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
House Panel to Investigate Sanctuary Cities, Calls 4 Democratic Mayors to Testify
THE CENTER SQUARE—The U.S. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has launched an investigation into sanctuary jurisdictions and the impact of their policies on public safety and federal immigration enforcement. Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., sent letters Monday to the Democratic mayors of Boston, Chicago, Denver, and New York City requesting documents and communications related to their… -
news
Defying DeSantis, Florida Legislature Gavels Out of Special Session, Then Reconvenes
THE CENTER SQUARE—The Florida Legislature responded Monday to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ call for a special session by gaveling out of his and convening its own. Lawmakers will only take up an immigration-related bill and will not tackle the other issues called for in DeSantis’ proclamation, which included condominium regulations, electoral security reforms, and modifying the… -
opinion
Trump’s Visit to North Carolina Means More Than Many Understand
In the days leading up to President Donald Trump’s visit to Appalachian North Carolina, Monica Glowinski said her biggest prayer for the people of Buncombe County, which was devastated by the wrath of Hurricane Helene, was that Trump would not let their plight be forgotten. “I am optimistic that President Trump is focusing his energies… -
opinion
When Head Start Fails Our Children: A Wake-Up Call for Reform
Imagine sending your child to a federally funded early-childhood program, thinking they’re in a safe, nurturing environment, only to discover they’ve been repeatedly exposed to hazardous mold. Imagine hearing that a teacher entrusted with your child’s care grabbed him or her by the hood of his or her jacket and slammed him or her to… -
news
Jan. 6 Prisoners Slowly Being Released After Trump’s Pardons
Some prisoners charged with crimes related to the protests of Jan. 6, 2021, at the Capitol have had a slow release from jails and prisons despite President Donald Trump’s unconditional pardons and commutations. Last week, The Heritage Foundation’s Christian Lasval visited the D.C. Central Detention Facility as some of the Jan. 6 prisoners were being… -
opinion
Make Government Small Again
“First, we’re gonna cut it off, and then we’re gonna kill it.” With that brief, bold statement describing what was about to happen to the Iraqi army at the beginning of the 1991 Persian Gulf War, then-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Colin Powell conveyed to the American people that the United States had… -
opinion
Let’s Review Lessons From Trump’s Second First Week
WASHINGTON—What did President Donald Trump learn during his four-year hiatus from the White House? For one thing, he seems to have learned how to listen. But also, to judge by the first week of his second term, Trump 2.0 seems more focused, mission-driven, and prepared to get things done at warp speed. Here’s a short… -
news
Trailblazing CEO Tracie Sharp, Who Built 50-State Policy Powerhouse, Stepping Down at SPN
FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—Tracie Sharp, the longtime president and CEO of State Policy Network, announced Monday she will step down from her leadership position after greatly expanding the organization’s reach and influence over the past 25 years. State Policy Network, or SPN, grew from 22 members to more than 62 state-based organizations and 100… -
opinion
The Ludicrous Reason Hollywood Barred ‘Reagan’ From a Best Picture Nomination
No conservative could honestly have expected the 2024 biopic “Reagan” to be a viable contender for Best Picture at the 2025 Oscars. Ultraliberal Hollywood could never honor a film that dares to depict our 40th president as a hero. But the fact that it’s officially ineligible for nomination because it doesn’t meet new diversity requirements?… -
opinion
The Left’s Sin Is of Omission and Lost Opportunity
Editor’s note: This is a lightly edited transcript of today’s video from Daily Signal Senior Contributor Victor Davis Hanson. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see more of his videos. Over these first few days of the Trump administration, we’ve seen these bold measures. And it’s starting to incur a big backlash, or anger, or… -
opinion
The Alarming Rise of Stakeholder Capitalism: Andrew Puzder Exposes the Threat
President Donald Trump appointed Andrew Puzder ambassador to the European Union this past week. But before he heads to Brussels, Puzder is warning about the left-wing scourge of stakeholder capitalism. As the former chief executive of CKE Restaurants, a major fast food corporation operating Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s, Puzder knows what it takes to run… -
opinion
The Cold Civil War Is Over. We Won.
The civilizational inflection point in our cold civil war happened sometime between Donald Trump’s second inaugural address on Monday and the end of his new presidency’s second day on Tuesday. At some indeterminate moment between Monday’s soaring midday speech, in which the first nonconsecutive two-term president in over 130 years artfully took a sledgehammer to… -
opinion
Debunking 4 Big Errors Made in Lawsuit to Stop Trump’s Birthright Citizenship Order
One of the most controversial of the executive orders signed by President Donald Trump in the hours after being sworn in was his order on birthright citizenship. That order directed federal agencies to stop issuing citizenship documents for children born in the United States unless at least one parent was a citizen or lawful permanent… -
opinion
Unlikely Bedfellows, DeSantis and Teachers Union Agree on Smartphones
What do the nation’s largest teacher union and the country’s most conservative governor agree on? Smartphones—specifically, keeping them out of the classroom. In 2023, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made his state the first to prohibit students from using cellphones during instructional time. Policymakers in other states quickly followed, including South Carolina, Indiana, and California. Now,… -
news
47 of the Best Signs at the 52nd March for Life
Thousands of Americans rallied in support of the unborn Friday, marching from the National Mall to the Supreme Court in the 52nd annual National March for Life in Washington, D.C. Students, families, and church groups from across the country braved the cold for the third march since the overturn of Roe v. Wade. Vice President… -
news
A New Age Begins
Donald Trump is now officially the 47th president of the United States. Trump’s first inauguration in 2017 was marred by violence from the Left; it was also surreal. The media were utterly shocked by Trump’s victory—Trump himself seemed shocked, too—and that disbelief translated into four years of extraordinary efforts to deny that Trump had indeed… -
opinion
‘Dark Money Cabal’: Pulling the Tentacles of Wealthy Woke Off Your Government
“Follow the money.” It’s one of the age-old principles of investigative journalism because it can lead to the discovery of a “dark money cabal,” as it did for author Tyler O’Neil. After years of reporting on the organizations and people who funnel money into leftist causes, O’Neil determined that “their nefarious influence” needed to be… -
news
How Biden’s Pardons Normalize Abuse of Power
As expected, Joe Biden handed out 10-year blanket pardons to his corrupt family, which had profited in the millions from influence-peddling schemes. The venality is breathtaking. The corruption is one thing. But pardons he gave government officials like Mark Milley, Anthony Fauci, Bennie Thompson, Liz Cheney, and others have created an unprecedented moral hazard that… -
opinion
New Year, New President Bring New Opportunities as Americans Gather for Annual March for Life
This year, the thousands of Americans flooding Washington, D.C., for the annual March for Life have a lot be excited about. And for good reason: The Biden-Harris administration is out and the Trump-Vance administration is in. On Thursday, President Donald Trump pardoned 23 pro-life activists who had been imprisoned due to the Biden administration’s aggressive… -
opinion
The Unhinged, Petty, and Vindictive Left
Editor’s note: This is a lightly edited transcript of today’s video from Daily Signal Senior Contributor Victor Davis Hanson. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see more of his videos. Donald Trump won the 2024 election in part because the Left’s hysterical style of attacking him no longer worked. After a decade of this unhinged…