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
Copyright and the Internet: Getting the Balance Right
No nation comes close to the United States when it comes to creative industries protected by copyrights, such as motion pictures, music, television, visuals arts and software. But these industries are threatened by the unauthorized Internet downloading of copyrighted writings, designs, artwork, music and films. U.S. policymakers must decide how best to protect the creators… -
news
This Day in Pictures: Remembering Reagan and His Famous Line, ‘Tear Down This Wall!’
One of the most recognizable quotes of Ronald Reagan’s presidency was deemed too controversial and was almost never spoken. Peter Robinson, a young speechwriter for the Reagan White House, was given the task of drafting the president’s speech to commemorate the 750th anniversary of Berlin on June 12, 1987. After visiting the people of Berlin… -
opinion
How to Persuade Successful Inventors to Immigrate to the US: Lower Taxes
Evidence of a “Brain Drain” from countries with high top tax rates and a “Brain Gain” to countries with low top tax rates comes from a new National Bureau of Economic Research paper by Ufuk Akcigit, Salomé Baslandze and Stefanie Stantcheva. The authors study the flight paths of successful inventors who emigrate from one country… -
opinion
Michigan Governor Signs Bills Protecting Freedom of Adoption Agencies
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder has signed into law three bills protecting the freedom of private adoption agencies to operate in accordance with their beliefs, including that children deserve a married mother and father. This is good public policy. The Michigan law comes on the same day the North Carolina legislature protected the religious liberty of… -
opinion
Are Airline Prices Going to Rise Because of the EPA?
If we see airline prices go up in 2016, you might be able to thank the lawyers at radical environmental groups Center for Biological Diversity and Friends of the Earth. In response to a lawsuit by these organizations, the EPA has unsurprisingly announced a proposal that airplane emissions do “endanger the public health and welfare… -
opinion
N.C. Legislature Overrides Veto, Allows Government Employees to Not Do Gay Marriages
Earlier today, the North Carolina House voted to override the veto of S.B. 2, a bill that protects the religious liberty of civil servants in that state. Because the Senate had already voted to override the veto as well, the bill is now law. This is good public policy, and it is a shame that… -
news
Ben Carson Tells Iowa: ‘America Is Worth Saving’
ELDORA, Iowa—Bringing a crowd to laughs and cheers, Ben Carson spoke to almost 200 people Wednesday night during an ice cream social at the rural (as in, you must drive on a gravel road to get there) Pine Lake Wildlife Club in Hardin County, Iowa. Carson, a Republican candidate for president in 2016, focused his… -
opinion
How Gillibrand’s Military Sexual Assault Legislation Could Hurt Victims
The good news is that the number of sexual assaults in the military is going down. According to the RAND Corporation’s recent study, there has been a 27 percent decrease. No doubt, that is a direct result of the comprehensive reforms to the military justice system put in place a couple of years ago by… -
opinion
NBC’s Misleading New Trade Poll
NBC News released Tuesday a poll with the following question: Which is more important to you? Protecting American industries and jobs by limiting imports from other countries. Allowing free trade so you can buy products at low prices no matter what country they come from. Respondents chose “protecting American industries and jobs” by more than… -
opinion
This Is the Moment for Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform
When Joseph Rivers set out for Los Angeles with $16,000 in his pocket to kick-start his career in the music industry, the last thing he expected was to lose his family’s hard-earned money—at the hands of a federal law enforcement officer. Rivers was never arrested or charged with a crime, but thanks to federal civil… -
opinion
Keeping the Taxman Away From the Internet
Two threats from lawmakers in Washington could hamper the still ongoing development of the Internet and raise taxes on Americans already struggling under a hefty tax burden. The first comes from proposed legislation to allow states to require out-of-state retailers to collect sales taxes on online purchases even if the retailer has no physical presence… -
news
How the Left Shuts Down Debates: An Interview With Guy Benson
Fox News contributor Guy Benson is the co-author of the new book “End of Discussion.” The Daily Signal interviewed Benson about how the left uses topics like race and bigotry to silence conservatives in debates. You can watch the full 10-minute interview or see Benson’s answers to each question by going to the times in… -
news
How Kelley Paul’s Grandmother Lived the American Dream
MANCHESTER, N.H.—Kelley Paul, wife of Republican presidential candidate Sen. Rand Paul, visited her husband’s New Hampshire campaign office on Wednesday. In a meet-and-greet with her husband’s supporters, Paul shared the story of her grandmother, Julia O’Toole, whom she called the “centerpiece” of her book, “True and Constant Friends.” “I had an opportunity to really reflect… -
news
How Has India’s Prime Minister Performed After 1 Year?
One year after the historic election of Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, policy experts are commending his performance in foreign policy while criticizing his performance in improving the country’s economy. After winning the first single party majority in a national election in India since 1984, Modi has had steep expectations to fulfill. A panel… -
news
Carly Fiorina: The Next President Shouldn’t Be Part of ‘Professional Political Class’
NEW BOSTON, N.H.—Carly Fiorina said that Americans are tired of a “professional political class” during a campaign stop in New Hampshire on Tuesday night. The former chief executive of Hewlett-Packard argued that a lifelong politician isn’t the leader Americans will be looking for in 2016. Fiorina criticized her potential rival Hillary Clinton for becoming “the… -
opinion
Get Government Out of the Way and the Internet Will Protect Itself
Freedom requires that one be safe and secure in one’s possessions—a world in which criminals steal or destroy others’ property at will is neither free nor secure. The same is true in cyberspace, where digital criminals have a great interest in stealing sensitive data or disrupting critical services. And, with everything from military systems to… -
opinion
AP US History Framework Won’t Give Students Grounding in Civic Virtues
The growing battle over the College Board’s Advanced Placement U.S. History (APUSH) framework is being described by Politico and others as the usual scrape over American exceptionalism. It is that to a point, of course. But it is really about national survival. The continuation of self-government and liberty depends on the willingness of citizens to… -
opinion
Let America Fix the Highways Washington Broke
Congress has a particularly bad habit of bailing out federal programs without addressing the underlying problems that caused failure in the first place. This round, we’re punting the ball on the Highway Trust Fund. However, this time is different. We have a common-sense solution to reform our nation’s transportation policy, modernize America’s outdated transportation infrastructure… -
news
Over Coffee, Rick Santorum Tries to Recapture Iowa Success
IOWA FALLS, Iowa—During a campaign stop at a coffee shop Tuesday morning, Rick Santorum worked to recapture the Iowa success that helped spark his run for president in 2012. At the coffee shop in Hardin County, Iowa, as locals enjoyed their morning cup of joe, the former Pennsylvania senator spoke on national security, the economy… -
news
Can Millennials Achieve the American Dream?
Are millennials in line for their share of the American Dream? Some have deemed millennials the “lost generation” of the Great Recession. However, a panel of experts believes that less government intrusion combined with millennials’ entrepreneurial spirit could create a stronger America. The panel, hosted Monday by The Heritage Foundation, included Diana Furchtgott-Roth and Jared…