U.S. Constitution News
The Daily Signal provides reporting and analysis on the U.S. Constitution, including court rulings, separation of powers, and the defense of individual rights.
-
- Opinion
As American Gun Sales Hit Record High, Tips for New Owners
Americans are buying guns at a record pace. A surprising number of the sales are from first-time firearm owners, says Stephen Gutowski, a reporter at The Washington Free Beacon and a certified National Rifle Association instructor. Gutowski joins the podcast to explain some of the reasons for the spike in gun sales and to offer…Virginia Allen -
- Opinion
Defensive Uses of Guns in July Prove Importance of Removing Barriers to Ownership
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot recently blamed her city’s acute surge in gun violence on the lack of gun control laws in other states. As many commentators have pointed out, her assertions are factually incorrect to the point of absurdity. Meanwhile, several Illinois residents are suing the state over significant—and arguably illegal—delays in processing Firearm Owner…Amy Swearer -
- News
White House Weighs Bill in Response to Big Tech on Free Speech
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows says the Trump administration is contemplating some type of regulation for social media companies as part of the COVID-19 relief legislation being negotiated with Congress. “As much as I’m a guy that says that the social media companies should be able to have their own—what I would call…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
The Chicago Gun Myth
The tragically incompetent mayor of Chicago, Lori Lightfoot, appeared on CNN’s “State of the Union” last weekend to deflect attention from the horror show unfolding in her city by blaming interlopers for its spiking murder rate: “We are being inundated with guns from states that have virtually no gun control, no background checks, no ban…David Harsanyi -
- News
Prosecutor Criticized for Charging St. Louis Couple Who Pointed Guns at Protesters
A Missouri prosecutor faces heavy scrutiny at the national and state level for bringing criminal charges against a St. Louis couple who pointed guns at trespassers in late June to defend themselves and their property. St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner filed the charges against Mark and Patricia McCloskey, who became nationally known because…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
11 Incidents in Which Lawful Gun Owners Made a Difference
As the Supreme Court continued its decadelong silence in protecting the Second Amendment, Americans last month nevertheless proved that they understand the importance of the right to keep and bear arms. The FBI conducted a record-high 3.9 million background checks for firearms sales and transfers in June. The previous record of 3.7 million was set…Amy Swearer -
- News
GOP Lawmakers Urge Attorney General to Defend St. Louis Couple’s Gun Rights After Firearm Confiscation
GOP lawmakers wrote a letter to Attorney General William Barr Friday, urging the protection of the firearm rights of the St. Louis couple that saw their guns confiscated after they went viral for defending their home against demonstrators, according to reports. Mark and Patricia McCloskey were seen in a video brandishing a M16A2-style rifle and small…Jake Dima -
- Opinion
‘Don’t Be a Vigilante’ and Other Gun Ownership Mistakes to Avoid
Millions of American gun owners are incredibly responsible. Every month, I find story after story of law-abiding citizens who used their firearms in lawful defense of themselves or others. Unfortunately, in looking through these stories, I also find far too many instances where gun owners messed up, acted irresponsibly, or didn’t appear to fully understand…Amy Swearer -
- Opinion
Justices Continue Long, Shameful Silence on Second Amendment
When the Supreme Court earlier this spring dismissed a New York gun case from its docket without ruling on the merits, disappointed Second Amendment advocates still had high hopes. After all, even though the court hadn’t decided a meaningful Second Amendment case in more than a decade, at least four justices had recently signaled their…Amy Swearer -
- Opinion
Campus War on Free Speech Reaches US Newsrooms
Two weeks ago, if you’d asked what American institution was most intolerant of dissenting opinion, preoccupied with promoting radical ideology, and prone to erupting into disruptive temper tantrums, the answer would have been easy. Now it’s not so clear—the hysteria on college campuses has spread to America’s newsrooms. Over the weekend, the opinion page editor…Mark Hemingway -
- Opinion
In These 11 Incidents, Gun Owners Defended Life and Property
The last week of May proved just how quickly the seemingly stable peace of our world can devolve into chaos and near-anarchy. Many of us, already concerned that police departments were stretched thin by COVID-19, watched in horror as law enforcement seemed to lose control of protests in major cities. For several nights, police officers…Amy Swearer -
- Opinion
A Counterbalance to the False Narratives About Gun Ownership
The data is in: Americans are flocking to gun stores in unprecedented numbers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The spike has left many gun control advocates struggling to find a motive other than pure, irrational panic. After all, the common narrative goes, “the good guy with a gun” is a myth and it’s very rare that…Amy Swearer -
- Opinion
11 More Cases in Which Responsible Gun Owners Saved Lives
In recent weeks, several instances involving the reckless use of firearms dominated national headlines. In one case, a Georgia man tragically lost his life when armed civilians crossed the line between defensive necessity and vigilantism. But such headlines tell only one side of the story. Every day, many law-abiding and responsible Americans use their firearms…Amy Swearer -
- Opinion
The Supreme Court Punts on an Easy Second Amendment Case
It’s been a decade since the Supreme Court affirmed, in District of Columbia v. Heller (2008) and McDonald v. City of Chicago (2010), that the Second Amendment protects an individual and fundamental right, striking down laws that effectively prohibited the possession of handguns in one’s own home. Since then, the court has routinely declined to…Amy Swearer -
- Opinion
Loading a New Database of Defensive Gun Use
For well over a year, The Daily Signal has published a monthly series highlighting lawful gun owners who used their firearms to protect their liberties, lives, or livelihoods. Although these articles recount just a dozen or so stories each month, the incidents are selected from hundreds of other, similar examples. Those defensive gun uses are…Amy Swearer -
- Opinion
11 Cases Where Gun Ownership Proved ‘Essential’
As the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps across the country, millions of Americans now live in states where shutdown orders effectively have stripped them of the ability to buy firearms. Although most states rightly have allowed gun stores to continue operating, a minority deemed them “nonessential businesses” that must close. Unfortunately, these ordered closures generally have occurred…Amy Swearer -
- Opinion
Want to Keep Americans Safe Without More Gun Control? Meet the TAPS Act
Too many lawmakers today cannot fathom a world where “keeping Americans safe from violence” means anything other than imposing stringent gun control measures. That makes it all the more important to highlight legislation that thinks outside the box of gun control and that gets public safety right without infringing on the rights of law-abiding Americans….Amy Swearer -
- Opinion
11 Examples of Bloomberg’s Folly on Defensive Gun Use
Earlier this month, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg was asked how he justified his push for more stringent gun control when he is guarded by an armed security detail. Bloomberg’s response? He is a wealthy businessman and politician who faces threats that normal Americans do not, so it’s just fine for him to…Amy Swearer -
- Opinion
Problematic Women: Her Husband Was Murdered in a Gun-Free Zone. Now Nikki Goeser Is Fighting Back.
Nikki Goeser watched the man who had stalked her murder her husband in a gun-free zone. Because she was a law-abiding concealed carry permit holder, Goeser’s firearm was safely locked away in her vehicle, leaving her defenseless. Now a gun rights activist, Goeser is working hard to ensure every American has the means to protect…Lauren Evans -
- Opinion
Unserious Objections to Bolstering Free Speech on Campus
Wisconsin lawmakers are taking the issue of free speech on campus seriously again—and, inexplicably, that has some people upset. Legislators recently advanced a proposal based on the commonsense idea that anyone “lawfully present on campus may protest or demonstrate,” as long as they do not interfere with someone else’s ability to do the same. The…Jonathan Butcher