Washington Politics & News
The Daily Signal covers Washington state politics with reporting on progressive Seattle policies, rural-urban divides, tax debates, and political divisions between Western and Eastern Washington.
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- Opinion
The So-Called Republican Majority Is Advancing Only Washington’s Priorities
The American people elected a Republican majority to the U.S. Senate believing that a Republican majority would be somehow different from a Democratic majority. Unfortunately, the way the current Senate operates, there is one party, the Washington party. Senate leadership consists of the Mitch McConnell-Harry Reid leadership team. They operate as a team. They support…Ted Cruz -
- News
Cuban Embassy in Washington Reopens to Fanfare, Anger
The Cuban Embassy in Washington, D.C., reopened Monday morning, marking the official end to 61 years of hostility between the Cuban and American governments. Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla was on hand in Washington to raise the Cuban flag as the Cuban and American National Anthems played in sequence. The event was…Madaline Donnelly -
- Opinion
225 Years Ago Washington, DC, Was Founded: Here’s Why It Will Never Become the 51st State
It’s that time of the year again: U.S. House Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton is ramping up her efforts to make Washington, D.C., the 51st state in the Union. Her bill, which would create the state of New Columbia from the existing District of Columbia, is the latest in a long line of legislative proposals with the…Mike Sabo -
- News
What the Newest Addition to the Washington Nationals Can Teach Us About Conservatism
Baseball fans should be on the lookout for a new addition at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., later this week. Ladies & gents, please meet the newest #Nats Racing President: Calvin Coolidge! Welcome to The Show, Calvin. pic.twitter.com/ZWox6RpSYB — Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 1, 2015 Calvin Coolidge will join five other former U.S. presidents in…Samantha Reinis -
- Opinion
Exclusive: Ted Cruz on the ‘Age of Cronyism’ in Washington
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, sat down for an exclusive interview with The Daily Signal to talk about what he describes as the “age of cronyism” in Washington. From the backroom deals being made to push through President Obama’s trade agenda to the fight over the Export-Import Bank, sugar subsidies and the ongoing battle to repeal Obamacare,…Genevieve Wood -
- News
Ted Cruz: ‘Washington Fairness’ Is ‘Hammer the Little Guy, Help the Big Guy’
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz spoke out today against the cozy relationship between lawmakers on Capitol Hill and corporations’ lobbyists, or what he calls the “Washington Cartel.” He criticized lawmakers with open “ears and wallets” for appeasing special interests while hurting U.S. taxpayers. “Let me explain to you how it works: A bill is set to…Melissa Quinn -
- Opinion
Let America Fix the Highways Washington Broke
Congress has a particularly bad habit of bailing out federal programs without addressing the underlying problems that caused failure in the first place. This round, we’re punting the ball on the Highway Trust Fund. However, this time is different. We have a common-sense solution to reform our nation’s transportation policy, modernize America’s outdated transportation infrastructure…Sen. Mike Lee -
- News
What Do Millennials Want From Washington? A Panel Examines
Washington, D.C.—“There’s a moment coming where we realize it’s on us, that there’s no one coming to save us, that this is not, ‘the adults are coming to fix things,’” said Rock the Vote President Ashley Spillane, alluding to a not-so-distant 2016 election. “I think that that’s coming … and hopefully we will see a…Madaline Donnelly -
- Opinion
The Dirty Secret of How Washington ‘Balances’ the Budget
For the first time in more than five years, Congress has passed a budget plan. The plan would balance the budget by 2024—but only if Congress were to enact additional enabling legislation that would actually accomplish the savings included in their budget. That’s a huge “if.” This is one of Washington’s dirty secrets. Members of…Romina Boccia -
- Opinion
Cartoon: Washington’s Transportation Spending
Heritage's Michael Sargent wrote about the Highway Transit Fund earlier this week: Transportation funding could hit a dead-end at the end of the month. On May 31, the Highway Trust Fund’s authorization to pay for the nation’s highway and mass transit projects will expire. Even worse, the fund is running a $13 billion cash flow…Glenn Foden -
- Opinion
Washington Is Mismanaging Your Gas Tax Dollars. Here’s Why States Should Have Control.
Transportation funding could hit a dead-end at the end of the month. On May 31, the Highway Trust Fund’s authorization to pay for the nation’s highway and mass transit projects will expire. Even worse, the fund is running a $13 billion cash flow deficit this year and is expected to exhaust all its money sometime…Michael Sargent -
- News
K-12 School Removes Washington Post Profile of Ryan T. Anderson From Its Facebook Page. Here’s Why.
Yesterday, The Heritage Foundation’s leading scholar on marriage policy was featured on the front page of The Washington Post as the right’s “fresh voice on same-sex marriage.” The premise of the article was this: A day in the life of Ryan T. Anderson, whose work reflects the belief that marriage should only be between a…Kelsey Bolar -
- News
Public Citizen Earned Four Pinocchios from The Washington Post’s Fact Checker
We all know the story Pinocchio: Every time he told a lie, his nose grew. The same thing has happened to Public Citizen, which is often considered “influential on the left in the trade debate.” A March 13 press release on trade-related job-loss statistics by Public Citizen failed the Washington Post’s famous Pinocchio test. The…Anthony B. Kim -
- News
Rand Paul Assails Corrupt ‘Washington Machine’ as He Opens White House Bid
Sen. Rand Paul today entered the race for president by urging voters to join him in fighting for “restrained” government and “maximized” freedom. “Too often Republicans have squandered our victory by becoming part of the Washington machine,” @RandPaul says. Asking help from God and “lovers of liberty,” the Kentucky Republican pledged if elected to shut down “the…Ken McIntyre -
- Opinion
Cartoon: Washington’s Idea of ‘Budgeting’
Interested in learning more about the budget? Check out The Heritage Foundation's analyses of the Republican House and Senate budgets—and whether Republicans were willing to make the tough cuts or not: • How Does the House Budget Measure Up? • How Does the Senate Budget Measure Up?Glenn Foden -
- News
GOP White House Hopefuls Welcome Israeli Leader’s Washington Visit
A much-anticipated speech by Israel’s prime minister to a joint meeting of Congress on the nuclear threat posed by Iran gave prospective Republican candidates for president an opportunity, and many of them took it. By the time Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu begins his address today at 11 a.m. EST (about 6 p.m. in Israel), these White House…Ken McIntyre -
- Opinion
Why Washington Shouldn’t Control Transportation Decisions
Predictably, President Barack Obama’s 2016 budget request calls for higher taxes to partially finance a $4-trillion spending tsunami. One of the more senseless tax hikes would fall on multinational businesses and is sought to pay for a transportation budget more lavish than necessary. It’s baffling why Obama would propose this tax on businesses’ foreign income,…Emily Goff -
- Opinion
Washington Might Not Be Pushing Tax Cuts, But Republican Governors Are
While the prospects for tax reform in Washington are dim, as many as 20 Republican governors are moving forward with their own pro-growth tax-relief initiatives. This is on top of the 14 states, including Florida, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin, whose 2014 tax cuts will take effect this year. Arizona’s new Gov. Doug Ducey says his…Stephen Moore -
- News
Border Patrol Union Leader Blasts Washington: ‘We’re in the Middle of Political Football’
A union leader for U.S. Border Patrol agents spoke out today to voice concern about the political haggling over funding for the Department of Homeland Security. “We don’t want our border left unguarded,” says @Shawn_Moran Shawn Moran, vice president for the National Border Patrol Council, says the congressional showdown over President Obama’s executive actions and…Josh Siegel -
- News
Washington State Might Hike Legal Smoking Age to 21
Washington state may become the first state to make the legal smoking age the same as the legal drinking age: 21. State Attorney General Bob Ferguson, a Democrat, is behind the new proposal, according to Fox News. In a statement, Ferguson said, “The harmful consequences of tobacco are clear. Smoking kills 8,300 Washingtonians every year,…Ben Smith