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
3 Reasons Stopping Police From Wrongly Seizing Americans’ Assets Will Be Tough
“There are two kinds of people,” Robert Frommer of the Institute for Justice says: “those that don’t know about civil asset forfeiture and those that are mad about it.” This was the broad consensus at a recent event hosted by Americans for Tax Reform and Right on Crime, titled “Civil Asset Forfeiture: Undue Process and… -
news
How Democrats Hope to Revive the Export-Import Bank
For nearly a week, the Export-Import Bank has been closed following the expiration of its charter. But Democrats in Congress are working to revive the bank through a piece of “must-pass” legislation. Ex-Im's charter expired June 30, with its authority lapsing for the first time in the bank’s 81-year history. The bank can no longer… -
news
One Third of Americans Cannot Name a Single First Amendment Right
One third of Americans have no clue what rights they have under the First Amendment. The Newseum’s 2015 State of the First Amendment survey painted a bleak picture of Americans’ ability to remember what rights they are guaranteed by the foundation for individual freedom. Freedom of religion is the very first of the five rights… -
opinion
The Hidden Risks of Government Loan Programs
The federal government has $3 trillion in taxpayer money tied up in loan programs. It is imperative that Congress use the best method to account for the risks inherent in these taxpayer-backed loans. Ignoring the Risks to Taxpayers Federal credit programs are often considered to provide a societal good, such as low-interest loans for college… -
news
Carly Fiorina: America’s Corporate Tax Rate Is ‘Self-Defeating’
CONCORD, N.H.—Former Hewlett-Packard CEO and Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina believes the United States’ high corporate tax rate damages the country’s ability to compete in a global market. “It’s self-defeating that we have the highest business tax rate in the world,” said Fiorina at a business roundtable here. Money, jobs, profits and business can go… -
opinion
How We Can Stop the Expansion of the Federal Government Into Our Classrooms
Innovation starts locally—not in Washington. Yet, over the past few years, we have witnessed the unprecedented expansion of the federal government into our classrooms. Decades of regulations, mandates and rules have been piling up on our educators, but failing to improve our students’ education. Congress is set to reconsider, and potentially reauthorize, the Elementary and… -
opinion
Poverty Isn’t the Root Cause of Jihadist Terrorism. Here’s What Is.
What is the best way for America to combat terrorism? That question is bound to loom large as we enter the next presidential race. Yet a coherent answer has not yet emerged because there is confusion over exactly what terrorism is. In my essay “Understanding Tyranny and Terror: From the French Revolution to Modern Islamism“,… -
news
Experts Warn Against Dangers of Iran Nuclear Deal as Talks Are Extended Again
Iran and six world powers extended negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program Tuesday, blowing through another deadline as diplomats struggle to notch a final agreement. The U.S. State Department confirmed early in the day that talks would continue into the end of the week as key points regarding the containment of Iran’s nuclear program remain in… -
opinion
Unions Love This New Version of No Child Left Behind. That Should Worry Conservatives.
The Senate has begun floor consideration of a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), currently known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB). This congress has the opportunity to consider conservative policy reforms that would genuinely restore state and local control of education, yet the proposal as it currently stands has a long… -
opinion
How San Francisco Aided and Abetted the Murder of Kate Steinle
After admitting to shooting and killing 32-year-old Kate Steinle, Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez, an illegal alien, was asked why he had come to San Francisco. He responded that “he knew San Francisco was a sanctuary city where he would not be pursued by immigration officials.” “Sanctuary cities” are cities within the United States that refuse to… -
news
Oregon Becomes First State to Try Taxing Drivers By Miles They Drive
Last week, Oregon became the first state in the U.S. to give drivers the option to be taxed by the mile instead of by the fuel they use. The idea is that as cars become more fuel efficient, drivers spend less money on gas, resulting in less money for the Oregon Department of Transportation to… -
news
Chief Justice Roberts Receives Low Approval Ratings From Republicans, Conservatives
In the aftermath of the Supreme Court ruling, conservatives aren’t John Roberts’ biggest groupies. Half of Republicans and 55 percent of self-identified conservatives disapprove of Chief Justice John Roberts’ job in the Supreme Court, according to a recent Morning Counsel poll. Only 29 percent of Republicans and 23 percent of conservatives approve of his job… -
news
Hailey’s Harvest: How One 9-Year-Old Is Fighting Homelessness
One-person tents, men’s boxers and prepaid cell phones are not things you would normally find on a little girl’s wish list. But 9-year-old Hailey Fort is anything but ordinary. At the age of just 6 years old, Fort began a fruit and vegetable garden after asking her mother how she could help a homeless man she… -
news
Teen Model With Down Syndrome Lands First Campaign, Hopes to Bring Awareness to Disability Issues
Madeline Stuart, an 18-year-old from Brisbane, Australia, is one step closer to achieving her dream of changing society’s perception of disability. The teen, who has Down syndrome, was just tapped by body-positive fitness brand Manifesta to be their newest model. Manifesta’s website declares that the “only valid judge of a woman is herself,” and is… -
opinion
The Rough Road to Reaching a Deal With Iran
Funny how painfully sobering Monday mornings can be—for a whole host of reasons—but especially after a long, holiday weekend such as Independence Day. For instance, over the Fourth of July break, there was word seeping out from the Iran nuclear talks in Vienna—to anyone paying attention to anything but friends, food and fireworks—that a deal… -
news
11 Quotes From George W. Bush on His 69th Birthday
Former President George W. Bush turned 69 years old today. Here are 11 quotes from the 43rd president in honor of his birthday. 1. “We have a place, all of us, in a long story—a story we continue, but whose end we will not see,” Bush said during his Inaugural Address on Jan. 20, 2001…. -
news
#SelfieWithDaughter Campaign Sweeps India
A hashtag has ignited a social media movement to promote the status of women and influence how many Indian families view having a daughter. Concerns over India’s growing population of almost 1.3 billion people has led to an imbalance of gender through the use of local sterilization quotas along with sex-selective abortion and infanticide. These… -
news
Atlanta Fire Chief Fired for ‘Anti-Gay’ Views ‘Absolutely’ Wants His Job Back
After being fired for writing what’s been described as an “anti-gay” book, former Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran says he “absolutely” wants his job back. “In the United States of America, Americans should not have to choose between keeping your job and living out your faith,” Cochran told The Daily Signal in an exclusive interview…. -
news
Disability Advocates Fight Assisted Suicide Measures
When he was 19, Anthony Orefice hit a telephone pole on his motorcycle going 100 miles per hour. Doctors told his family he wouldn’t survive. He did, but the accident left him paralyzed from the chest down, unable to do what he loved—surf, snowboard or ride dirt bikes. “All you are thinking is the worst,… -
opinion
What an Iran Deal Won’t Cover
With the deadline pushed off until July 7, I’m betting that an Iran nuke deal actually will be trumpeted over the July 4 holiday weekend, since the best time to put out controversial news in Washington, D.C., is near or over a break. Why? Well, most Americans will be distracted by festivities of fireworks, food…