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 Democrat Moves Bill That Would Shield States From Federal Marijuana Laws
A Democratic congresswoman is pushing legislation that would give states that have legalized marijuana the authority to bypass the federal government’s ban on the drug. Rep. Suzan DelBene of Washington said last week her bill would bridge the differences between state and federal law by allowing states that are “effectively” regulating marijuana to waive the… -
news
Twitter Debate Between Brit Hume and David Limbaugh Mirrors Battle Within the GOP
Brit Hume, the senior political analyst at Fox News, and David Limbaugh, an author and political commentator, had a lively Twitter discussion on Tuesday regarding a battle within the Republican Party between its conservative and moderate members. Many conservatives have found themselves frustrated by what they see as a lack of action by the Republican… -
news
Why This Small Business Owner Is Concerned About a New Federal Regulation on Overtime
Terry Shea opened a small gift boutique in Hoover, Ala., 11 years ago. Four years later, at the height of the recession in 2009, Shea and her business partner, Sarah Brown, opened another store in the lively college town of Auburn, where their boutique, Wrapsody, has since become a community staple. Now Shea worries that… -
opinion
HBO/Vice Film ‘Fixing The System’ Shows Problems, Not Fixes
HBO and Vice released a documentary about criminal justice problems that largely ignores existing reform initiatives. It features commentary by former Attorney General Eric Holder and has scenes of President Obama discussing criminal justice issues with a group of inmates in a federal prison. It is regrettable that they do not meaningfully discuss existing criminal… -
opinion
What the Tea Party Has Achieved
Remember the much maligned Tea Party movement? These were the patriotic Americans—millions of them—who took to the streets and the town halls across America and revolted against President Bush’s corporate bailouts, President Obama’s stimulus spending blowout and Obamacare, and the Federal Reserve’s policy of tossing trillions of dollars out of helicopter windows (figuratively). Good news:… -
opinion
Does the 14th Amendment Require Birthright Citizenship?
Immigration is always a hot-button political issue, and no more so than in the months leading up to a presidential election. From sanctuary cities to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) to birthright citizenship, what can and should be done to fix our current system is on the forefront of the minds of many politicians… -
news
Washington Post Reporter Convicted in Iran, Reigniting Republican Criticisms of Nuclear Deal
Washington Post correspondent Jason Rezaian was convicted in Iran on espionage charges after being detained in Tehran for more than a year, Iranian media reported Sunday. The verdict sparked immediate backlash from U.S. lawmakers, reviving GOP-led charges against President Barack Obama’s signature Iran nuclear agreement. Republican Reps. Lee Zeldin of New York, Peter Roskam of Illinois,… -
news
Man Behind Undercover Videos: Planned Parenthood’s Change in Babies’ Tissue Donation Policy ‘Admission of Guilt’
Planned Parenthood Federation of America announced today it would no longer accept reimbursements for tissue donated to researchers from aborted babies. The policy change comes in wake of ongoing attacks against the organization that were triggered by a string of undercover videos produced by the Center for Medical Progress. Those videos have raised questions about… -
opinion
It’s (Past) Time to Withdraw from the New START Treaty
Earlier this month, the U.S. State Department released the latest numbers on U.S. and Russian strategic forces as part of the data exchange required by the New Strategic Arms Reduction Talks Treaty (New START). The New START Treaty, signed by the U.S. and Russia in April 2010, has utterly failed to accomplish anything in the… -
opinion
Why Only a House Member Could Be Elected House Speaker
Can the U.S. House of Representatives elect a non-member to the speakership? Disgusted by the dysfunction in Congress, some are suggesting that this is constitutionally possible. Connor Ewing has asserted the only thing standing in the way is “over two centuries of legislative practice to the contrary.” (Editor’s note: Ewing’s latest, written in reply to Schaub and… -
news
She Worked at Planned Parenthood For 17 Years. Now She Shares Her Story.
(Correction: This article originally stated Sue Thayer quit. However, she was let go from Planned Parenthood, and the headline and lede have been corrected to reflect that.) After working at Planned Parenthood for more than 17 years, Sue Thayer was let go. Now she’s alleging that the nation’s largest abortion provider “is more concerned about… -
news
7 House Republicans Debate Race for Speaker, Potential Paul Ryan Run
Rep. Jim Jordan, the chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, said Sunday that his group would consider supporting Paul Ryan for House speaker. House Republicans have coalesced around trying to push a reluctant Ryan to run for speaker, believing he is the only member who can unite a disparate conference. But to earn the support… -
news
Across America, People Protested Planned Parenthood
Protests outside Planned Parenthood clinics took place across the nation on Saturday. Spurred by the recent release of undercover videos of Planned Parenthood executives, a coalition of pro-life groups led the #ProtestPP events. David Daleiden, the founder of the Center for Medical Progress, the organization behind the videos, spoke at the event in Orange, Calif…. -
news
The Case of Former Atlanta Fire Chief Fired Over Marriage Views Goes to Court
Former Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran lived the American dream. That is, until he was fired from his childhood dream job for writing a book during his own private time. Cochran’s book, published in 2013 and called “Who Told You That You Were Naked?,” expresses a biblical view on marriage and addresses homosexuality from his… -
news
Franklin Graham Announces 2016 Prayer Rally Tour: ‘Our Country Is in Trouble’
Evangelist Franklin Graham has called Christians to look towards God during a pivotal time in American election history. Graham will lead a nationwide prayer-focused tour in 2016 to encourage Christians to vote at the ballot box for candidates with biblical values. “Our country is in trouble. And to be honest, I don’t see any political… -
news
Report: Common Core Has Not Created Consistent Testing Standards as Intended
The primary purpose of Common Core’s implementation throughout the U.S. was to create a standardized testing system across states to level education requirements, but The New York Times found that the new guidelines have done nothing to spur this anticipated consistency. State officials in Ohio, for example, announced last month that two-thirds of students were… -
news
Disability Rights Advocates Fight Back After California Passes Assisted Suicide
Disability rights advocates are fighting back after Gov. Jerry Brown, D-Calif., authorized assisted suicide in California. In a letter to lawmakers explaining his decision, Brown wrote that he considered “what I would want in the face of my own death.” “I do not know what I would do if I were dying in prolonged and excruciating… -
opinion
Need for Long-Term Thinking in U.S.-Thai Alliance
The king of Thailand is dying. The bluntness of this statement will win no friends in Thailand—as the New York Times was reminded last week when its printer there refused to publish an edition speculating on the king’s health. Yet, today, the king’s mortality is the central factor in Thai politics. It must be acknowledged directly and more… -
opinion
Why Does Argentina Keep Shielding Iran?
When heads of state gather, as they did for the United Nations General Assembly last week, you have a choice: Tune out, or prepare to be bathed in blather, boilerplate, and blatant lies. That said, the remarks of Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner deserve at least a few minutes of our undivided attention. Her biggest whooper:… -
news
Could Conservatives Support Paul Ryan for Speaker?
After a band of conservatives undercut Kevin McCarthy’s assumed ascension to speaker of the House, Republicans turned to the only person they see as indestructible: Paul Ryan. Though Ryan has so far resisted the persistent pleas of his counterparts (he is said to be taking the weekend to make a final decision, according to The…