Opinion and commentary on news, politics, culture, and policy impact.
Tibet, located in far western China, has long been a distinct ethnic and cultural enclave. It has also frequently come under persecution from the Chinese government in Beijing. That persecution has only escalated in recent years. In 2016, the Chinese government began demolishing one of the world’s largest Tibetan Buddhist academies, the Larung Gar, forcing…
North Korean threats to strike the U.S. have hit a new obstacle. On Tuesday, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency conducted a successful test of the ground-based midcourse defense system. The test presents a seminal point in the development of the system because for the first time ever, it managed to shoot down an intercontinental-range ballistic missile…
Among Obamacare’s many problems, one of the most troubling is its mandate that nearly all insurance plans must cover abortion-inducing drugs and contraception. As Congress moves to repeal and replace the onerous health care law, the Trump administration is taking steps to free Americans with conscience objections from this onerous requirement, known as the “HHS…
Social justice warriors seem to have hit a wall in American politics. Perhaps sensing that their attempts to fundamentally transform America through top-down control have reached their limit, they are doubling down on reshaping America from the ground up. Their new favorite target is American history, and they are starting with low-hanging fruit: Confederate monuments….
President Donald Trump has fulfilled a key campaign pledge, announcing that the U.S. will withdraw from the Paris climate agreement. The Paris Agreement, which committed the U.S. to drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions, was a truly bad deal—bad for American taxpayers, American energy companies, and every single American who depends on affordable, reliable energy. It…
Anyone who has followed the hyperbolic debate about net neutrality has likely heard that the Federal Communications Commission is moving to “squelch competition,” “limit consumer choice,” “raise prices,” and perhaps even “destroy the internet.” At least, that is what some activists and crusading late-night comedians claim. But none of this is true. Rather, what the…
When I was little, mom would leave detailed lists of chores on the kitchen counter each summer morning for my siblings and me to complete before we could play baseball, ride bikes, or go swimming. And when I arrived at college, basically everyone with whom I became friends, a group from a wide range of…
The United States Missile Defense Agency has accomplished a historic feat. On Tuesday, the agency successfully intercepted an intercontinental ballistic missile in an important test utilizing its ground-based midcourse defense system. The ICBM—mocked up to resemble a missile capable of carrying a nuclear payload similar to the ones that North Korea is feverishly pursuing—was launched…
When it comes to threatening the free speech rights of American citizens, progressives have largely been the culprits at the federal level. Yet increasingly, Republican state legislators have taken up this crusade. Last month, New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez rightly vetoed a Republican-supported bill that would have forced nonprofits to disclose their supporters’ personal information, saying…
As President Donald Trump settles back in Washington after his trip to Europe and the Middle East, his administration will continue to roll out related defense and foreign policy initiatives through multiple departments and agencies. For the purposes of strategic planning, what organizing principle might be useful to inform such initiatives, consistent with existing statements…
This month, The Heritage Foundation took its message of economic freedom on the road to Spain. The first stop was the ancient city of Córdoba, a medium-sized town on the Guadalquivir River about 250 miles south of Madrid. It has been part of the region of Andalucia in the south of the country since the…
With the health care debate currently dominating headlines, many Americans may be unaware of a more subtle issue that is affecting the U.S. health care system. That issue is an increasing shortage of medical professionals. An analysis by the Association of American Medical Colleges estimates that by 2030, America will likely experience a shortage of…
Secretary of Defense James Mattis has an important decision to make soon, which may have significant readiness implications for the armed forces On June 30, 2016, then-Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter announced a change in policy to allow transgender individuals to serve openly in the U.S. armed forces, effective at the latest by July 1,…
In 1798, Thomas Malthus wrote “An Essay on the Principle of Population.” He predicted that mankind’s birthrate would outstrip our ability to grow food and would lead to mass starvation. Malthus’ wrong predictions did not deter Stanford University professor Paul Ehrlich from making a similar prediction. In his 1968 best-seller, “The Population Bomb,” which has…
You didn’t log on to the internet or switch on cable television in 1788 Boston to obtain breaking news of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. You hiked to the nearest tavern or coffeehouse to pick up a copy of the latest newspaper to learn what—in those days of rudimentary communication—passed for the latest news. When…
In response to the terrible violence on Friday, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler wants to make the city a safe space, urging the federal government to block two controversial events slated to be held in the liberal enclave in early June. But curbing free speech isn’t the right response—and Wheeler’s decision to do so now suggests…
Each year, Planned Parenthood Federation of America issues an annual report outlining the abortion giant’s medical service data, revenue and expenses, and advocacy and educational activity. This week, the 2015-2016 report went public. These reports are typically published in December or January, but this year’s highly anticipated report was inexplicably released several months later than…
When people you know well, admire, and who share your values do something you strongly oppose, you have two options: 1) Cease admiring them, or 2) try to understand them and change their minds. In the case of my conservative friends who still snipe (or worse) at President Donald Trump, I have rejected option one….
Editor's Note: To help commemorate Memorial Day, we decided to share some of your comments responding to holiday pieces in recent years from Heritage Foundation national security expert James Jay Carafano and others.—Ken McIntyre Dear Daily Signal: Both my parents served in World War I, my brother and myself in World War II. I missed D-Day, but just by a few days…
Many nations set aside days to celebrate the end of wars or major battles, and to honor those who fought in them. Memorial Day in America is different in that it doesn’t celebrate veterans—we have a different day set aside for that. This federal holiday was designed to celebrate and honor those who have died while…