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Thanks for being with us on the Monday edition of Balance of Power, as we had the voice of Ashley Davis, the Republican strategist of course you've heard from many times on this program, with a slightly different take on things today as we consider the legacy of a democratic president. She's of course founding partner West Front Strategies. Great to see Ashley. I hope you're having a great holiday season, and we'll get to Jimmy Carter. I just wonder your
thoughts on what's going on in the house here. Did Mike Johnson just close the deal? Is he a maid man?
Well, first of all, Happy New Year, and I wish I was with you in person. I'm in cold weather right now. But I actually think it helps him a lot. Obviously, the President elect understands that if he wants to get his agenda done, or actually get anything done in the first hundred days of his administration, that we have to have a house in place right away. And Speaker Johnson is the one would do the best job in regards
to not having chaos of an election. And I mean, how many times was did it take for McCarthy to get the first time eleven or thirteen, I forget the number right now. But the only other name is Stephanie was saying, names do pop up. The only other name that I think would kind of appease some of these conservatives on the right, which there aren't that many, but you don't need that many to upend his speakership is Jim Jordan, and he has said several times that he
is not going to run against Speaker Johnson. So I do think that President Trump coming out today was a huge win for them, but I also think it's self serving because it's not going to help President Trump to have chaos going into his new administration.
Well, Mike Lawler agrees with you. The Republican from New York was on ABC this week asked about this very matter, Ashley. Here's what he said.
Mike Johnson inherited a disaster when Matt Gats and several of my cop He's teamed up with two hundred and eight Democrats to remove Kevin McCarthy, which will go down as the single stupidest thing I've ever seen in politics. With that said, removing Mike Johnson would equally be as stupid that's.
Quite a statement, I have to admit, Ashley. Do you agree with it.
Yeah, I would probably not use as extreme words. But it wasn't smart and it's not going to be smart again. I mean, and if you look at this, this is like Chip Roy this, I'll be interesting to hear what Congoerson Fleischmann says to you. You said he's coming up next because he's obviously considered a conservative member, but not a destructionist, so I'm assuming he thinks it's a good idea. Moving forward to Speaker Johnson, thing in place.
Not a destructionist. Fascinating use of that word, Ashley. I want to ask you about the big debate that's broken out over immigration here, and I'm not referring to border security. I'm referring to actual legal immigration. People who watch this program know that you have a long history in the national security space and helped to bring about the Department of Homeland Security, and this idea of H one B visas suddenly being extremely controversial as a component of this
border issue is really interesting. Elon Musk, of course, suggesting that we lift the cap on these H one b's bring in foreign based talent to help us, particularly in high tech. But that runs counter to what a lot of the MAGA world thinks ought to be happening when it comes to the border in America. First, how do you square this from where you're.
Sitting, Yeah, I think that this is totally getting combined into one conversation that really shouldn't be because the visas that elon and the vaguer speaking about the HB one, they're actually legal visas that are sponsored by companies and corporations to bring talent in and the mega side of the party, that and many others not just MAGA that are concerned about border security, in my mind, are people
that are coming over here illegally. So I really think it's important to split the topic up because one does not have anything to do with the other one. You have sixty five thousand available HB one visas every year to apply to and you get a three year That visa last three years, and you have actually one more chance to extend it another three years. But otherwise, it's not that people are coming across the border illegally, staying here and not being able to be found. Obviously, the
ones that commit crimes that are here as well. So it's a different program. So I agree with Elon and the Vike on this, and I guess the president duly.
Noted duly noted. But now that Elon Musk and the Veke Ramaswami have kicked the nest on this, we have an active debate going on over work visas, whether they're skilled or not. And Donald Trump was talking about dreamers in the only he's done since being elected is something that he would work with Democrats on. So it sounds to me actually like just shutting down the border is not enough. Is the answer not comprehensive immigration reform.
I think the comprehensive immigration reform, I mean, in two thousand and seven was the closest that that ever was becoming true to reality when when Senator Kennedy then President Bush almost did strike a deal. I think that a win for President Trump is in this first year right away, which is why I think reconciliation will happen. I think there's two buckets that will happen. Per or earlier conversation with Stephanie. I think they'll do border first, along with energy.
But the reason why is if you get the million illegal immigrants that are in this country out of the country the first year that have committed a crime or have completely exhausted the appeal process. That's a million people that can go out right away, which is a huge win for Trump. So if he does that, then works slowly over the next three years trying to find and round up all these other people that have come over here illegally. I think that's going to be phase two.
But if you deal with h B one visas, or if you deal with Dreamers, I mean, that's a whole that's in my mind is stage three, four five. You've got to get rid of these top ones first and second that have committed crimes in this country.
Rick Davis's ears are burning after I said comprehensive immigration reform. As we spend time with Ashley Davis, I haven't asked you about Jimmy Carter. Ashley, what do you make of the constant comparisons, by the way, not just today, but for the balance of Joe Biden's administration being compared to Jimmy Carter. Is that fair?
Now? I think listen, and I said this before in my show President Bush. My boss used to always say, let history make this decision on what I've done. And I think that Jimmy Carter will go down in history as do and even today yesterday when he passed away, there's many people that believe in many things that he did. I think during the campaign, when people were criticizing President Biden, they were giving him, obviously an insult saying that President
Carter never did anything to this country. What you said earlier in what Stephanie said in regards to President Trump giving his condolences, being part of this club is a very lonely club, and I think that there are many country that do respect this. You see that the funeral will be on January ninth, Obviously the stock market will be closed. Does that mean you get off on the ninth, Joe Market.
I don't think so. We're going to call you to join.
Us, actually, but I think that it was more of an insult to President Biden than it was, to go back to your question, than it actually was about Jimmy Carter. He'll go down in the history of maybe making some mistakes, but also doing some good things.
Huh. Do you think that Trump's statement about Jimmy Carter was more of an insult to Joe Biden? Is that what you're saying.
During the campaign when he was being when he was being compared to Jimmy Carr. The statement that he made yesterday I thought was very appropriate.
Well, so what's the lesson here? And you know, I always save the easy question for last when we're out of time, Ashley, But I keep hearing from people, Democrats and Republicans who say, you know what, the lasting impression is that he had dignity, that people trusted his word, that he was a nice guy. What am I supposed to take from that in this age in Washington?
Well, I mean, obviously there's lots of criticism, but I'm reading this book right now actually talking about all the various presidents that have gone down and saying there was an integrity or there wasn't they weren't patriotic enough. I mean, how many people hated run Ronald Reagan that now the entire Republican Party runs on being Ronald Reagan? Asked, So I think again, this to me goes back on time. Heals a lot of wounds and a lot of memories are short.
How true? Joining us live from the Matter Horn Ashley Davis founding partner West Front Strategies. It's great to see you, Ashley. Happy new year. We'll see you in twenty twenty five because we're going to have a lot to talk about