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
A Quick World War I History Lesson for ISIS
After a long week of slitting throats, smashing antiquities, and raping infidel slave girls, how do the Islamic State’s barbarians unwind? Some, apparently, discuss the finer points of history. An Islamic State billboard I recently came across (on the Internet—not driving down the road to Raqqah, the Islamic State capital in what used to be… -
opinion
Let’s Not Miss Out on Dynamic Gains From Imports
Last week, the Obama administration released the text of the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership—a trade pact between the U.S. and 11 other Pacific Rim countries. Advocates of such deals traditionally focus on the benefits of opening new markets to U.S. exports. But good trade agreements also reduce self-destructive U.S. trade barriers. Politicians often mischaracterize imports as… -
opinion
The Rise of Big Pot
One of the most surprising results from recent state elections was Ohio voters voting overwhelmingly against Big Pot. By a nearly 2-to-1 margin, they defeated a ballot measure that would have permitted the legalization of marijuana in the Buckeye State. Misleadingly named ResponsibleOhio, the measure would have allowed the commercial production, retail sale, and personal… -
opinion
Cartoon: College Then and Now
Earlier this week Andrew Kloster wrote on the recent events at the University of Missouri: The University of Missouri at Columbia (Mizzou), the state's flagship public university, has a problem on its hands: Some students and professors are seeking to shut down reporting at the campus, in the wake of unrest that has been growing for weeks,… -
news
The Government Netted $4.5 Billion in Cash, Cars, and Houses Taken From Americans Last Year
For federal state and local law enforcement agencies, a little-known practice giving them the power to take Americans’ property, cash, and cars has proven to be a boon over the last decade. According to a new report from the Institute for Justice, a public interest law firm, the federal government has seen a substantial increase… -
news
24 Caffeinated Tweets on Starbucks’ Red Cups for the Holidays
A controversy continues to brew over the red cup introduced by Starbucks to kick off the holiday season: Is the new cup design in line with the Christmas spirit? The coffee company describes the cup’s color as a simple, poppy red “that shades into a darker cranberry.” “We have anchored the design with the classic Starbucks holiday red… -
news
In This Mississippi Town, Residents Are Fighting Atheist Organization Calling for Removal of Christmas Display
In one Mississippi town, residents are fighting back after an an atheist organization requested that that a Christmas display in their city be removed, organizing a show of support for the display. “I just feel like Christians lose a lot nowadays because we’re too polite,” says Andrea Kirkley, a resident of Collins and a stay-at-home… -
opinion
What Should Silicon Valley’s Role Be in Protecting America?
Silicon Valley has become synonymous with innovation and progress and is home to the some of the world’s largest technological giants of the modern age. Silicon Valley and the Department of Defense have a rich history going back to after World War II, when “The Father of Silicon Valley,” Frederick Terman, the dean of the… -
news
12 Bills That the Filibuster Stopped From Becoming Law
Frustrated by an entrenched Democratic minority in the Senate, some of the Republicans who control both houses of Congress have renewed calls for filibuster reform. House Republicans penned a letter to Senate leadership in September, asking that it lower the threshold of votes needed to achieve “cloture” and overcome a filibuster blocking action in certain circumstances. A total… -
news
Here’s How Reformers Want to Make It Harder for Philadelphia Law Enforcement to Keep Cash, Property They’ve Seized
PHILADELPHIA—In state capitals and courtrooms across the nation, lawmakers and lawyers are challenging a tool used by law enforcement to take property and cash from Americans who, in many cases, have not committed a crime. But in no other city is the convergence of efforts more evident than Philadelphia, where attempts to reform “policing for… -
news
Find Out How Easy It Is for Law Enforcement to Seize Cash, Cars, and Houses in Your State
The disputed policing tactic that enables law enforcement to seize property from people who were never convicted, or often even charged, with a crime is on the rise across the U.S., according to a report released Tuesday. The Institute for Justice found that despite heightened public awareness of the practice, called civil asset forfeiture, government… -
opinion
Could This Law Send Every Presidential Candidate to Jail?
Per 18 U.S. Code §604, it is a federal crime to be “in any manner concerned in soliciting or receiving” any contributions “for any political purpose from any person” entitled to government relief. That could mean any presidential candidate who takes money from any person receiving Social Security, student debt relief, welfare, or any other… -
news
18 Photos of Beautiful Veteran Homecomings
On Veterans Day, the nation honors all those who served in the military—both dead and alive. In celebration, we’ve compiled some of the best homecomings of our veterans. -
opinion
Every Veteran Has a Story. This Is Ben’s.
Ben Richards is, by any definition of the word, a hero. Ben is selfless, dedicated, and talented, but war did not treat him well. A combat veteran in Iraq, he was profiled in The New York Times on the trials of dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. He was also featured in… -
news
55,000 Female Vets Are Homeless. How This Female Vet Is Finding Homes for Some of Them.
It has been 234 years since Deborah Samson donned a waistcoat and breeches and, under the alias Robert Shurtliff, became the first recorded woman in U.S. forces. Since then, over 2 million women have served the United States with honor—and 55,000 female veterans today remain homeless, according to Finale Salute Inc. Indeed, according to reports from the U.S. Government… -
opinion
Meet the Cold War Hero We Should Never Forget
As we celebrate Veterans Day honoring those who served our country in time of conflict, let us not overlook those who fought in the longest war of the 20th century—the Cold War. Many of these brave men and women combated Communism far from home and in secret. From the jungles of Africa to the mountains… -
news
How the US Scores on a New Index of the Most Charitable Nations
‘Tis the season to be generous. But throughout the year, warmhearted Americans put the United States near the top of the most giving nations in the world, according to a newly released scorecard. The World Giving Index, compiled by the Charities Aid Foundation, ranks 145 countries on how generous their general populations are in charitable activities. The… -
news
This Iraq War Veteran ‘Hunts’ and Helps Homeless Vets on the Streets of Los Angeles
Iraq War veteran Joe Leal knows firsthand the difficulties associated with readjusting to domestic life after combat. “You hear this, ‘We support the troops,’ and there’s commercials out there where troops will be walking down the airport and people will clap, like, ‘Thank you for your service,’” Leal says. “But what happens after they take… -
opinion
The War on Speech Continues: Mizzou Tells Students to Report ‘Hateful’ and ‘Hurtful’ Speech to Authorities
The University of Missouri at Columbia (Mizzou), the state’s flagship public university, has a problem on its hands: Some students and professors are seeking to shut down reporting at the campus, in the wake of unrest that has been growing for weeks, and which led to yesterday’s resignation of university President Tim Wolfe. As the… -
opinion
Helmut Schmidt, Cold Warrior: 1918–2015
Helmut Schmidt—chancellor of West Germany from 1974 to 1982 and staunch U.S. ally—is dead. As chancellor, Schmidt saw his country through the fight against the terrorist Red Army Faction (of Baader-Meinhof fame), with its bombings and high-profile kidnappings and murders of German politicians and business leaders. American service members were also among the targeted and…