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
Many Americans Will Be in the 1% (For One Year)
Who in America will earn the most money this year? You might as well ask who will win the Major League Baseball batting title. Each year, someone will have the top batting average, but the competition is fierce and the best performers are hard to predict. As in baseball, so in life: Data from 1991… -
news
Here’s How the Fall of Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez Could Shape Debate on Iran, Cuba
Sen. Bob Menendez’s indictment on corruption charges promises to have far-reaching impact because of his habit of bucking the White House and siding with Republicans on divisive foreign policy issues. Menendez, D-N.J., said last week he would temporarily step down from his position as the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where he… -
opinion
The Truth About Ex-Im
South Carolina Rep. Mark Sanford has articulated with refreshing candor much of what is wrong with the U.S. Export-Import Bank, which provides subsidized financing to foreign firms for the purchase of American exports. The subject arose during a policy forum last week sponsored by the S.C. Chamber of Commerce. In discussing whether Congress ought to… -
opinion
The IRS Loses a Big Procedural Battle in Its War With the Tea Party
At almost the same time last week that the outgoing U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Ronald Machen, gave Lois Lerner a get-out-of-jail free card over her contempt of Congress citation, the Justice Department and the Internal Revenue Service suffered a huge procedural loss in a court fight in Ohio. In litigation filed in… -
opinion
Cyber Sanctions: The Right Move
In the wake of constant cyber attacks and acts of cyber espionage against the United States, the President signed an Executive Order effectively initiating the first program to impose sanctions on foreign individuals who engage in destructive and malicious behavior in the cyber realm. This “national emergency,” which President Obama deemed imminent, has created the… -
opinion
Why Are So Many Employers Unable to Fill Jobs?
The great conundrum of the U.S. economy today is that we have record numbers of working age people out of the labor force at the same time we have businesses desperately trying to find workers. As an example, the American Transportation Research Institute estimates there are 30,000-35,000 trucker jobs that could be filled tomorrow if… -
opinion
Why Are US Colleges So Afraid of Letting Students Speak Freely?
“Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech.” The words of the First Amendment couldn’t be plainer. Yet more than two centuries after the Bill of Rights was written, they remain the subject of fierce debate. Actually, I should amend that (no pun intended). These words would be the subject of debate—if debate… -
news
What Will Major World Religions Look Like in 2050?
Researchers say the demographics of each of the world’s major religions will undergo significant changes by the year 2050. In a study titled “The Future of World Religions: Population Growth Projections, 2010-2050,” the Pew Research Center estimated how many followers each of the world’s major religions will have in the year 2050. Pew analyzed demographics… -
news
How One Company Is Filling a Void to Help Veteran-Owned Businesses
Standing on a factory floor in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 2009, something just didn’t sit right with Matthew “Griff” Griffin. The former Army Ranger, who completed three tours in Afghanistan and one in Iraq, was standing among more than 300 Afghans making 1,000 pairs of boots a day for the Afghan National Army. And Griffin couldn’t… -
opinion
How America’s Next President Can Lead on Foreign Policy
Basketball teams of unexceptional gifts don’t even get a ticket to the dance. This year, three of the teams advancing to the NCAA Final Four were No. 1 seeds in their regions. No surprise there. Talent matters. That holds true in foreign policy, as well as in sports. So there should be no surprise when… -
opinion
March 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. LEE–RUBIO TAX PLAN UNVEILED: March 4 saw the release of the Economic Growth and Family Fairness Tax Reform Plan by Senators Marco Rubio (R–FL) and Mike Lee (R–UT). The… -
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opinion
Why Are Young People Putting Dreams of Business Ownership on Hold?
According to the Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances, the share of people under 35 who own a stake in private businesses has fallen from 10.2 percent in 1989 to 6.5 percent in 2013, the latest year data is available. This is part of a larger trend as private business ownership overall has fallen from… -
opinion
Watch Ryan T. Anderson Explain RFRA and Defend Little Sisters of the Poor
Ryan T. Anderson appeared on Fox News this week to discuss Religious Freedom Restoration Acts and the Little Sisters of the Poor. -
opinion
Thwarting of NYC Women’s Terrorist Plot Shows US Must Remain Vigilant
Two women were arrested in New York Thursday for allegedly plotting to conduct bombings with pressure cookers or propane tanks. The women, Noelle Velentzas, 28, and Asia Siddiqui, 31, were apparently inspired by the April 2013 Boston bombings, and had studied how to build explosive devices with the intent of attacking the U.S. homeland. The… -
opinion
How to Talk About the Indiana Law With Your Liberal Relatives at Easter
Editor’s note: Amid the discussion about the religious liberty laws in Indiana and Arkansas this week, there’s been a lot of misinformation—and a lot of thoughtful concerns about what religious freedom laws actually allow and what they ban. We talked to Heritage Foundation’s William E. Simon Fellow Dr. Ryan T. Anderson to get the facts—and… -
opinion
15 Cents of Every Dollar You Earn Goes to Funding These Government Programs
Out of every dollar you earn, 15 cents goes directly to payroll taxes. Your payroll taxes fund Social Security and Medicare (both “pay-as-you-go” programs) benefits for current retirees. However, even those payroll taxes are no longer sufficient to cover the cost of those benefits. Social Security is already running massive cash-flow deficits to the tune… -
opinion
Should Government Give Settlement Money to Groups, Not Taxpayers? New Mexico Takes Action.
For more than a decade, the U.S. Justice Department has engaged in the dubious practice of giving away the public’s money when it settles a criminal or civil case. Occasionally, the Justice Department has made a settlement offer contingent on a company agreeing to donate money to a cause or charity—sometimes one chosen by the… -
news
Already a Target of Operation Choke Point, Payday Lending Industry Faces More Government Scrutiny
Last week, the Obama administration proposed new regulations for short-term lenders, criticizing the industry for trapping low-income households into cycles of debt. But under Operation Choke Point, the government has already been quietly regulating the industry for years. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is now attempting to rein in short-term lenders—who offer what are… -
news
Pizza Shop Targeted for Refusing to Cater Gay Wedding Receives Over $250K in Donations
A fundraising effort for the family-owned pizza restaurant at the center of a national controversy over Indiana’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act raised over 250,000 dollars in less than 24 hours. After telling a local media outlet their views on the state’s religious freedom law—which has since been amended to remove divisive parts—the O’Connor family of…