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
Woke Isn’t Dead. The Battle to Root It Out Is Only Just Beginning.
Donald Trump, the once and future president, won not just the Electoral College but likely the popular vote. In doing so, he defeated the Democrats’ DEI hire candidate, the great intersectional hope Kamala Harris, in part by running on a platform of rooting woke ideology out of the federal government. Trump’s triumph comes after a…Tyler O’Neil -
- Opinion
The Groups and Barista Proletariat of the Democratic Party
Postmortems of the Democratic Party’s loss, running well beyond the defeat of Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minn., are starting to come in from some of the party’s most perceptive thinkers. And it was a loss across the board, not just this year. As RealClearPolitics’ Sean Trende has argued, 2024’s voting patterns…Michael Barone -
- Opinion
Universities Have a 2025 Rendezvous With Reality
Universities have suffered a cataclysmic decline in public approval and support. A Gallup poll taken this year found that only 36% of Americans polled either expressed “a great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in higher education—once the agreed-on touchstone to upward mobility. Gifting to most universities has been down for two consecutive years….Victor Davis Hanson -
- Opinion
A World of Leverage
President-elect Donald Trump understands, better than any recent American president, one simple rule when it comes to dealing with the world: Leverage matters and ought to be applied to those who oppose American interests. Trump believes, for example, that tariffs ought to be used to threaten those who would close their markets to American products…Ben Shapiro -
- Opinion
Journalists Should Spend Less Time Railing on Elon Musk, More Time Rebuilding Public Trust
There’s something about Donald Trump winning an election that drives journalists crazy. The National Press Club in the nation’s capital is an epicenter of media arrogance, as anyone could see from its Nov. 21 “Fourth Estate Award Gala,” in which they proclaimed they were honoring the “fearless pursuit of truth.” But as always, the “truth”…Tim Graham -
- Opinion
To Get Rid of Woke, Understand How It Got Started
Coincident with Donald Trump’s electoral victory, increasing numbers of America’s corporations are backing off their DEI—diversity, equity, inclusion—programs. Trump’s opposition to DEI is clear, and JD Vance’s bold opposition to this agenda was one of the reasons for his selection as Trump’s running mate. As the Trump transition team completes its work bringing in the…Star Parker -
- Opinion
Here’s How a Small Band of Pediatricians Pushed for Ending Age Minimums for Child ‘Sex Changes’
DAILY CALLER NEWS FOUNDATION—A handful of pediatricians who perform “sex-change” procedures on children led a successful pressure campaign to push a major transgender medical organization to remove age minimums for life-altering sex-change surgeries from its clinical guidance, according to emails exclusively obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation. Emails reveal the American Academy of Pediatrics…Megan Brock -
- Opinion
America’s ‘Chicken Little’ Elites Don’t Like Trump’s Personnel Picks
The people who drove America’s institutions into the ground are upset that Donald Trump isn’t leaving the “experts” in charge. Following his convincing victory, Trump has swiftly announced his nominees for cabinet secretaries and other key roles. His selections include Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for health and human services secretary, Pete Hegseth for secretary of…Victor Joecks -
- News
DEA to Consider Loosening Federal Marijuana Restrictions
THE CENTER SQUARE—The Drug Enforcement Administration plans to hold a formal hearing next week on its plan to reschedule marijuana at the federal level. The proposal is to move marijuana from a Schedule I drug, along with heroin and LSD, to Schedule III, where it would join ketamine and anabolic steroids. In May, the Department…Brett Rowland -
- Opinion
Here’s How to Deport More Than 10 Million People
Under President Joe Biden’s failed leadership, the United States has been in the throes of a four-year-long illegal immigrant crisis, during which an estimated more than 10 million people have entered the country. With immigration among the top issues in the 2024 campaign cycle, the American people are sending President-elect Donald Trump, who campaigned on…Bradley Devlin -
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Jaguar’s Wrong Turn
When I was a teenager, the sleek, uber-cool Jaguars featured in movies like “The Italian Job” and “Die Another Day” were the epitome of dream cars. Today, when I can finally afford such a vehicle (and happen to be in the market for a new car) Jaguar just removed itself from my consideration list. True,…Steve McKee -
- News
EXCLUSIVE: Oversight Committee Hearing Will Review Census Miscounts That Benefited Democrats
FIRST ON DAILY SIGNAL—The head of the U.S. Census Bureau is set to face questions from Congress on Dec. 5 regarding its overcounting of residents of blue states and undercounting of those in red states. Such errors could aid Democrats politically by giving blue states a larger share of Electoral College votes as well as…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
‘Problematic Women’ Cook Thanksgiving Dinner
This Thanksgiving, “Problematic Women” is stepping out of the studio and celebrating the rich history and traditions of the holiday with a homemade meal. Join hosts Virginia Allen, Kristen Eichamer, Lauren Evans, and friends as they make Thanksgiving dinner together in this special cooking edition. Since its inception almost a decade ago, The Daily…Virginia Allen -
- Opinion
Don’t Be a Turkey on Thanksgiving
“My Mom Voted for Trump. Can We Let It Go?” Read the headline for The New York Times’ “The Ethicist” piece Friday. The family dynamic no doubt is familiar to New York Times’ readers—the writer’s wife’s family members are committed Donald Trump haters, except his mother voted for Trump in 2016 and 2020. The writer…Debra Saunders -
- Opinion
Why Medical Establishment Deserves Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
I don’t always agree with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to head the Department of Health and Human Services, but I can’t help but feel a bit of healthy schadenfreude at the prospect of America’s corrupt health care establishment getting the bitter taste of well-deserved disruptive medicine. Kennedy isn’t exactly a conservative….Tyler O’Neil -
- Opinion
Waste of the Day: Fauci Still Getting Chauffeur, Security Detail
TOPLINE: Taxpayers have spent $15 million on security services for Dr. Anthony Fauci in the past two years, after he had already returned to life as a private citizen, according to a new report from OpenTheBooks.com. KEY FACTS: The security agreement took effect in January 2023, and extended to September 2024. The agreement states that the contract could…Jeremy Portnoy -
- News
Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Revamped: A Political Twist Sparks Heated Debate Among Audiences
SEPTEMBER 29, 2024 —Todd Scofield portraying the character of “Lord Capulet,” pictured left, and Fran Tapia as “Lady Capulet,” pictured right, in the Folger Shakespeare Library’s production of “Romeo and Juliet,” which ran Oct. 1- Nov. 10, 2024. (Erika Nizborski, Photographer.)Ann Moreno -
- News
Help The Daily Signal Improve
As we head into 2025, The Daily Signal is looking to become even better. But we need your help. As we make decisions about our coverage, priorities, and formats next year, we’d love your input—your honest takes on what you love (or hate!) about The Daily Signal. So if you can spare a few minutes,…Katrina Trinko -
- Opinion
Crime Rate for Illegal Aliens Vastly Understated, Data Shows
In June, illegal alien Victor Martinez-Hernandez was charged with the murder of Rachel Morin, a mother of five in Maryland. Police in Oklahoma tracked the accused repeat offender down with a sample of his DNA recovered from a Los Angeles home invasion in which a 9-year-old girl and her mother were assaulted. Police say Martinez-Hernandez…John R Lott Jr. -
- Opinion
Why Going Nuclear Is Vital to America
Production of clean, safe, and reliable nuclear energy is a vital part of America’s energy future. Once a reactor is built, it becomes a lasting part of America’s energy infrastructure. An insightful new book by Jack Spencer, “Nuclear Revolution: Powering the Next Generation” (Optimum Publishing International) describes what America has to do to ramp up…Diana Furchtgott-Roth