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
On the Texas-Mexico Border: The View From the Front Line
• Drug cartels are helping would-be immigrants cross the border. • Border officials: 3 of 4 people crossing the border are from countries other than Mexico. • State lawmaker: “Texas is not waiting for Washington to act.” Last weekend, I visited McAllen, Texas, a hotbed of activity in the recent immigration surge on the U.S. – Mexico… -
news
Q&A: Where It’s Not ‘Too Late’ for U.S. Aims in Iraq
With the rapid advance in Iraq of the deadly terrorist group calling itself the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), political leaders and policy analysts are concerned not only with regional security in the Middle East but with new threats to America’s national security. In Part 1 of this interview, The Heritage Foundation’s expert… -
opinion
Fireworks Erupt at ICANN’s London Meeting
Some unexpected fireworks emerged from the 50th public meeting of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, held in London from June 22-26—fireworks that should be of interest to Congress as it considers the ramifications of the Obama administration’s announcement that it does not intend to renew its contract with ICANN. The first controversy… -
opinion
Environmentalists Call U.S. Workers ‘Collateral Damage’
One of the leading leftwing environmentalists last week described the hundreds of thousands of Americans who may lose their jobs due to the Obama administration’s new anti-carbon regulations as “collateral damage” in the fight against global warming. The offensive comments were issued by William S. Becker, the head of the Climate Action Project, a well-funded environmental… -
opinion
Compromising With Iran Is Not the Answer
Secretary of State John Kerry recently floated a mind-numbing idea: to help turn back ISIS, the Islamic terrorist group that has seized control of more than a third of Iraq, the U.S. could enter a cooperative arrangement with the mullahs of Iran. Yes, the administration still clings to the notion that it can advance American… -
news
Teachers Get Outfitted With Fitbits at Taxpayer Expense
DES MOINES, Iowa—Employees of the Des Moines Public Schools can forget about “no pain, no gain” when it comes to working out. Next school year, both the fit and flabby will be eligible to receive a Fitbit, one of the trendiest pieces of workout gear, and the only place the pain might be felt is… -
news
Illness, Tight Quarters for Border Crossers Recipe for ‘Public Health Crisis’
Children caught crossing the border into the United States appear well coached as they willingly surrender themselves. The youngsters respond to questions from U.S. Border Patrol agents by following directions written on printed handouts provided by smugglers. “They carry scripts with them telling them how to answer questions,” Shawn Moran, a spokesman for the National Border Patrol Council,… -
news
Q&A: How the Crisis in Iraq Puts Americans at Risk of Terrorism
Less than three years after U.S. troops left Iraq, political leaders and policy analysts are wrestling with how to respond to the growing turmoil there. But why should Americans worry about the violence and unrest? James Phillips, The Heritage Foundation’s expert in Middle Eastern affairs, underscores that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of the Islamist terror group… -
opinion
This Guy Lived the American Dream
America lost one of its great entrepreneurs of the last 50 years, and the conservative movement lost one of its most generous benefactors, when Richard Sharp, a pioneer in the astounding consumer-electronics revolution of the 1980s and 1990s, died on Tuesday. As a business leader and visionary over the past three decades, Rick Sharp, of… -
news
New Mexico Shoots Down Drones for Hunting
SANTA FE, N.M.—New Mexico is a no-drone zone. This week, the state’s Game Commission, in a 6-0 vote, passed “a prohibition against the use drones to harass wildlife and a prohibition against using drones to take or assist in hunting protected wildlife.” “It was a growing problem,” said Bill Montoya, the vice chairman of the… -
opinion
Where Have All the Jobs Gone?
The commerce department reported Wednesday that the economy contracted by nearly 3 percent from January through March. This dismal shrinkage in output has many Americans worrying about a dreaded double dip recession. On the jobs front, it feels to many Americans that the recession never ended. One of the misleading headlines from last month’s employment… -
opinion
What I Saw on the Border
I joined Lou Dobbs on his program Thursday night to discuss the continued flood of immigrants crossing the southern border and how it was affecting the morale of border agents and law enforcement officials dealing with the crisis. We also discussed what the border agents told me would stop the flood of illegal aliens, many… -
news
Larry Kudlow Attacks the Ex-Im Bank
Should Congress reauthorize the Export-Import Bank? CNBC senior contributor Larry Kudlow says absolutely not, slamming the bank for promoting “fraud, corruption, kickbacks [and] bribery.” Kudlow explains the bank’s steep faults and crony practices starting at 0:35. -
opinion
Why Reid Is Wrong to Try to Bring Back Earmarks
With the momentum of the appropriations process stalled in the Senate, Sen. Harry Reid is trying to bring back the grease that helps the legislative wheels roll: earmarks. It is no secret that the Senate Majority leader is a huge proponent of the specially-tailored spending provisions that have faced a moratorium in congress since 2011…. -
news
Florida Moves to Protect Unborn Children
Florida Governor Rick Scott signed H.B. 59, the “Unborn Victims of Violence Act,” into law last week. With the bill’s passage, Florida joins twenty-nine other states with laws that criminalize the deliberate harm or murder of an unborn child. Previously, Florida’s statute of limitations reserved criminal charges until a child reached viability outside of the… -
opinion
Refugees Now Being Targeted in Syria
The Assad regime recently targeted a Syrian refugee camp for the first time, according to residents and activists in the area. Syrian army helicopters dropped several barrel bombs on one of the camps in southern Syria, killing at least 20 people and injuring 80 more, mostly women and children. Although these highly destructive crude explosive… -
opinion
Remembering Howard Baker
Howard Baker, who died this week at the age of 88, is being remembered as a great American statesman who gave a lifetime of service to the nation. But to many, his greatest service came was seeing the Reagan White House through troubled times. After he represented Tennessee in the U.S. Senate for three terms, Baker’s name… -
news
Most in Surge of Child Border Crossers Aren’t Leaving, Authorities Say
Of the more than 24,000 unaccompanied children who entered the United States illegally last year, most haven’t left — even those who were detained. “Eighty-seven percent of those are still here in [court] proceedings because we have no final orders,” said Tom Homan, executive associate director of enforcement and removal operations for U.S. Immigration and Customs… -
opinion
Being Pro-Growth Is Pro-Family
I want to thank Ramesh Ponnuru for an enlightening debate on the idea of expanding the child tax credit (CTC). His latest posts are here and here. It seems like we agree on many aspects of the debate. First, a CTC expansion combined with lower rates on income and investment could be a big improvement… -
opinion
Aid to Cambodia: More Harm than Good?
Has spending billions of dollars in foreign aid to Cambodia over the course of decades done more harm than good? Dr. Sophal Ear, author of the book Aid Dependence in Cambodia: How Foreign Assistance Undermines Democracy, thinks so. In his recent presentation at The Heritage Foundation, Dr. Ear looked at failed land-titling campaigns spear-headed by…