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
What Percent of 75-Year-Olds Are Still Working?
One of the major trends in the U.S. workforce during the early 21st century is seniors’ expanding participation in the labor force. People who qualify for AARP membership have been retiring later and are more likely to be in the labor force now than people the same age were during the 1990s tech boom. There… -
opinion
No, Tom Cotton Isn’t a Traitor for Writing Iran Letter
“Traitors.” That’s a strong term, obviously. It should never be used lightly. Yet there it was, flying around like confetti in Times Square on New Year’s Eve. Why? Because 47 Republican senators who are understandably concerned about the prospects of a nuclear-armed Iran sent a letter to that country’s leaders about the deal now being struck with the United States and… -
opinion
How Much a Family Would Spend If They Were Like the Government
American families understand that adhering to a budget is relatively simple: Don’t spend more than you take in, and don’t borrow more than you can afford to. Those lessons are lost on the federal government, however, as the nation continues to pile on debt by spending billions more than it collects in taxes year after… -
opinion
Four Common Myths about the Flat Tax
America’s tax code is riddled with problems. It imposes high rates on families, businesses, investors, and entrepreneurs. Its double taxation of capital gains and dividends creates a bias against savings and investment—activities essential for economic growth. Its convoluted system of deductions, credits, and exemptions distorts incentives and inefficiently allocates resources, limiting wage and productivity gains…. -
opinion
ISIS-Linked Terrorists Attack Country Succeeding Post Arab Spring
No less than three months after Tunisia concluded peaceful and successful legislative and presidential elections, the small North African country was rocked by the worst terrorist attack since the Djerba Island Synagogue attack in 2002. The March 18 shooting at the Bardo Museum in the heart of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, killed 21 individuals,… -
opinion
Why Congress Must Take the Time to Do Medicare Doctor Payments Right
Unless Congress can find a way around it, come April 1, Medicare physicians will suffer a 21 percent payment reduction. Congress is scrambling to head this off and replace the flawed Sustained Growth Rate formula for paying doctors under Medicare, but there is growing concern over the financing of such changes. The Congressional Budget Office… -
news
Russia Sends Nuclear-Capable Bombers to Crimea
KYIV, Ukraine—As NATO and Russia simultaneously launch military exercises stretching from Eastern Europe into the Arctic, Russian defense officials said this week that supersonic bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons will be deployed to Crimea. According to the Russian news agency TASS, Tupolev TU-22M3 strategic bombers will be positioned in the former Ukrainian territory as… -
news
The Debate Over How to Pay Medicare Doctors, Explained in 75 Seconds
The latest debate on Capitol Hill has created an unlikely alliance between the House’s most powerful Democratic and Republican lawmakers, and it centers on a little-known formula that determines how much Medicare doctors are paid each year. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., have agreed to a deal that would replace… -
opinion
EPA Administrator Insults Property Owners in Pushing New Water Rule
Speaking before the National Farmers Union annual convention this week, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy attempted to assure the group about the joint EPA and Army Corps of Engineers proposed rule defining what waters are covered under the Clean Water Act. “Let me be clear,” she said, “because that’s what the final rule will be.” If… -
news
Report: Boehner-Pelosi Replacement for Medicare Payments Would Increase Debt by $400 Billion Over 20 Years
Specific details of a plan to replace how Medicare doctors are paid has yet to be released. But, the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimates the deal will add hundreds of billions of dollars to the national debt over the next two decades. According to a report released by the group today, the replacement… -
opinion
U.S. Nuclear Arsenal Makes America and Allies Safer
“Unilaterally reducing or eliminating America’s nuclear arsenal will not make the world a safer place,” writes Keith Payne, director of the Graduate School of Defense and Strategic Studies at Missouri State University and former deputy assistant secretary of defense, in The Wall Street Journal. The U.S. experience since the end of the Cold War proves… -
opinion
The Top 1 Percent Pay 35 Percent of Federal Income Taxes
The answer given by many on the left when faced with the problem du jour—deficits, inequality, etc.—is simply to raise taxes on the rich. But while “the rich don’t pay their fair share,” is an enticing narrative, it is false. Actually looking at our federal income tax system, it’s apparent that the income tax is… -
opinion
How Doc Fix Deal House GOP Is Backing Would Increase the Deficit
The House Republican congressional leadership is poised to announce a major “deal” with House Democrats on repealing the troublesome “Sustainable Growth Rate” (SGR) formula for updating Medicare physician payment. Such a change is expected cost taxpayers over $200 billion over 10 years. Yet major press reports indicate that only $70 billion of the tab is expected… -
opinion
Should Teachers Be Paid Based on Student Performance? What This New Study Shows.
There are long term benefits to paying teachers by how well students perform in the classroom, according to a new study released by Israeli economist Victor Lavy. The author analyzed current income and demographic data for a set of students who graduated from high schools that were part of a trial program that paid teachers according… -
news
‘Be Honest’: Lawmakers Criticize Boehner-Pelosi Medicare Plan for Adding to Deficit
Conservative lawmakers today expressed their dismay toward a deal forged between the House’s Republican and Democratic leaders that would replace a long-criticized formula determining the way Medicare doctors are paid. Few details have emerged about the impending $200 billion deal between House Speaker John Boehner and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, but conservative lawmakers are criticizing… -
news
Conservatives to Party Leaders: Show Us a ‘Strategy’ and We Will Fight for You
In their first confrontation with Republican leadership this Congress, conservatives lost. Earlier this month, House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., relied on Democrats and a minority of Republicans to extend funding for the Department of Homeland Security without confronting President Obama’s immigration executive actions. >>> ‘A Strategy Doomed to… -
opinion
Certainty Will Come by Eliminating Handouts for Ethanol and Wind
Energy policy was a hot topic for prospective Republican nominees for President at last week’s Iowa Agriculture Summit (Ag Summit). Unfortunately, a number of the contenders are getting the issue wrong, voicing support for targeted tax credits for wind and the ethanol mandate because of industry pleas about “uncertainty,” a gambit the industry has used… -
opinion
The Hunt for the Clinton Emails
The House Select Committee to Investigate Benghazi last week produced a timeline of the efforts to uncover former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s email trail. A large body of evidence—Clinton’s emails from the days and weeks surrounding the Sept. 11, 2012 attack—has been kept out of reach by Clinton and her aides. This means that… -
opinion
The Breakdown of Where Your Tax Dollars Go
Tax dollars paid for about 85 cents of every dollar spent in 2014—the rest was borrowed. Where did all that money go? Your 2014 tax dollars—which are due next month—went primarily to pay for government benefits. Major entitlements (Medicare, Medicaid, Obamacare and Social Security) devoured more than half of the 2014 budget at 51 percent… -
news
The Russia-Ukraine Conflict in Pictures, One Year After Crimea’s Annexation
KYIV, Ukraine—Monday marked the one-year anniversary of Russia’s annexation of Crimea, a former Ukrainian territory. Russia’s takeover of Crimea is an ongoing source of tension between Russia and Ukraine, and a potential flash point for escalating the nearly year-old war in eastern Ukraine. The United States and other NATO countries have labeled Russia’s move to…