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
Vote of No Confidence: Americans Have Little Faith in Media
A recent Gallup poll finds that Americans’ confidence in each of the three major media platforms—television news, newspapers and Internet news—has plummeted to record lows. When asked to identify from a list of 17 vital American institutes which they had a “great deal” or “quite a-lot” of confidence in, more than a thousand participants ranked… -
opinion
A Majority of Young Adults Are Having Kids Outside Marriage. Why That Hurts Kids’ Futures.
Among young adults, first comes baby, then (maybe) comes marriage. This increasingly is the new normal. According to a new study from Johns Hopkins University, 57 percent of mothers between 26 and 31 are unmarried when their child is born But not all young adults are having kids outside of marriage. Instead, the key factor… -
opinion
Why Are So Many Young Adults Not Looking for Jobs?
Economists are scratching their heads trying to figure out a puzzle in this recovery: Why are young people not working? People retiring at age 60 or even 55 in a weak economy is easy to understand. But at 25? The percentage of adult Americans who are working or looking for work now stands at 62.8%,… -
news
Internet Tax Ban Moves a Step Closer to Becoming Permanent
Tension between federal and state powers over a permanent ban on Internet access taxes took the spotlight this week on Capitol Hill. Unless Congress votes to extend it, a moratorium banning state and local governments from taxing Internet access, first enacted in 1998, will expire Nov. 1. The Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act the House… -
news
EPA Administrator Denies New Regulations Are a ‘War on Coal’
In a recent interview on POLITICO’s Open Mike with Mike Allen, Environmental Protection Agency administrator Gina McCarthy denied claims that the Obama administration is launching a “war on coal” with its new regulations. “No,” McCarthy said. “I don’t want to get complicated with my answer because when I do, people think I’m hedging. The answer… -
opinion
Setting the Record Straight on the 30-Year Mortgage
The Financial Services Roundtable (FSR), a leading lobbyist for the financial services industry, has released a statement titled “Heritage Dismissal of Importance of the 30 Year Mortgage for Modest Income Americans is misguided.” As intriguing as the title sounds, Heritage has not dismissed the importance of the 30-year mortgage. In fact, the Backgrounder that has… -
opinion
Scott Walker on New Attacks: ‘I Will Not Back Down’
Abraham Lincoln once said, “Truth is generally the best vindication against slander.” The truth on the widely covered “John Doe” is that two judges, one state and one federal, reviewed the accusations of partisans within a Democrat District Attorney’s Office and determined their theories have no merit or basis in law. Each of these judges… -
news
Paul Ryan Confronts IRS Commissioner: ‘I Don’t Believe You’
The House’s investigation of the Internal Revenue Service targeting scandal reached a fever pitch on Capitol Hill today. During a hearing of the Ways and Means Committee, Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., laid into IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. Watch the part at 1:15 to see it get really heated. -
opinion
EMP: Bigger Scare Than “Friday the 13th Solar Flares” on the Horizon
Last week’s “Friday the 13th solar flares” were one example of an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) event. Whether the event is natural or man-made, such an event could wreak havoc on our modern society, which is increasingly dependent on technology. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), there were 17 solar flares last week… -
opinion
Canadian BMD Gets a Boost
Ballistic missile defense (BMD) is continuing to gain significant support in Canada. On June 17, the Canadian Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defense unanimously recommended that Canada enter into an agreement with the United States to fully participate in BMD efforts. The committee’s judgments represent another important and necessary move toward shifting Canada’s… -
opinion
Texas Won’t Wait on Washington to Secure the Border
Texas officials won’t wait on the federal government to secure their southern border with Mexico. Thousands of illegal immigrants, predominantly children from Central America crossing without their parents or other adult relatives, have flooded in to McAllen and other south Texas communities in recent weeks, creating a humanitarian and security crisis. In a letter to the… -
news
March for Marriage in Photos: ‘We’re Not Here to Be Anti-Anything’
On a hot, humid day in Washington, men, women and children from across the nation gathered near the Capitol to celebrate marriage as it has been historically and traditionally defined – as the union between one man and one woman. The event, March for Marriage, attracted people of diverse ethnicities and backgrounds. Although the rally and march… -
news
Media All Out for Same-Sex Marriage? Let’s Ask These Guys
Organizers call the March for Marriage an “indispensable vehicle” for showing the world — and mainstream media — that support for the preservation of marriage is alive and well. Yet, as thousands gathered in the sun today on Capitol Hill to rally behind the historic and tradition views of marriage — as the union of… -
opinion
Why We March for Marriage
Today thousands gathered on the National Mall for the second annual March for Marriage. Organized by the National Organization for Marriage, the rally provides a platform for Americans to make their voices heard on behalf of marriage as the union of one man and one woman, even as federal judges have disregarded the votes of… -
opinion
The Latest Allegations in Wisconsin Are Much Ado About Nothing
Today’s revelations about local prosecutors’ claims that Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker “was at the center of an effort to illegally coordinate fundraising among conservative groups” in a “criminal scheme” are much ado about nothing. Why? Because federal district court Judge Rudolph Randa already enjoined the prosecutors’ investigation, saying they were trying to criminalize the political… -
news
How a ‘Threatened’ Species Is Threatening Jobs in One State
HOXIE, Kan.—These days, when Kyle Randa scouts a new location for an oil well, his schedule is a little different. He still gets up early to drive out to the spot. But rather than get right to work, he sits for a few hours and listens. And hopes he doesn’t hear the booming call of… -
news
House Republicans Choose McCarthy as Majority Leader, Scalise as Whip
Kevin McCarthy of California defeated Idaho conservative Raúl Labrador in this afternoon’s Republican conference election for House majority leader. In the election to replace McCarthy as majority whip, Steve Scalise of Louisiana bested Peter Roskam of Illinois and Indiana’s Marlin Stutzman. Early vote counts had predicted McCarthy, 49, and Scalise, 48, would emerge victorious in… -
opinion
Want to Know What’s Happening on the Border? Join Our Hangout Today
Join our Google+ Hangout today LIVE at 1 p.m. ET where we’ll discuss what is happening on the border, why it’s happening, why it matters, and what can be done about it. We have three great guests covering unique but complimentary angles. Texas commissioner of agriculture Todd Staples will tell us what is happening on… -
news
‘We Want Out’: Bobby Jindal Pulls Louisiana From Common Core
“We want out of Common Core.” With that pronouncement, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal yesterday delivered a clear message to state residents. On the heels of similar moves by Indiana, Oklahoma, and South Carolina, Jindal acted to make the Bayou State the fourth state to exit the national education standards known as Common Core. Bypassing the… -
news
Labrador Wins Attention of GOP in Bid for House Majority Leader
Vote counts show California’s Kevin McCarthy has all but secured election today as majority leader of the House of Representatives, but Idaho’s Raúl Labrador looks to have made a good impression with heartfelt pleas for support. During a candidate forum Wednesday morning, Labrador delivered an impassioned speech to the Republican conference. “I want every member,…