Political Commentary & Opinion
Analysis, commentary, and opinion essays on politics and policy from The Daily Signal’s contributors and experts.
-
opinion
‘Gladiator II’ Is a MAGA Metaphor
Hollywood sequels rarely achieve the magic of the original, but “Gladiator II” comes close. Except for the familiar populist framework of a lone man taking on “the system” against all odds, the echoes to the original are sufficiently distant that the new movie feels fresh and original. Plus, it turns out that Ridley Scott’s blockbuster… -
opinion
Trump’s George Washington Moment
Months before the November election, a research study with which I was involved asked respondents which of 10 historical presidents they wished were in the Oval Office today. To prevent “recency” bias, we kept the list to former presidents whose legacies are largely defined: George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore… -
opinion
How Vietnam Can Be Key to America’s Strength, Stability in Indo-Pacific
Forget “Made in China.” There’s a much better alternative that puts America first. Born in 1975, the same year the Vietnam War ended, I witnessed Vietnam’s profound struggles under socialism and its remarkable transition toward a market economy. My father, who served alongside U.S. forces during the war, brought our family to the United States,… -
opinion
Stop the Smear
Young blood is here. President-elect Donald Trump has gone full throttle for a new generation of leaders. Consider these Trump nominees for Cabinet posts: Though Matt Gaetz, 42, withdrew his bid to lead the Justice Department, he fit the profile as well—young, outspoken, willing to cut against the grain. Not everyone welcomes the generational change. When smears and media… -
news
Major Democratic State Faces Devastating Population Bomb
THE CENTER SQUARE—New York’s population could decline by more than 2 million people over the next 25 years as fewer people are born in the state and more people move out, according to a new report. The study by Cornell University’s Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy’s Program on Applied Demographics projects that New… -
opinion
Inside ‘the Blob’: How Bureaucrats Brought Down Britain’s Leader
A new documentary from Palladium Pictures and The Wall Street Journal examines how Britain’s permanent bureaucracy—nicknamed “the Blob”—played a pivotal role in ending Liz Truss‘ brief tenure in late 2022 as prime minister. Through interviews with Truss and other key players, director Michael Pack, a former CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, reveals… -
news
What Role Did Ex-FBI Head Andy McCabe’s Wife Play in Gov’t Weaponization Against Parents? Conservative Group Demands Answers
FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—A conservative group is demanding documents from the Justice Department that could shed light on whether former FBI Deputy Director Andy McCabe or his wife played any role in the campaign to sic federal law enforcement on parents who protested school boards in 2021. In a statement to The Daily Signal… -
news
Battleground Michigan Set to Debate Citizen-Only Voting Initiative
Lawmakers in Michigan—one of the most fiercely contested battleground states in the 2024 presidential election—will consider an amendment to the state Constitution to ensure that only citizens vote. Michigan state Rep. Bryan Posthumus, the No. 2 Republican in the House as floor leader, says that next month he will propose a constitutional amendment requiring prospective voters… -
opinion
How Not to Think About Syria
The rapid demise of the brutal Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria has taken every geopolitical analyst and self-proclaimed Middle East “expert” by storm. Following 53 years of brutal Assad family rule and 13 years of bloody civil war, the Syrian strongman abruptly fled for asylum in Moscow as rebels finalized their encircling of Damascus. In… -
news
‘Hell’: A Hostage’s Story
Aviva Siegel’s whole face brightened. “Of course, I have to,” she said when asked if she allows herself to dream about the day her husband is freed from captivity in Gaza. “My heart will explode. I will scream. I will jump into the air, and it’s just going to be … I don’t know, I’ll… -
opinion
Make America Healthy Again: Sanders Calls for Ban on Using Food Stamps for Junk Food
One governor is fed up with taxpayers subsidizing junk food—and hurting the long-term health of their fellow Americans. Food stamps—formally known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program—“is undermining the health of millions of Americans, on the taxpayer’s dime, by encouraging families to eat highly processed, unhealthy junk food,” writes Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders in… -
news
MORE THAN TWO DOZEN: New Report Reveals How Many Informants FBI Had on Jan. 6
Two dozen FBI confidential sources were part of the crowd outside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and four of those informants illegally entered the building, according to a new report by the Department of Justice’s Office of Inspector General. Another 13 of the 26 confidential human sources were in restricted areas around the Capitol… -
news
EXCLUSIVE: What Has HHS Withheld on COVID-19 Vax? Sen. Ron Johnson Is About to Find Out
FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—A new letter from Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., puts federal health agencies on notice that he plans to subpoena unredacted records withheld by the Biden administration on potential adverse effects of the COVID-19 vaccines. “It appears that even in the waning days of the Biden administration, your agencies will remain defiant… -
news
‘Lawlessness’: Calls Grow for Ouster of Bragg After Penny Prosecution
THE CENTER SQUARE—New York Republicans are calling on Gov. Kathy Hochul to fire Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg following his failed prosecution of Daniel Penny over Jordan Neely’s chokehold death. On Monday, a 12-member Manhattan jury found the ex-Marine not guilty in a verdict that came after days of jury deliberations and courtroom wrangling. Penny… -
news
Charity Fashion Gala Showcases Conservative Designer’s First Ladies Dress Collection
“I love the fashion sense of Melania Trump. I love the fashion sense of Michelle Obama. I love the idea that these iconic women did something for America, whether good or bad or influential. I love all of them.” That’s what self-described gay Asian American celebrity fashion designer Andre Soriano told The Daily Signal about… -
opinion
The Devils Are Here
This week, a deranged 26-year-old anti-capitalist allegedly shot to death the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, Brian Thompson, on the streets of New York. The alleged shooter carried a manifesto with him, decrying the nature of America’s health care system: “Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming.” The manifesto claimed that America spends more than any other… -
opinion
What’s Going on With Black and Hispanic Women?
One question emerging from the presidential election exit polls is the disconnect between black men and women and Hispanic men and women. Donald Trump received support from 21% of black men and 7% of black women, a disparity of 14 points. He got support from 54% of Hispanic men and 39% of Hispanic women, a… -
opinion
Whiskey Resurgence in the Heart of the Rebellion
LATROBE, Pennsylvania—The making of whiskey in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, has often been fraught with a fair amount of drama. Whether it was those trying to make it or those trying to drink it, the government has sought to tax and sometimes even ban both activities. Two hundred thirty years ago, William Findley, a Revolutionary War hero,… -
opinion
How Close Are We to World War III?
President-elect Donald Trump will inherit a far more unstable world than the one he left President Joe Biden just four years ago. The war between Russia and Ukraine continues to grind on, escalating at the behest of the Biden administration. The situation in the Middle East, with the fall of the Assad government in Syria,… -
opinion
2 More Celebrities Embrace Traditional Values
Two big-name celebrities did something radical last weekend: They embraced traditional values. Could these be signs that the tides are turning in the culture war? Is the public finally canceling cancel culture? Pop singer Gwen Stefani announced on social media that she will partner with Hallow, the world’s No. 1 prayer app for Catholics, to…