Political Commentary & Opinion
Analysis, commentary, and opinion essays on politics and policy from The Daily Signal’s contributors and experts.
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news
This Governor Wants Taxpayers to Back a State Version of an Embattled Federal Agency
The remaining days of the U.S. Export-Import Bank may be numbered, beset as it is by accusations of corporate cronyism, but at least one big-state governor thinks it’s a good idea to start up a smaller-scale version of the federal bank. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo proposes to create what he envisions as the Empire… -
news
Protesters Return to Streets as Hong Kong Leaders Cancel Talks
The stare-down between Hong Kong’s government and pro-democracy demonstrators intensified for a second day after the government pulled out of planned talks. Hong Kong’s government and student leaders of the protests, which began Sept. 28, had agreed to begin talks Friday on the future of democracy in the city. The government canceled the talks after… -
opinion
Nobel Peace Prize Shines Light on Indo-Pakistani Tensions
This year’s Nobel Peace Prize brings attention to long-standing tensions between India and Pakistan, which have flared in the last week due to heavy cross-border shelling between the two militaries that has killed at least 20 people. The Nobel Committee split the reward between Malala Yousafzai, a 17-year-old Pakistani girl shot by the Taliban for her… -
opinion
Red Bull Settles False Advertising Lawsuit for $13 Million Because It Actually Doesn’t Give You Wings
This one will be hard to top when it comes to absurd lawsuits. Energy drink company Red Bull settled two class-action lawsuits over its claim that “Red Bull gives you wings.” It seems some consumers took the slogan literally, and when they didn’t actually grow wings, sued the company for misrepresentation. In the settlement, Red Bull agreed to… -
news
No Parents Allowed: This Community’s Kids Are Solving Youth Violence on Their Own
Children of various ages assembled at a Christian church in Memphis, Tenn., this week for the first of three “kid only” forums as part of a city-wide effort to diminish adolescent violence. According to the city’s Youth Services Director James Nelson, adults and even local police officers were asked by event organizers to wait outside so the… -
news
Victor Boutros: ‘In Order to End Poverty, We Must End Violence’
In their new book, “The Locust Effect,” authors Victor Boutros and Gary A. Haugen contend the best efforts to help the global poor are thwarted by a “plague of everyday violence” that destroys lives like a “horde of locusts.” According to the authors, the end of poverty requires the end of violence. Violence destroys gains… -
news
Drive for Uber, Go to Jail in One Alabama City
CULLMAN, Ala.—Tuscaloosa residents who offer rides to others through the ridesharing service Uber soon could find themselves in handcuffs. A Tuscaloosa city spokeswoman confirmed this week the city will follow through on an ultimatum issued last week and put drivers behind bars for violating Tuscaloosa’s vehicle-for-hire ordinance, a misdemeanor. “The city has decided to step up… -
opinion
What War on Women? Women Are Thriving in America
From education to earnings, American women today enjoy unprecedented levels of opportunity. Yet too many candidates seem oblivious to the dramatic gains women have made. They're stuck in a time warp, channeling the problems and political causes of the '60s. Outdated policy prescriptions intended to help women, can actually work to hurt us. It's time… -
news
Advocates for Children’s Rights Win Nobel Peace Prize
Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan and Kailash Satyarthi of India—advocates for children’s rights—will share this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. Yousafzai’s fight for girls’ education gained international attention after she was shot by the Taliban for daring to go to school. She has advocated that all girls should be able to do the same. Yousufzai’s father Ziauddin… -
opinion
Everything You Need to Know About Bitcoin
As the number of retailers accepting Bitcoin has increased, more and more people are asking: What is Bitcoin? Here’s an attempt to unravel the mystery. Imagine you have a type of money you can send directly to anyone anywhere else in the world, via the Internet. That’s Bitcoin. Bitcoin is both a digital currency and… -
opinion
Cartoon: Jumping Ship?
As November nears and President Obama's approval numbers plummet, some Democrat senate candidates decide to go overboard. >>> This Senate Candidate Was Asked If She Voted for Obama. She Refused to Answer. -
opinion
The Visa Waiver Program and America’s Safety
Some Members of Congress have raised security questions about continuing the Visa Waiver Program (VWP)—since Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) members could legally enter the U.S. with passports from VWP partner countries. Former Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff, however, stressed that cancelling the VWP would make the U.S. less safe, while hurting… -
opinion
Unbelievable: City Demands Girl Tear Down Her Playground…That She Received from Make-A-Wish Foundation
We assume that everyone, including government officials, exercise common sense when making decisions. So much for that assumption: recently, a local government took an action that could destroy the dreams of a young girl for apparently no good reason. Tiffany Miranda is a 10-year-old girl from Santa Fe Springs, Calif., who suffers from a rare,… -
opinion
This Hilarious John Oliver Video Explains How Police Can Legally Seize Your Property
What started off as a measure to hurt drug kingpins and their criminal empires by confiscation of their property has morphed into an often abused law enforcement tactic that harms blameless citizens. “Civil forfeiture,” as the procedure which allows police to seize property suspected of being related to a crime is called, was the subject… -
opinion
U.S. Does Not Lack Brand Recognition
Imagine the federal government creating a company to promote an industry and bankrolling up to half of its budget. If this company were promoting the oil and gas industry or agribusiness or banking, people would be outraged, and rightly so. But when it comes to the tourism industry, daydreams of beach vacations and mountain retreats… -
opinion
ICANN 51: A Turning Point or a Cliff?
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) will hold a meeting next week in Los Angeles. The meeting, the 51st of its kind (hence the name “ICANN 51”), comes at an important cusp in the development of a new model for governing the Internet. Major issues that should merit public attention are how… -
news
Employers in San Francisco Required to Provide Commuter Benefits or Face Daily Fines Up to $10,000
Employers in the San Francisco Bay Area are adjusting to a new regulation this month that requires them to provide commuter benefits to employees. The Bay Area Commuter Benefits Program mandates private, public and non-profit companies with 50 or more full-time employees to offer commuter benefits in an effort to “improve air quality and reduce… -
news
Cab Drivers Hate It, Entrepreneurs Embrace It: The Ridesharing Revolution
Ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft have expanded to more than 100 cities across the United States, offering an alternative to the traditional taxi. But in this competitive transportation industry, these companies have encountered regulatory barriers and strong opposition from taxi drivers. >>> Uber Fights to Win the Regulatory War The Daily Signal rode with… -
opinion
Why Are We Paying $300 Million to Help the Brazilian Cotton Industry?
Taxpayers are being forced to pay $300 million to help the cotton industry–the Brazilian cotton industry–in order to resolve a long-standing dispute between the U.S. and Brazil over cotton subsidies. In 2002, Brazil brought an action against the United States arguing that American cotton subsidies violated World Trade Organization rules. The Congressional Research Service explains:… -
opinion
Born at Just 23 Weeks, She’s Making a Very Loud Statement
She weighed just over 1 pound when she was born at 23 weeks–but nearly three months later, baby Bella is still alive and well. At her birth, Bella was the same size as many babies who are legally and electively aborted in the United States every day. Her mom, Vicky Jackson, wants to make sure…