Bernie’s Weekly Q&A (11/15)

Trump's nominations, Nancy Pelosi, self-deportation, and more!

Welcome to this week’s Premium Q&A session for paying subscribers. I appreciate you all signing up and joining me.

First, a short (but important) message from John Daly

Also, a quick note from Bernie

Last week Patrick M. asked about the polls — and about how they “woefully missed the mark” in the presidential election. I said I wasn’t sure they missed the mark since Trump got less than 51% of the vote to Harris’s 48%. At the time, the popular vote didn’t seem like a blowout election. But since most polls said the race was a dead heat — and since we now have Electoral College results all in, I’ve reconsidered my answer. Patrick got it right. I was too cautious. Apologies to Patrick and all others.

Now let’s get started:

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Do you believe Susie Wiles, Trump's chief of staff--who seems pretty politically savvy--is strong enough to keep Trump focused on accomplishing that he has vowed to do in the next fours years? — Tom R.

I know very little about the new chief-of-staff … but they say she’s smart, strong and tough. All that obviously is important, but to your question— is she strong enough to keep Trump focused. I don’t think even she knows the answer to that … because as we’ve all learned by now … Donald doesn’t always do what’s in his best interest. So the only honest answer is … we shall see.

John and Bernie; I can understand rounding up the criminal illegals. But what do you guys think of Romney's idea of self-deportation. Put the pressure on companies. — Tim H.

From John: Hi Tim. I’m not sure that Romney has advocated for that policy since the 2012 election, but the idea back then was to place sanctions on employers who hired illegal workers. I think it could have made a difference, but I’m not sure how big of one. Romney also wanted to beef up the border with more guards. Ironically, after Romney lost that year, Donald Trump (of all people) publicly accused him of being too vicious and hardline on the issue of illegal immigration:

“He had a crazy policy of self deportation which was maniacal. It sounded as bad as it was, and he lost all of the Latino vote. He lost the Asian vote. He lost everybody who is inspired to come into this country.”

Wild, huh? Four years later, Trump was running on mass deportations and an enormous border wall to keep out all the Mexican “rapists.”

You can’t make this stuff up, folks.

From Bernie: Are you referring to what Mitt Romney said at the presidential debate in 2012? If so, let me try to explain this as honestly as I can: I have no interest in researching questions from 12 years ago. As Joe might say, “Come on, Man.” This job is hard enough without having to dig out old information. But because I like you Tim, and find your questions smart, I went back and found this from Romney:

"The answer is self-deportation, which is people decide they can do better by going home because they can't find work here because they don't have legal documentation to allow them to work here," he said. "And so we're not going to round people up."

If that’s what you're referencing, Tim, I think it’s wishful thinking. Employers are getting cheap labor, so there’s nothing in it for them to stop hiring illegal immigrants. And the immigrants have no interest in picking and leaving on their own. Maybe is strict laws were passed, with heavy fines for employers who hire illegal immigrants, things might change. But that’s a big maybe.

Mr.G., Isn’t it the much ballyhooed political genius that is Nancy Pelosi responsible for letting the Left swing left of left, not keeping the Squad and other anti-American values and sentiments pushers in check, not holding Biden to his word and strategy not to run again, and not being very clear to Biden that when he stepped down not to endorse Harris or anyone else until after an open primary… all of which handed Trump a pretty easy victory? Shouldn’t she lose the “Speaker Emerita” and “Democratic Political Genius” labels? — ScottyG