It's a strange thing to watch. Day after day, we are seeing more and more press devoted to what President Trump accomplishes in his first 100 days. Now I understand the focus on 100 days. When Franklin Roosevelt became president in 1933, he moved quickly in the first 100 days to deal with the Depression in his own way. Ever since then, the first 100 days has been looked at as some sort of seminal period. But really, who cares if something passes in 99 days or 110? Will it matter in the long run? Of course it won't.
Just now, I read a column by Greg Sargent in the Washington Post discussing how Democrats have all the leverage because they can keep Trump from getting anything passed during his 100 days. That's so much a view from the Washington bubble. Out here in America, people have watched the change in immigration policy. They've watched Justice Gorsuch join the Supreme Court. They've watch the Keystone and Dakota Access pipelines move ahead. They've seen one after another job killing regulation be repealed. They've seen the USA withdraw from the dismal Trans-Pacific partnership. They've seen a complete turn around in the way America projects national strength and deals with despots like Assad and Kim Jung Un. They've seen US/Chinese relations grow much warmer as well as watching America confront Putin and Russia with a strength that was lacking when Obama was in the White House. In other words, they know that Trump has done a lot during his 100 days whether or not the Obamacare repeal/replacement passes or not. Not everything needs legislation.
Even more important than what the American people have seen is the fact that President Trump is not a prisoner to the 100 days baloney. Sure, he'd like to get everything done in that time period. He knows, however, that no matter what he does, the media will announce that it is just too little and inconsequential. Trump could find a cure for cancer, but the media would then criticize him for not also curing heart disease. He understands that, and it gives him the courage to continue on course.
Just now, I read a column by Greg Sargent in the Washington Post discussing how Democrats have all the leverage because they can keep Trump from getting anything passed during his 100 days. That's so much a view from the Washington bubble. Out here in America, people have watched the change in immigration policy. They've watched Justice Gorsuch join the Supreme Court. They've watch the Keystone and Dakota Access pipelines move ahead. They've seen one after another job killing regulation be repealed. They've seen the USA withdraw from the dismal Trans-Pacific partnership. They've seen a complete turn around in the way America projects national strength and deals with despots like Assad and Kim Jung Un. They've seen US/Chinese relations grow much warmer as well as watching America confront Putin and Russia with a strength that was lacking when Obama was in the White House. In other words, they know that Trump has done a lot during his 100 days whether or not the Obamacare repeal/replacement passes or not. Not everything needs legislation.
Even more important than what the American people have seen is the fact that President Trump is not a prisoner to the 100 days baloney. Sure, he'd like to get everything done in that time period. He knows, however, that no matter what he does, the media will announce that it is just too little and inconsequential. Trump could find a cure for cancer, but the media would then criticize him for not also curing heart disease. He understands that, and it gives him the courage to continue on course.
No comments:
Post a Comment