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
How Employers Can Spark a Health Care Revolution
Employers, not politicians, can spark a health care revolution. For many years employers have struggled with providing health insurance to workers and their families. Competing for high-skilled workers typically requires offering fairly comprehensive benefits (valued at an average of $6,000 for an individual in 2014). Public sector employers—states and municipalities—are often hemmed in by the… -
opinion
Report Shows Corrupt IRS Employees Typically Keep Their Jobs. Some Even Get Promoted.
Editor’s note: Democrats’ so-called Inflation Reduction Act, passed by the Senate this weekend, would allow the IRS to hire 87,000 new agents. There aren’t many gyms that employ obese personal trainers, or investment firms that retain bankrupt financial advisers. If they did, their business would certainly suffer. But that’s precisely what the Internal Revenue Service… -
news
The Nation Is About to Debate Late-Term Abortions. Where Does Your State Stand?
As Congress prepares to resume a debate over whether late-term abortions should be allowed in the U.S., a groundbreaking new study finds that infants are able to survive outside the womb earlier on in a pregnancy than the medical community once thought. The study, which examined thousands of premature infants, may bolster a national effort… -
news
Green Party of England Leader ‘Open’ to Polyamorous Marriage
Natalie Bennett, the leader of the Green Party of England, recently suggested that her party is “open” to granting legal status to marriages or civil unions involving more than two people. In a question-and-answer session with readers of PinkNews, which describes itself as “Europe’s largest gay news service,” Bennett said her party is “open to… -
opinion
Freedom of Speech in Pakistan and the Death of Sabeen Mahmud
On April 24, renowned Pakistani human rights activist, Sabeen Mahmud, was gunned down and killed by two men in Karachi, Pakistan. Mahmud was a respected, outspoken intellectual who founded a coffeehouse and meeting place in Karachi called The Second Floor, commonly referred to as T2F. “The Killing of Sabeen Mahmud is a tragic demonstration of… -
news
2015 Salvatori Prize Awarded to American Council of Trustees and Alumni
The Heritage Foundation has awarded its 2015 Salvatori Prize for American Citizenship to the American Council of Trustees and Alumni for their “What Will They Learn” initiative, which aims to promote rigorous academic standards in higher education. “What ACTA did—and what earned them the Salvatori Prize—is to find a way to circumvent the tenured professors… -
news
After Having His Motel Seized by the Government, Victim of Civil Asset Forfeiture Reflects on His Fight
Russ Caswell, owner of Motel Caswell in Tewksbury, Mass., fought the law and won. Now, he’s reflecting on his experiences with a law enforcement tool known as civil asset forfeiture as policymakers in Washington, D.C., and across states from coast to coast, debate the practice. “The government tried to take [Motel Caswell] based on just… -
news
Here’s an Overview of the 2016 Field in One Chart
In the past week alone, we’ve watched three GOP contenders enter the 2016 presidential race: Carly Fiorina, Dr. Ben Carson, and most recently, Mike Huckabee. In this infographic, we break down each declared (and likely) candidate’s age, state, phase, experience, signature issue and, because it is the 2016 election, Twitter following. -
news
29 Years After Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster, Life Slowly Returns to Normal
CHERNOBYL, Ukraine—On April 28, two days after the 29th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, a forest fire near the retired nuclear power plant threatened to send radioactive particles into the air. The Ukrainian Interior Ministry issued a statement assuring the public that there was no risk of radioactive contamination spreading out of the 30-kilometer… -
news
Rick Perry Changes His Mind on Ex-Im Bank, Calls for Its End
Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry is calling for an end to the Export-Import Bank—a reversal from the position he held as governor. In an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal published Monday, Perry, a likely 2016 Republican presidential candidate, wrote that he has changed his mind. Perry wrote that during his time as governor, Texas “became… -
news
Can the GOP Have a ‘Peaceful’ Primary in 2016? Here’s Why the Party Chairman Is Hoping for It
With six Republicans officially in the presidential race for 2016 and more to join soon, the party’s chairman is gearing up for a busy year. The Daily Signal spoke to Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus about the policy issues at the forefront of the debate. “On the policy side, we’re going to have plenty… -
news
What Every 2015 College Graduate Should Know
I’m four months out of college, living halfway across the country from where I grew up. I graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a degree in public relations. And sometime this summer, as I search for a full-time job to take the place of my internship, I’ll begin the daunting task of paying… -
opinion
The Government Is Definitely Back in the ‘Affordable Housing’ Game
More than six years out from a government-driven housing bubble, the chief regulator at the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Mel Watt, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development secretary, Julian Castro are respectively clearing a path to expand the “credit box” for government-backed home loans. Two recent examples: Fannie Mae recently started a program… -
news
Federal Agency to Regulate Christmas Lights
On a hot day in Washington, D.C., a federal agency issued 11 pages of new regulations on Christmas lights and other holiday decorations, calling certain products “a substantial product hazard.” “The Consumer Product Safety Commission … is issuing a final rule to specify that seasonal and decorative lighting products that do not contain any one… -
opinion
April Tax Recap
This monthly tax roundup series reviews some of the major stories making headlines in tax policy over the past month, with brief analysis and links attached. CONGRESSIONAL ACTION UNCLEAR AS HIGHWAY TRUST FUND DEADLINE APPROACHES: As the May 31 deadline looms closer, lawmakers are running out of time to resolve the Highway Trust Fund’s chronic… -
news
Will Freddie Gray’s Death Inspire ‘New Life’ in Baltimore?
BALTIMORE—At the end of the most hopeless of weeks, after Freddie Gray’s tragic death in the custody of police led to violent—and peaceful—protests, and the arrests of six police officers, Pastor Harold Carter Jr. called for unity, peace and revival. Carter preached for the congregation to use Gray’s memory to keep sight of the opportunity… -
opinion
What to Make of ISIS Claim of Responsibility for Texas Shootings
ISIS has claimed responsibility for a failed attack that occurred on Sunday in Garland, Texas. At the “First Annual Muhammad Art Exhibit and Contest,” two individuals using rifles opened fire just before nightfall. The individuals pulled up to the entrance, which had received enhanced security measures due to the controversial event, and according to Garland… -
opinion
Sri Lanka Amends Constitution Days Before Secretary Kerry’s Visit
On Saturday, May 2, Secretary of State John Kerry travelled to Sri Lanka’s capital, Colombo, and met with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and other political leaders. During his visit, Secretary Kerry reaffirmed the legitimacy of the Sirisena government, encouraged Sri Lankans to continue strengthening their democratic system, and pledged that the U.S. would be… -
news
New Presidential Candidate Carly Fiorina to Challenge ‘War on Women’ Narrative
GOP presidential candidate Carly Fiorina says that Democrats are playing politics with women’s issues, especially when it comes to abortion. “The Democrats have used this issue to scare women to death, and sometimes when men talk about this issue it seems a little scary to women because it seems judgmental.” Fiorina’s presidential run will be… -
opinion
3 Out of 4 Americans Support Term Limits. Here’s a Way Congress Could Establish Them.
Few political issues unite Americans more than congressional term limits. A Gallup poll from 2013 found that an astounding 75 percent of Americans—including huge majorities of Republicans, Democrats and independents—support limiting the number of terms that a member of Congress can serve. When American public opinion is this lopsided on an issue, one typically sees…