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 Is Pakistan’s Biggest Problem? Hint: It’s Not India
President Obama’s recent visit to India spooked the government of Pakistan. Possibly to nip in the bud the blossoming diplomatic relations between the U.S. and India, Pakistan’s foreign office issued a statement expressing concern about a strengthened relationship between Washington and New Delhi. This concern focused on closer U.S.–India nuclear cooperation and the possibility that… -
opinion
This Doctor Posts His Prices Online. Health Care Should Move in Same Direction.
There’s a cost-cutting revolution going on in American health care. Anesthesiologist and co-founder of the Surgery Center of Oklahoma, a physician-owned ambulatory surgery center, Dr. Keith Smith is at the epicenter of that revolution. In a recent presentation to George Washington University medical students, Smith emphasized that health care costs are rising at unacceptable rates… -
opinion
The 2016 Contenders Will Be in the Spotlight This Week. Here’s How They Can Reshape the Debate.
Could this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference shape the agenda for the 2016 Republican primary? The conference, which usually attracts around 10,000 people, is known for its all-star lineup of Republican politicians delivering speeches. This year is no exception, with nearly every likely 2016 Republican presidential hopeful in attendance. Organizers have added a new twist:… -
news
How Does Your State Rank in Church Attendance?
A new Gallup poll offers some clues about Americans’ church attendance—and the sizeable difference depending on the state where you live. Gallup asked 177,030 American adults, "How often do you attend church, synagogue or mosque—at least once a week, almost every week, about once a month, seldom or never?" It ranked all 50 states and… -
opinion
What Alexander Hamilton Would Say About King v. Burwell
These days, every week seems to bring forth another new article by a liberal commentator expressing a powerful combination of fear and outrage that the Supreme Court might “gut” the Affordable Care Act in King v. Burwell. This case, as regular readers of Bench Memos know, holds out the possibility that the Court will find… -
news
Conservatives Get Their Own Online Petition Platform
Want to start a petition? The founders of StandUnited, a new online petition site aimed at center-right audiences, want to help. Intermarkets—the same firm behind the ads on the Drudge Report and MichelleMalkin.com—launched StandUnited, an alternative to Change.org. In an interview with The Daily Signal, Paul Van Remortel, the senior product manager at Intermarkets, said… -
opinion
Anecdotes in New Reagan Book Showcase His Unique Character
As someone who has studied and written about Ronald Reagan for more than four decades, I thought I knew the 40th president pretty well. But a new book, “Reagan Remembered”, edited by former Amb. Gilbert A. Robinson, offers the personal and in many cases never before revealed recollections of 80 individuals, high and low, who… -
news
Professor Teaches His Students to Capitalize on New Business Opportunity: Marijuana
Professor Shad Ewart suggests pot as a viable career option. This spring, the business management assistant professor at Anne Arundel Community College in Maryland is offering a course titled “Entrepreneurial Opportunities in Emerging Markets: Marijuana Legalization.” “I like to compare business opportunities associated with marijuana legalization with the success of businesses that grew out of… -
opinion
How Many Kids Grow Up With Their Married Mom and Dad?
It’s not normal these days for a teen to live with their married mom and dad. Fifty-four percent of U.S. teens 15-to-17-years-old do not live in a home with their married mother and father, according to the Fifth Annual Index of Family Belonging and Rejection released this month by the Family Research Council. Over half… -
news
Do Your Income and Debt Levels Affect the Length of Your Life? This Map Suggests So.
Do your income and debt levels play a role in the length of your life? Researchers at Debt.com were curious after seeing previous academic research that shows the negative impact of debt on both mental and physical health. They analyzed the correlation between the crude mortality rate (deaths per 100,000 people) and the median annual… -
news
The Government Gave Close to 1 Million HealthCare.gov Customers the Wrong Tax Information. Here’s Why That Matters.
In an error that could delay the delivery of tax refunds for close to 1 million Americans, the federal government announced today that 800,000 HealthCare.gov customers received the wrong tax information. Officials from California announced yesterday 100,000 consumers who purchased plans from the state’s exchange, Covered California, were also affected by a similar problem. Because… -
opinion
Federal Dietary Panel Pushes Junk Food Taxes, Being Green
Federal dietary guidance may soon be based on the needs of the environment, not just nutrition. The federal Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee just released its report, with recommendations, to help inform the 2015 Dietary Guidelines. The United States Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services will consider these recommendations in formulating… -
news
State Says 70-Year-Old Flower Shop Owner Discriminated Against Gay Couple. Here’s How She Responded.
A judge in Washington state ruled this week that a 70-year-old florist who declined to make flower arrangements for a gay couple’s wedding violated the state’s anti-discrimination and consumer protection laws. In a phone interview with The Daily Signal, Barronelle Stutzman said the decision—and its accompanying fines—will put her flower shop out of business, or… -
opinion
Judge Orders EPA to Stop Clandestine Anti-Mining Collusion
Natural resource industry leaders nationwide shuddered in February 2011 when the Environmental Protection Agency announced its intent to veto the proposed copper, gold and molybdenum-rich Pebble Mine in southwestern Alaska – before the developer even had finished its preliminary design. Without warning, the EPA had nullified a half-dozen basic laws and seized power to itself… -
opinion
Congress Is About to Impose Another Unfunded Mandate on Doctors
Doctors in their day-to-day practice already face a mound of federal regulations. Now, starting Oct. 1, doctors will face a new unfunded mandate as they will be required to transition to a costly and complicated coding system for payment. While the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) system was originally designed specifically for disease classification, since… -
opinion
Wal-Mart’s Giving Raises. How That Shows the Market Works.
Wal-Mart is giving employees a raise. Wal-Mart announced today that it would spend $1 billion to raise the wages for 500,000 workers. Current employees will now be paid at least $9 per hour by April of this year and $10 per hour by February 2016. Wal-Mart’s decision to lift its base hourly wage is an… -
opinion
More States Push Back Against Common Core
Common Core continues to be a top concern in the states, with Mississippi and Wisconsin being the latest states taking steps to distance themselves from the controversial standards. Mississippi is considering full repeal of the Common Core standards. State senators Michael Watson and Angela Burks introduced legislation to repeal the standards last month, with Watson… -
news
‘We Love This Land’: Iraqi Christian Men Fight to Keep ISIS Away From Homes
Athra Kado had never shot a gun before, let alone seen a battlefield. Until recently Kado, 25, spent his young career in a classroom, teaching high school students how to speak Syriac, his native language. But Kado is one of hundreds of Assyrian Christian men—many with no military experience—taking up arms to protect their towns… -
news
Former Fire Chief Sues Atlanta, Mayor for Firing Him ‘Solely’ Because of His Beliefs About Marriage
Former Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran filed today a federal lawsuit against the city of Atlanta and its Mayor Kasim Reed alleging they terminated his employment because of his belief in traditional marriage. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division, states Cochran’s was fired “solely” because: …[Cochran]… -
opinion
Student Success Act Does Not Repeal Common Core. States Must Take the Lead.
The current proposals in both the House and Senate to reauthorize No Child Left Behind are working through Congress. Although the proposals eliminate and consolidate some programs, the proposals maintain elevated levels of spending overall. While they would, importantly, eliminate some mandates imposed by No Child Left Behind, they retain most others, and would extend…