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 Lost Generation: Where Have 4 Million Syrians Fled?
AMMAN, Jordan – According to United Nations figures, more than 4 million Syrians have fled their homeland, with another 7 million displaced internally within Syria. To put this in perspective, the state of Oregon (27th most populous in the U.S.) has around 3.97 million residents. Around 630,000 Syrian refugees now live in Jordan, both in… -
opinion
Why There Is Still Time to Demand a Better Iran Deal
As Congress’ September deadline to approve or condemn the Iran deal approaches, the Obama administration has intensified its lobbying efforts, appealing to individual members of Congress who remain on the fence. Last Friday, President Obama drafted a letter to Rep. Jerrold Nadler D-N.Y., defending what he calls “a very good deal for the United States” that… -
opinion
Why the Government Can’t Resist the ‘Affordable’ Housing Game
Next month will mark seven years of federal government conservatorship of the two government-sponsored mortgage giants, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. To cap off this anniversary, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Fannie’s and Freddie’s regulating agency, has announced that these institutions will increase the affordable housing goals of their programs targeted to very low- and… -
news
Rep. Diane Black Explains to Sarah Palin Why Planned Parenthood Should Stop Receiving Tax Dollars
“There is no reason in this world” why federal money should be spent on Planned Parenthood, said Rep. Diane Black, R-Tenn., while on air Monday with former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. “[T]here are other agencies around—state health departments, county health departments,” Black stated. “And by the way, they are having to compete with Planned Parenthood… -
news
Iran’s Support for Terrorism, and How It Relates to the Nuclear Deal
The Obama administration and its negotiating partners have described their nuclear deal with Iran as the best way to prevent Tehran from getting a bomb over the next decade. But recent events have raised questions about another issue not covered in the agreement: Iran’s aggression in the Middle East. Indeed, Iran has shown no signs… -
news
Jim Inhofe on What the Left Gets Wrong About Climate Change
Sen. Jim Inhofe is no stranger to the climate change debate. The Oklahoma Republican, who leads the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, believes that government and regulation are a big problem. In an interview with The Daily Signal, Inhofe explained why people should care about the climate debate and what prompted him to bring… -
opinion
Why Reagan Would Have Opposed Iran Deal
Proponents of President Obama’s Iran deal have invoked analogies to President Reagan’s arms control approach in effort to increase desirability for the unpopular agreement in the eyes of Congress and the general public. The analogy is misguided and flawed (just like the Iran deal itself). For starters, Obama is no Reagan. The "great communicator" was… -
opinion
Evaluation Shows Yet Another Government Program Fails to Produce Results
The Department of Labor has released the results of its two-year evaluation of the federal program Reintegration of Ex-Offenders (RExO), designed to help ex-offenders find employment and reduce recidivism. The evaluation provides evidence that the RExO grants are ineffective. While disappointing, the results are not surprising: Failure is the norm for federal social programs. The… -
opinion
Can Ashley Madison ‘Victims’ Sue? Here Are Their Legal Options
On July 15, an online hacking group calling themselves “The Impact Team” gained unauthorized access to a website known as Ashley Madison, and on Aug. 18, the group made publicly available the customer data they had stolen, the names and other identifying information of 37 million users. Ashley Madison is a for-profit website that facilitates… -
opinion
Challenges Remain for Nepal’s Constitutional Reform
After seven years of political deadlock and three missed deadlines, Nepal is expected to pass its long awaited constitution at the end of August. The passage of a new constitution could create stability in Nepal and represent a positive step toward democracy for the Nepalese people. But Nepal’s constitutional reforms are not without challenges. In… -
opinion
The Hypocrisy of Denver’s War on Chick-fil-A
In Denver, city council members are weighing whether Chick-fil-A will be allowed to open in the Denver International Airport. Denver council member Paul Lopez “called opposition to the chain at DIA ‘really, truly a moral issue,’” according to the Denver Post, while council member Robin Kniech is alarmed about Chick-fil-A’s “corporate profits used to fund… -
news
The IRS Is Looking to Tax Employer-Provided Meals
Free employee meals may be slapped with a price tag as the Internal Revenue Service inches closer to deciding whether to tax the complimentary perk. The IRS project, called the Priority Guidance Plan, would modify sections of the tax code encompassing employer-provided meals, adding a tax on to free meals for employees. Under IRS scrutiny… -
news
42 Photos From the Planned Parenthood Protests
On Saturday, tens of thousands of people gathered in hundreds of rallies around the country to protest Planned Parenthood. The protesters numbered more than 60,000, according to the Pro-Life Action League. Twitter and Instagram users took to social media to share their photos with the world. Below are 42 shots from the day. #PlannedParenthood Protests Hit L.A. Clinic #UnbornLivesMatter… -
opinion
How Should Sexual Assault Be Managed on Campus? Two Bills’ Different Approaches
There is no doubt that American colleges should be safe for all students. A recent University of Virginia case is any example, however, of the difficulty college communities often face dealing with those accused of crimes, as well as those who are victims. In the recent Virginia case, allegations of sexual assault were repeated in… -
opinion
Why a Federal Agency Stopped Northwestern Football Players From Unionizing
Last week, in a unanimous decision, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) declined to assert jurisdiction in the Northwestern University college football player unionization case. Back in March, a Regional Director of the NLRB found that grant-in-aid scholarship players, represented by the Northwestern University and College Athletic Players Association, were “employees” subject to Section 2(3)… -
news
Home in North Carolina, Mark Meadows Reflects on Move to Oust John Boehner With ‘No Regrets’
WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA—The man who made the move to overthrow House Speaker John Boehner is back home now, shaking the hands of war veterans. He grips the hands for so long, it’s like he is holding on for dear life. As much as he is there for them, to reassure the veterans that their benefits… -
opinion
Secret Side Deal Reveals Disturbing Flaw in Iran Nuclear Agreement
The Associated Press released a bombshell report on Wednesday that revealed that Iran will be allowed to use its own inspectors to investigate a military site where it is suspected of conducting nuclear weapons work, under the terms of a secret agreement it signed with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Although some supporters of… -
news
Mark Levin: Federal Government Is ‘Stealing From Unborn Babies’
Popular radio show host Mark Levin says when it comes to out of control entitlement spending, the federal government is “stealing from unborn babies.” “Future generations don’t vote, they don’t exist yet so they keep stealing from them,” Levin explains to The Daily Signal. “They keep robbing from them which means they are going to… -
opinion
As Taliban Transitions, Pakistan Should Act
The Taliban is in transition. Its leadership council in Quetta—in Pakistan’s Balochistan province—announced recently that Mullah Akhtar Mansour would replace Mullah Mohammed Omar as the leader of the insurgent movement. The appointment of Mullah Mansour to head the Taliban is an opportunity for Pakistan to solidify its control over the organization and finally help bring… -
opinion
It’s Not Hypocritical to Let Infertile Couples Marry, But Oppose Gay Marriage. Here’s Why.
Why is the government in the marriage business? As I explain in “Truth Overruled: The Future of Marriage and Religious Freedom,” it’s to encourage a man and a woman to unite as husband and wife to then be mother and father to any children their union produces. It’s based on the anthropological truth that men…