The First 100 Days-Part One

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The First 100 Days

Part One-The Confidence Factor

We have reached the magic number on how most modern presidents will be judged. The 100-day mark is a concept that is tied to the legacy of Franklin Roosevelt.  In his first one hundred days, Roosevelt tackled some of the most threatening problems in the history of America.  He acted to address the problems of the Great Depression and later World War II.

Younger students typically learn that the nation rallied around Roosevelt and that his leadership brought America out of the darkness.  Students of history learn that it was far from simple and that Roosevelt faced numerous challenges from all spectrums of society and equally from members of his own party.

Yet, we continue to stress the importance of the one hundred days even when situations are not as grave as they were in 1932.  I think it is unfortunate that Donald Trump is trying to claim this period as a referendum of his presidency.  It is even worse that he is trying to compare himself to other presidents, especially Barack Obama.  Presidencies should not be measured against each other.  Although issues may be similar, the context of the times sets the tone for what can and may not be achieved.

In a numerical sense the list of achievements nor the statistics have not been kind to President Trump.  Outside of several thousand saved jobs, three-dozen executive orders, and the nuclear option for the appointment for Judge Neil Gorsuch, President Trump has little to show for his time in office.  And, there are very visible failures including the twice-failed travel ban and the failure to bring Obamacare repeal to a vote.  The chatter about the border wall (and who will pay for it) is beginning to go stale.

President Trump has not unified the Republican Party behind him, and he has continued to ostracize Democrats. The most recent polls are still indicating historic low approval ratings.  He is around 40% with disapproval levels over 50%. 

What is more telling is that the recent presidential reactions to events in Syria, North Korea, and Afghanistan have bolstered those numbers!  Perhaps as he moves away from some stances and adopts others this will improve his numbers. Statisticians, seeking to provide more comprehensive data, are using various types of polls to pinpoint the differences between geographical regions, races, economic classes, and even sports fans on their views of the Trump agenda.  None-the-less, on all accounts, the numbers are troubling and very disappointing.

As I have previously mentioned, President Trump campaigned on issues that resonated with the American people. Donald Trump ran and won because he promised change. Barack Obama ran and won because he promised change, as did George Bush, Bill Clinton, and Ronald Reagan.  Promising change is part and parcel of American politics.  Virtually every single subject that candidate Donald Trump discussed was one that has been part of the political landscape of the last 80 years. So, what is the problem with Donald Trump? Why are his ratings so low, and why can’t he deliver on most of his campaign promises?

The easy answer is to say that change is difficult, and there is tremendous resistance to change.  But, every president has encountered roadblocks that have limited change. However, sometimes, the messenger is more frightening than the change.

As Chris Hayes wrote in The Twilight of the Elites, the last decade has revealed America’s continuing and increasing level of distrust of its essential institutions.  At the top of this list are financial institutions, politicians, the press, and corporations.  Those who voted for Trump remain loyal to him but many never fully believed that he would deliver on his promises. However, for those that did not vote for him there is profound distrust and even fear of what Trump might do to destroy their faith in American institutions.

Here’s a second case in point.  I was in the car listening to MSNBC and President Trump’s voice came over the satellite radio.  My passenger, a six-year old, instantly responded, “I hate the president!”  I was truly shocked, so I asked some more questions about the origin of this strong statement.  And what came out of the mouth of this child was amazing.  He told me about the other kids who hated Trump but was quick to mention that some of the parents had voted for him.  Many of the children cried on the day after the election and he was one of them.

At first I assumed that this was just an extension of his parents’ feelings, but as he continued talking I realized that he was internalizing everything surrounding him. What is so important about our conversation is that children have been put in stressful positions by the outcome of the election season. And perhaps, for the first time in many years, post-election stress is having negative impact on all segments of our society, even the very young.

Our children often reflect parental feelings, especially on political issues.  Yet, for some children, their visceral reactions to the Trump presidency are similar to our gut reactions to the worst in American society.  It seems like some children are having a living nightmare that compares the Trump forces to Rednecks, Anti-Semites, and Storm Troopers.   This is alarming because it means that another seismic change has occurred.

When I was a child, we were taught to respect the president even if we did not like him.  The only children that openly disrespected the president were those who supported segregation and saw Truman, Kennedy, and Johnson as threatening their ways of life.  Obviously, we believed that America was beyond those feelings with the election of Obama. However, in reality, that adage, if it ever existed, is gone and it is affecting our perspective of the present.   We need to acknowledge that Obama was often the target of hatred, and it might be attributed to more than his race. With Trump, however there is no question that the reactions go beyond his whiteness and white privilege.  The “Not My President” slogan and movement are like no other in our history. Hence there is nothing that Trump can do to calm an adult that did not vote for him.  This has an even greater impact on a child who fears his actions and equates them with the loss of life and/or parents.  And, such sentiments are going to leave lasting consequences.  Today’s children will be voting in 2020, 2024, 2028 and 2032.  If they hate Trump today, how will they view Trump, the Republicans, and elective politics in the future?  

Given these circumstances, it is critical, regardless of our feelings, that President Trump achieves something that wins over the majority of the nation.  This is the time for Trump to deliver something to America, and make “America First!” Our relationship and confidence with the Oval Office needs to be restored. Hopefully, it will not be due to another military conflict, but something that is lasting in the minds of our children and their parents that will change their perspective of democracy and make it worth fighting for!