With all of the media noise surrounding the Trump Administration and the constant allegations of “Russian hacking of the election” (because, it’s far easier to believe the electorate was somehow duped by the Russians, rather than they simply disliked Hillary Clinton), I thought I’d remind conservatives of some of the Trump Administration’s accomplishments in the first 100 days in office. Most of these weren’t discussed at length in the press, but will have a profound impact on our daily lives, and will undue a decent chunk of the harm President Obama did to the country over the last 8 years.
What follows is the final chapter of my recently published book, detailing the good things the Trump Administration has done for America in a mere 3 months in office. If we allow the Democrats to drive the national conversation toward scandal, rather than substance and change, America will never be different, it will never be Great Again, it will simply become the regulatory technocrat euro-state that Democrats have dreamed of since LBJ.
Here’s my small attempt at changing the national dialogue. If you’re interested in reading more, a link to my book is included below:
https://www.amazon.com/100-Days-Action-Uniquely-Presidency-ebook/dp/B0725QKXY2/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1495148507&sr=1-5100 Days of Action
President Trump recently passed the threshold marking his first 100 days in office. The “first 100 days” has traditionally been a “honeymoon” of sorts for Presidents—allowing them to take an international victory lap and pass a few pieces of non-controversial legislation to show immediate progress. However, in a recent speech to the nation marking his 100th day in office, President Trump noted that he’d delivered “100 days of action,” keeping a significant number of campaign promises along the way.
Trump’s first 100 days may not have been a honeymoon, but they certainly were productive. Trump signed 29 bills into law—more than any President since Truman, and more than Presidents Obama and George W. Bush combined. Notably, 13 of these bills reversed Obama-era regulations through the little-used Congressional Review Act. Trump also asked that Congress consider reversing 20 additional Obama-era regulations that unduly burdened the oil and gas and coal industries, the construction industry, individuals seeking to save for retirement, the financial industry, the chemical industry, and the power generation industry.
While Republicans in Congress may not move as quickly as the Trump Administration would like, this has not stopped Trump’s progress. Since his inauguration, Trump signed 90 executive actions in his first 100 days, including 32 executive orders and 28 Presidential memoranda. These often had far-reaching consequences that will operate to reduce federal banking and tax regulations, require the renegotiation of trade agreements, stimulate domestic manufacturing, encourage energy independence, protect veterans, reduce trade deficits, largely freeze federal hiring, sanction foreign terrorists and those that support them, eliminate sanctuary cities, encourage companies to “hire American,” and “buy American,” reduce crime, protect law enforcement, protect our border with Mexico, dismantle “climate change” regulations, and encourage American technological innovation.
The budget proposed by President Trump in his first 100 days significantly increased spending for our military, veterans, and on homeland security, but cut funding for other portions of the government that had grown too large, or which currently handcuff small business with myriad regulations (see a 31% reduction in the EPA’s budget). Mr. Trump further requested that his Administration study the elimination of entire agencies, to the extent they have become redundant. Keeping campaign promises, President Trump instituted a foreign travel ban (and later, a revised travel ban) that aims to keep our country free from those that may wish us harm. And, Trump proposed a health care plan that will repeal the vast majority of Obamacare, lower prices and increase competition, and will still offer basic healthcare to millions of Americans that don’t have access to employer-provided plans. While the bill—titled the American Health Care Act—hit rough patches along the way, it was finally approved by the House of Representatives shortly after Trump’s 100th day in office.
While taking no trips abroad (compared to 9 for President Obama), President Trump met with 16 world leaders—including President Xi Jinping of China—in his first 100 days. In the short time he’s been in office, he has used his influence to force change in international policy related to Syria and North Korea, forge an advantageous trade alliance opening China to greater US imports, and encourage allies such as Germany and South Korea to dedicate additional funds for their own defense.
Let’s not forget the economy. According to MarketWatch, between Election Day and the end of Trump’s first 100 days, the Dow climbed 14.22%, the S&P 500 gained 11.43%, and the Nasdaq Composite Index gained 16.45%. Unlike the Obama Administration, President Trump has embraced business interests as job creation tools, conducting twenty-two separate meetings with business leaders in his first 100 days in office. Business leaders have responded, adding approximately 1.06 million new jobs to US payrolls between November, 2016 and April, 2017. The official unemployment rate—at 4.4%—sits at its lowest level in ten years. Even the labor-force participation rate, which sunk to its lowest level since 1978 under President Obama, has begun to increase.
Trump outlined a significant corporate and individual tax cut during his first 100 days. If passed, this plan will not only simplify the tax code, it will reduce US corporate tax rates from the highest in the developed world, and will allow the repatriation of foreign profits to fuel job creation at home. In short, it has the potential to create significant economic growth, while putting money back into the pockets of average Americans. Richard A. Epstein—a senior fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution and a tenured professor at New York University Law School—states that “on virtually all points . . . the Trump proposal pushes the ball in the right direction . . . toward tax reduction and tax simplification, both of which are long overdue.”
Even on fiscal responsibility, Trump has delivered. Though it remains uncovered by the mainstream media, the US Treasury Department shows that President Trump managed to reduce the federal deficit by over $100 billion in his first 100 days in office. By focusing on long-term strategies that will propel the economy past the 3% GDP growth threshold, Trump’s economic plan will reduce the national debt both in terms of dollar amount, and in percentage of GDP. It’s been a long time since a president has “thought big” and tried to reinvent, simplify, and reinvigorate our economy. Trump appears to be doing just that.
All-in-all, President Trump’s first 100 days in office have been successful. Sure, they’ve been colourful. And, at times, they’ve been chaotic. With his Administration full of captains of industry that have little government experience, occasional foot-faults were inevitable, and did occur as expected. But, in 100 days, President Trump not only began to dismantle the regulatory morass of the Obama years, he also set the US on a course toward economic prosperity, growth, and American exceptionalism at home and abroad. Not since President Reagan has the country seen such a transformative leader. As Trump continues to work on behalf of the average American, I believe we’ll begin to see our country truly becoming great again. I, for one, look forward to America regaining its rightful place as Regan’s shining city on the hill.
