The Daly Weekly (1/3)
John Daly answers your questions.
Hi everyone.
As we noted a couple weeks ago, we’ve shifted some things around on this website for the new year. Bernie will no longer be part of the weekly Q&As, directing that time instead toward his brand new installment, Bernie’s Time Machine. The first edition (which is getting a lot of positive attention) went out yesterday.
Since we know there are readers who still enjoy the Q&A format, I’ve decided to take the reins, and continue on with the Friday tradition myself. If you (the subscribers) like it, the feature will remain a permanent fixture on this website.
I’m calling it The Daly Weekly. Get it? (Bernie actually came up with that name). Anyone will be able to read the questions and answers, but only paying subscribers will be able to ask questions (via the comment section).
Since we’ve gotten a lot of new subscribers in recent weeks, I should probably take this opportunity to reintroduce myself…
My name is John Daly, and no, I’m not the professional golfer. I’m a writer and award-winning novelist who’s been contributing columns to this website since way back in 2011. I also host the Daly Express podcast and co-host Bernie Goldberg’s No BS Zone. I’m a Reagan conservative (which means I’m politically homeless), and like Bernie, I tell people what I genuinely believe… not what I think they want to hear.
Feel free to ask me anything. Unless your question is about my bank account or Social Security number, I’ll very likely answer it.
Sound good? Let’s begin…
I am to the point that I favor more guard rails to "our democracy" (to use a Progressive term). This includes term limits for congressmen (3 terms/6 years), senators (2 terms/12 years), and Supreme Court justices (16 years). I'm also for a maximum age to run for president (75 years old). The aim is to prevent the consolidation of power in an increasingly powerful federal government. This also prevents a gerontocracy that fell many governments throughout history, including the old Roman Empire and Soviet Union. What is your general opinion on these term and age limits? — Steve R.
I struggle with the idea of term limits, Steve. I understand the sense behind them, and I’m open to the idea, but when I look at the current makeup of Congress, I see bigger problems than representatives being around too long. Frankly, I would take a serious, effective legislator who’s been in office for 20 years any day of the week over a fresh face who spends all their time trying to get on cable news, and pursue a dream of becoming a celebrity-firebrand.
I’m more receptive to age limits, whether we’re talking about Congress, the presidency, or the Supreme Court. I just don’t think it’s wise for people like Joe Biden, Dianne Feinstein, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg to be serving in high office at such advanced ages. 75 feels like a good cutoff for entering a presidential term (which would of course disqualify both Biden and Trump).
Can you really explain how a man like [Matt Gaetz] gets any platform? He took down Kevin McCarthy and for what reason really? Trying to work with both sides and come up with a compromise? Now, please don't get me wrong — I do like Mike Johnson as he is attempting to work with both sides, but that looks like it might just be his downfall too. I just wish that conservatives would get back to governing for the folks that put them there. I miss the old party of President Reagan. I am not rooting against Trump. I hope and pray for our countries sake, he is successful. Rooting against him means we all lose and I would sure like to win a bit more. — Charles M.
The explanation is that Trump sycophancy is a successful business model, whether you’re a right-wing media figure or a Republican politician from a safely red district. If you follow that model (which among other things incentivizes conflict above compromise), you can go a long way with very limited talent. Simply put, the Modern Right wants Donald Trump to be treated like a folk-hero, and they reliably reward those — like Matt Gaetz — who do that.
Like you, Charles, I miss the party of Reagan.
To your other point, I want every president to be successful, as long as “success” is defined by what is good for the country… not by a president simply getting whatever he or she wants. Both Biden and Trump, for example, have a number of ideas that I think are terrible. On those initiatives, I would want them to fail.
What’s your opinion on the recent terror attack in New Orleans? Is there a collective to blame for this? Homeland Security? The FBI? MAGA? Liberal Dems? Were there steps ignored that should’ve been taken earlier? — “2025 Begins!” regards from The Emperor
Hi Emperor. Well, you sent me this question just hours after the attack, and by the time this Q&A will be posted, less than two days will have passed. I’m not going to cast blame at federal agencies or political entities without knowing more than we currently do. Additional information will come in, and investigations will be completed. From what we do know at this point, the killer (American born) appears to have been inspired by ISIS, and acted alone.
Too many Americans, I think, have forgotten how serious the threat of Islamic extremism poses to our country. Unfortunately it takes incidents like this to remind us.
The MAGA Right really seems to like Argentinian president Javier Milei and Canadian Conservative Party leader, Pierre Poilievre. On policy however, aren’t those very much anti-MAGA? — Alex D.
Pretty much, yes. I’m a fan of both Milei and Poilievre. They’re well-spoken, small-government, free-trade conservatives, who understand who The West’s allies (and adversaries) are. They’re basically Paul Ryan conservatives, and the MAGA crowd hates people like Paul Ryan who don’t surrender their principles for Donald Trump. Thus, my guess is that if Milei and Poilievre were American politicians, they’d probably be despised by those very people. But since they govern outside of the United States, and are seen as sticking their thumbs in the eyes of lefties and “the establishment,” I guess it’s been deemed okay to cheer them on.
What do you make of the straight news/commentary split? Is that model totally done? — Samuel S.
I don’t think it’s totally done, but the line is being further blurred all the time. Additionally, there are fewer hard-news programs, and more commentary programs, on the news networks than there used to be. Unfortunately, they’re reacting to what the audience wants.
Is change coming to national news networks? It depends on the ownership and what restrictions they put on the individuals giving the news. The hatred would still be there and the bias. Will the bias and the hatred be changed within the individuals or would they have to be replaced? That is a question, will it? — Conrad P.
I’m not sure I completely understand your question, Conrad. If you’re asking if news-media people have it within their power to better control (tamp down) their biases, or if they must instead be replaced with people who have stronger internal discipline, I guess that probably depends on the person. The bigger problem is that their bosses and/or editors aren’t shutting down obvious journalistic bias. Too many encourage or capitulate (sometimes out of fear) to it. The higher-ups need to take the lead, set the tone, and enforce standards.
One more note: It’s important to keep in mind that this problem isn’t confined to the “liberal” media. Fox News, for example, is very much part of today’s mainstream media, and they are guilty of a lot of the same things as the liberal outlets. For example, I still believe the firing of Chris Stirewalt and Bill Sammon (for upsetting Trump and Fox viewers by correctly calling the 2020 presidential election) is among the most pathetic, disreputable news-network decisions ever made.
Which policy areas do you think you will find the most agreement with Trump on in his second term? — Ben G.
If he ends up with more Supreme Court vacancies, and nominates the type of people he did in his first term, I’d certainly be all for that. But since he’s been signaling that he may not do that, I’m not confident it will happen. I do think he’ll have a decent enough Iran policy, since he did last time, and I can’t think of a reason why he would change it.
Thanks everyone! You can send me questions for next week by leaving a comment in the comment section.
John, I, too, feel politically "homeless" at this point. I thought Chris Christie would had been a fairly decent Presidential choice given our countries' condition. "Works well with others" motto. Terms for Congress,etc., absolutely good idea! My question to you is will Pres. Trump and his cabinet get into "hot water" early on in his term, or towards the end? Some Are rogue characters when I've researched them, and such lack of qualifications is startiling to me. That can only lead to more chaos, no?
John: I was just forwarded an article by Lionel Shriver, a classic liberal and Spectator columnist. She wrote, "Most wokesters don't care about social justice. They care about appearing to care about social justice." Economists talk about incentives, but I think there's more to this than just monetary value. People are also motivated by a sense of belonging and virtue, to be a part of something grand and on the side of the angels. Does this explain much of the rise of leftist ideology in the 21st Century?