first ever “U.S.-Sri Lanka Partnership Dialogue.” The dialogue—announced last May when John Kerry was the first U.S. secretary of state to visit Colombo in over 40 years–marks a milestone in U.S.-Sri Lanka relations, which have been on an upswing ever… -
news
Actor Quits Twitter in Protest of ‘Intolerant’ Speech Monitoring
A popular television and movie actor has quit Twitter in protest of policies he says limit free speech. “I’ve had enough. Twitter is dead to me,” Adam Baldwin told Independent Journal Review. “I’m going to find greener pastures elsewhere and I’m not coming back.” Baldwin, whose big-screen credits include “The Patriot” and “Independence Day,” currently stars… -
news
2016 CPAC Theme Reflects Reagan’s Hope for the Future
When it opens next week, this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference aims to inspire conservatives with a theme drawn from the words of President Ronald Reagan: “Our Time Is Now.” “With everything that is going on in the world, our focus as a country is really on all the wrong things,” Matt Schlapp, chairman of the… -
news
A 10th State Defunded Planned Parenthood. Why There’s So Much Momentum Now.
Adding to the momentum to defund abortion giant Planned Parenthood, Ohio Gov. John Kasich signed a bill Sunday that strips $1.3 million in taxpayer money from the organization. Ten states—Wisconsin and Ohio being the most recent—have taken action over the past several months to cut taxpayer dollars from Planned Parenthood. “Not one more penny should go to… -
opinion
Icebreaker Polar Star Turns 40. Here’s Why US Needs a New One.
One of the oldest vessels in the U.S. fleet celebrates its 40th birthday this year. After four decades in service conducting icebreaking operations in the Polar Regions of the globe, the USCGC Polar Star, a critical component of the U.S. Coast Guard fleet, has sailed through years of wear and tear, repairs, and refurbishing. As the only… -
opinion
How to Stop US Companies From Leaving the US
In his budget released earlier this month, President Barack Obama took some time to boast about his economic record, saying that “we rescued our economy from the depths of the recession … [a]nd today, our economy is the strongest, most durable on Earth.” Unfortunately, he left out one slight caveat—America’s “recovery” under Obama, by almost… -
opinion
National Debt Per Household Set to Total Nearly $200K in 2026. How We Can Change Course.
Spending in Washington is out of control. Accountability has disappeared. Federal programs run on autopilot. Policymakers identify endless new spending “needs” without ever evaluating the effectiveness of existing programs. As individuals and families work to put food on their table, pay a mortgage or rent, and save for their children’s college or their own retirement,… -
news
Five Years Later, How Much Gov. Walker’s Union Legislation Saved Wisconsin
Residents of one state continue to reap the benefits of a budget bill passed five years ago that has saved taxpayers over $5 billion, researchers say. As a $3.6 billion deficit threatened to hit his state, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, a Republican, championed the legislation in February 2011. Walker and the Republican-held legislature successfully balanced the budget, primarily through curbs… -
news
Man Allowed to Use Women’s Locker Room at Swimming Pool Without Citing Gender Identity
A man claimed a right to use a women’s locker room at a public swimming pool after his partial undressing there caused alarm. According to Seattle Parks and Recreation, women alerted staff at Evans Pool staff when a man wearing swim trunks entered the women’s locker room and took off his shirt. When staff told him to leave,… -
opinion
Crony Capitalism, Explained
You’ve probably heard the term “crony capitalism” used quite a bit lately. From the Export-Import Bank to government bailouts, there’s no shortage of examples. In a new video from PragerU, Weekly Standard staff writer Jay Cost explains why you should care about it—and what can be done to stop it.