What Will Historians Make of Our Annus Horribilis?

Plus: Our Hopes for 2021 Won't Be Fulfilled by a Politician, but by Us

January 1 2021   Happy New Year from Washington. A tumultuous year has gotten us here, and Victor Davis Hanson and Salena Zito share their reflections. Providentially, America's heritage is one of freedom, Katharine Gorka writes. Plus: Obamacare turns 10; getting back to school; and reconsidering the death penalty. On this date in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln signs an Emancipation Proclamation freeing slaves in the Confederate states, saying he never "felt more certain that I was doing right, than I do in signing this paper."      COMMENTARY What Will Historians Make of Our Annus Horribilis? By Victor Davis Hanson Amid death and destruction, perhaps one day historians will conclude that what could not kill off America in 2020 only made it stronger. More COMMENTARY Our Hopes for 2021 Won't Be Fulfilled by a Politician, but by Us By Salena Zito Americans need something to aspire to—a purpose or someone who will take us to a better place. More COMMENTARY At 10 Years Old, the Affordable Care Act Is Aging Badly By Chuck Donovan From 2013 to 2018, the average monthly premium paid by an individual rose from $244 to $550 a month, a more than 125% increase. More COMMENTARY History Shows Our Passion for Freedom Runs Deep By Katharine Gorka While we have never experienced what we are going through now, the past tells us that the passion for freedom runs deep in this nation, and it will not be easily squelched. More COMMENTARY Time to Heed the Science and Reopen Schools By Veronique de Rugy The largest study to be published on the issue so far, using data from the United Kingdom, finds no increase in severe coronavirus-related outcomes for adults living with children who go to school. More COMMENTARY Wanted: An Honest Debate About the Death Penalty By David Harsanyi The death penalty debate should revolve around the morality and efficacy of state policy regarding that criminality, not some fantasy world in which butchers are selectively cast as victims. More NEWS ICYMI: Congress Braces for Dramatic End to Disputed 2020 Election By Fred Lucas The House and Senate are poised to debate a presidential election outcome for only the third time since 1887, when Congress passed the Electoral Count Act. More           The Daily Signal is brought to you by more than half a million members of The Heritage Foundation. Donate to The Daily Signal Find us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter How are we doing? We welcome your comments, suggestions, and story tips. Please reply to this email or send us a note at comments@dailysignal.com. The Daily Signal 214 Massachusetts Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002 (800) 546-2843     Add morningbell@heritage.org to your address book to ensure that you receive emails from us. You are subscribed to this newsletter as johnmhames1.diogenes--light@blogger.com. If you want to receive other Heritage Foundation newsletters, or opt out of this newsletter, please click here to update your subscription.