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
On This Day: Remembering the Battles of Mogadishu and COP Keating
For some, Oct. 3 may be just another day. But for others aware of the sacrifice, today is remembered as the anniversary of two of the fiercest modern engagements of U.S. troops: the Battle of Mogadishu and the Battle of Combat Outpost Keating, which took place in 1993 and 2009, respectively. Fought against different enemies,… -
opinion
Things Are Improving. But We Still Need a Better Recovery.
Today’s jobs report brought mostly good news for America’s workers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics found the labor market grew robustly in September. Employers added a quarter-million net new jobs and the unemployment rate fell 0.2 percentage points to 5.9 percent. However, the details of the report contained some cautionary notes that make it too… -
news
Jimmy Carter Thinks He Could Have Beaten Reagan If He’d Been ‘Manly’
Former President Jimmy Carter believes he could have defeated President Ronald Reagan in the 1980 election if he had been more “manly.” In an interview with CNBC, Carter said: “I could’ve been re-elected if I’d taken military action against Iran, shown that I was strong and resolute and manly and so forth.” -
opinion
Will Hong Kong Be the Scene of Next Tiananmen Square?
I first visited Hong Kong in 1969 when I interviewed young Chinese “freedom swimmers” who had traversed the treacherous Hong Kong Bay—infested by sharks and patrolled by Chinese Communist gun boats—to reach the British crown colony of Hong Kong. “Why did you risk your life to come to Hong Kong?” I asked the young swimmers… -
opinion
Cartoon: The Calm Before the Storm
Looming debt, government spending and unpaid financial obligations add up to a bad forecast for American citizens. -
opinion
This Government Program Can’t Even Give Money Away
Surprise, surprise: Companies aren’t lining up to become the next Solyndra. Imagine that. The Wall Street Journal reports that companies are hesitating to take loan guarantees from the Department of Energy, where up to $40 billion remains available “for companies developing certain kinds of clean-energy technologies.” The Journal article hints at everything that’s wrong with… -
news
NFL Player Penalized for Prayer
Kansas City Chiefs safety Husain Abdullah was penalized for praying on the field during Monday’s Chiefs-Patriots game. After making the sixth interception of his career, Abdullah, a Muslim, knelt in practice of the Sajdah, a prayer in which Muslims prostrate themselves in the direction of Mecca. Abdullah’s act of prayer resulted in a 15-yard penalty… -
opinion
Are Stoners the Next Hot Voting Bloc? Jimmy Kimmel Investigates
The Jimmy Kimmel crew ask some people by a medical marijuana dispensary in California some basic questions about politics. And the results aren’t exactly high scores for anyone. -
opinion
Pipeline Expansion Could Relieve Railcar Delays
Senators John Thune (R–SD) and Amy Klobuchar (D–MN) are calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture to conduct an economic analysis of how domestic railcar service challenges may be hurting the agriculture industry. Regardless of whether an economic analysis by the federal government is necessary, one thing is clear: To prevent unnecessary bottlenecks in transportation… -
opinion
Goddard College Made a Bad Choice in Its Commencement Speaker. Now It Should Revoke This Cop Killer’s Invite.
This week, Goddard College in Plainfield, Vt., announced that its commencement address would be delivered by Mumia Abu-Jamal, an unrepentant cop killer serving a life sentence for murdering 25-year-old Philadelphia police officer Danny Faulkner. I cannot fathom how anyone could think it appropriate to honor a cold-blooded murderer—one who ambushed a police officer, shot that… -
news
Government Agrees to Settlement for Raiding Reporter’s Home, Seizing Confidential Files
An investigative reporter whose private files were illegally seized during a raid on her home will receive $50,000 as part of a settlement with the Department of Homeland Security. How one reporter turned a government raid on her home into a win for press freedom. Audrey Hudson, an award-winning journalist most recently at the Washington Times, told… -
opinion
6 Steps to Subtract 2 Numbers: Common Core Homework in 1 Photo
For third-graders learning Common Core math in Georgia, there are four ways to subtract—and only four ways allowed. The picture above is just one of the methods for subtraction under Common Core straight from RedState editor in chief Erick Erickson's third-grade daughter’s math book. Missing from the four methods: borrowing and carrying numbers. You know, the old-fashioned-taught-the-same-way-for-decades-granny-method-not-approved-by-bureaucrats subtraction. … -
news
Fined $13,000 by State, Farmers Are Fighting Back Against ‘Discrimination’ Ruling
A couple who declined to allow a same-sex wedding ceremony on their family farm in upstate New York filed an appeal today that their attorney says will challenge “every facet” of a recent discrimination ruling against them. In September 2012, a lesbian couple approached Cynthia and Robert Gifford about holding their wedding on the Giffords’ Liberty Ridge… -
news
Wind Farms Getting a Pass on Killing Endangered Bats?
Nothing strikes fear into developers and property owners more than a new critter on the federal list of endangered species. Case in point: The northern long-eared bat, found in 39 states. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service probably will place it on the list in April. The logging industry is worried. “The economic loss to the entire state of Michigan would… -
opinion
More Bad News for Some Californians: Mayor Wants to Introduce Yet More Climate Regulations
You stay green, San Diego. But it’s going to cost you. San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer has introduced what would be a costly, aggressive climate plan in a state that already has some of the most egregious climate regulations on the books. Faulconer’s plan consists largely of forcing expensive and intermittent renewable energy sources on… -
news
Opposing John Boehner for Speaker Could Come With Repercussions
Conservatives planning to buck the status quo and oppose the reelection of John Boehner as House speaker have received a warning shot. Sources on Capitol Hill say dissenters could be stripped of their committee assignments should they fail to support the two-term speaker. There haven’t been any public challenges to Boehner, though reports have surfaced… -
opinion
How to Wage a Better (Information) War Against Terrorism
Defeating ISIS “requires the application of all the tools of national power–diplomatic, economic, information, military,” stated Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at a Pentagon news conference on Aug. 21. For Rick Stengel, who took over six months ago as undersecretary of state for public diplomacy, developing the public diplomacy piece of… -
opinion
The 17-Year-Old Leading Thousands to Protest Communism
An “extremist” … “a threat” … “an infiltrate.” These are the words Chinese mainland authorities, national security and pro-Beijing newspapers use to describe 17-year-old Joshua Wong. But to those in favor of freedom, Wong is a hero. He’s one of the students leading the demonstrations in Hong Kong where millions are gathered making legitimate demands… -
news
Saying ‘No’ to Undocumented Minors Lands Town in Hot Water
One small Virginia town is the target of a racial discrimination complaint from a fair housing group and a shuttered college that would have benefited from a plan to house undocumented minors. When word broke this summer the federal government—at the original suggestion of Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources Bill Hazel and Secretary of Education Anne… -
news
Job Losses Adding Up in America’s Most Liberal State
Jeb Spaulding’s unexpected departure as secretary of the Vermont Agency of Administration spells the loss of one of Gov. Peter Shumlin’s trusted advisers at a time when bad news mounts in a state Gallup ranks as the most liberal in America. The administration depicted Spaulding’s move to become chancellor of the Vermont State Colleges as…