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
Why We Can’t Have Nice Highways and Bridges
Every American who buys gasoline pays 18.3 cents per gallon to the federal government’s Highway Trust Fund, which was created in 1956 to pay for the construction and maintenance of the interstate highway system. But in recent years, the Highway Trust Fund has expanded to spend motorists’ tax dollars on things that have little to… -
opinion
Rocky Mountain High Producing Some Undesirable Side Effects
De Beque, Colo., is little more than an outpost nestled along I-70 as it winds its way through the rugged hills of western Colorado. Clearly visible from the highway is the quirky façade of Kush Gardens, the first recreational pot shop to be approved in Mesa County. After the resounding passage in November 2012 of… -
news
Photo Essay: Remembering the Tiananmen Square Protests, 26 Years Later
On June 4, 1989, leaders of the Chinese Communist Party ordered the People’s Liberation Army to open fire on thousands of student protesters in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square to stamp out a pro-democracy protest. A day later, the famous "Tank Man" episode played out before camera. Nonviolent and unarmed civilians were confronted by military troops and… -
news
House Moves to Stop Operation Choke Point
Making clear its official stance against Operation Choke Point, the House passed a measure that prohibits the Justice Department from using any funds to carry out the controversial program. Critics say it unfairly targets legal businesses like pawn shops, gun dealers and payday lenders. On Wednesday, lawmakers approved the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, which… -
opinion
3 Examples of How Regulations Harm Online Commerce
There’s no question the Internet has radically redefined the exchange of goods and services globally through reduced transaction costs and the increased transparency in markets. The success of online commerce has revolutionized shopping for billions of consumers. Total annual online sales in the United States have increased tenfold since 2000 and grew at about 15… -
news
America’s Morals Are Slipping, New Poll Finds
A large majority of Americans say moral values are on the decline in the United States, according to a new Gallup poll. In the poll, taken in early May, 72 percent of respondents said that “the state of moral values” in America is "getting worse." Only 22 percent said it is "getting better." Also, 45… -
opinion
Why One of the Country’s Toughest Cops Says We’re Overcriminalizing America
Former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik was known as one of America’s toughest crime fighters. Then, as he details in his new book, “From Jailer to Jailed,” Kerik found himself convicted of tax fraud and sentenced to four years behind bars. This experience has turned Kerik into an advocate for criminal justice reform…. -
opinion
Trade Adjustment Assistance Does More Harm Than Good
Republican leaders in the House of Representatives are twisting arms to get to 218 votes—the magic number needed to pass the Senate-approved version of the Trade Act of 2015 (H.R. 1314), which merged Trade Promotion Authority with the ineffective and harmful Trade Adjustment Assistance program. This would be a mistake. Trade Adjustment Assistance provides generous… -
opinion
Turns Out Dodd-Frank Didn’t Take Us Off the Hook for Big Banks’ Mistakes
Nearly six years after Congress passed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, one would hope Wall Street’s taxpayer-funded safety net was no longer quite as generous. President Obama promised as much when he signed Dodd-Frank into law on July 21, 2010. “There will be no more tax-funded bailouts—period,” he said that day…. -
opinion
Congress Should Abandon This Counterproductive Tax Policy
The United States has the most damaging business tax system in the developed world because it taxes its businesses at high rates, taxes them on their worldwide income and denies them the ability to deduct the cost of their investments at the time they make them. There is wide agreement that business tax reform could… -
opinion
Why Internet Freedom Is at Stake
Over the past 25 years, the Internet has gone from a relatively unknown arena populated primarily by academics, government employees, researchers and other technical experts into a nearly ubiquitous presence that contributes fundamentally and massively to communication, innovation and commerce. China, Russia and a number of Muslim countries in particular have been open in their… -
news
Sharyl Attkisson: Freedom of Information Act Is ‘Pointless, Useless Shadow of Its Intended Self’
Sharyl Attkisson, a senior independent contributor for The Daily Signal and former investigative reporter for CBS News, said she watched her daughter grow up while she was waiting on the government to respond to a Freedom of Information Act request. "The broken system is not by accident, it’s by design," says @SharylAttkisson of #FOIA Her… -
news
The Daily Signal Is a Year Old Today. Here’s a Closer Look at What We’ve Done.
The Daily Signal turns a year old today. It’s an important milestone for our team and The Heritage Foundation—and a good opportunity to share some of our accomplishments and goals. The Daily Signal combines fair, trustworthy and accurate reporting with strong conservative commentary and policy analysis. We embarked on this journey on June 3, 2014,… -
news
Conservative Women’s Summit Aims to Set the Agenda
The Independent Women’s Forum is hosting the Women LEAD Summit this Thursday in Washington, D.C. According to organizers, the summit will feature conservative female leaders. Panelists will discuss messaging, political strategizing and a “positive agenda for women.” Panelists and speakers include Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., Fox News contributor Katie Pavlich and The Daily Signal’s Genevieve… -
opinion
There’s Broad Public Support for Congress to Reduce Insurance Costs in Response to King v. Burwell
By the end of June, the Supreme Court is expected to issue its decision in King v. Burwell, the case that centers on whether the Obama administration overstepped its authority when it ordered the Internal Revenue Service to permit payment of Affordable Care Act subsidies to individuals enrolled in the federal exchange. Should the Court… -
opinion
Court Again Affirms You Have to Intend a Threat for It to Be a Threat
Rap music is not your grandmother’s show tunes. Its lyrics have been characterized as off-color, profane, violent and misogynistic. Recently, the Supreme Court was asked to decide whether rap lyrics with those characteristics that focused on particular individuals constituted “threats” for purposes of the federal criminal law. More specifically, the question was whether the federal… -
opinion
Japanese Pension Fund Hacked
Following a trilateral defense meeting Saturday of the U.S., Australia, and Japan, the Japan Pension Service (JPS) was hacked. The personal information of over 1.2 million Japanese people was apparently stolen from the pension management system. Ninety percent of the information that was stolen was names, birthdates, and the Japanese equivalent of Social Security numbers…. -
news
In Wake of Freddie Gray’s Death, Baltimore Sees Record Month for Murders
May marked Baltimore’s deadliest month in more than 40 years as three men were fatally shot yesterday, bringing the month’s homicide toll to 43. The Baltimore Sun reported the two separate shootings Sunday—the first killing two men after they were fatally shot in the head, the second killing one man and leaving another injured after… -
news
Reporters to Testify About Federal Government’s Freedom of Information Act Violations
Reporters almost always attend hearings in the various committees of the House of Representatives. But tomorrow they will be there in an unusual role—as witnesses to talk about the extensive barriers to accessing government information through the Freedom of Information Act. The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform plans a two-day hearing to investigate… -
news
How ‘Affordable’ Will Health Insurance Be in 2016?
For consumers purchasing health insurance under the Affordable Care Act next year, plans may no longer be quite as “affordable” as they were in the past. Health insurance companies around the country are providing states with their proposed premium rates for 2016, and changes include rate hikes of up to 51 percent in New Mexico…