What can you do in 100 days?

Published 1:03 pm Thursday, May 4, 2017

lot has been said about President Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office; cheers and jeers fall in from all sides. While I feel it’s unnecessary to judge a position of such importance based on such a small time frame, I realize it’s just what we do.

My research has shown a lot of comparison to previous presidents, so it all boils down to your preference — you either like Trump or you do not.

As stated in the Boston Globe, like Trump, Ronald Reagan pushed a big tax cut package. George H.W. Bush struggled with how to follow a popular two-term president while Bill Clinton failed to pass a major domestic bill through Congress in his first 100 days.

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Whichever camp you are in; the “I support Trump” camp or the “I don’t support Trump” camp, you should come over to the “I support America” camp. 

If you support America, then the first 100 day comparisons should matter very little to you. You should be more concerned about how we can all join in to improve our great nation and give implemented policies a chance.

I’m not suggesting that you agree with everything that Trump does, I know I don’t. But I do plan to let him do his job, which we voted him in to do. At the end of his first term, we will have the opportunity to choose him for a second term or choose to go in a new direction. When President Barack Obama was elected, the furthest thing from my mind was hoping he would fail. If our president fails, America fails.

Let’s take a look at some of Trump’s movements along with my personal thoughts.

—Executive order for offshore drilling: I know so much is being made over global warming and protecting the environment, but unfortunately the world runs on fuel. This can lead to thousands of jobs and billions of dollars for the U. S. If you feel money isn’t everything, you are welcome to fill my car up with gas.

—Extending private-sector health care programs for veterans: This will allow vets to seek health care outside of the VA through the Choice program. Taking care of our veterans should always be a top priority.

—Signing a bill allowing states to block Planned Parenthood funding: There are many things that funding should not go to, in most cases, this is one of them.

—Launching airstrikes on Syria: I discussed this in a previous article but hope everyone understands, using chemical weapons on your own people is deplorable.

—Executive orders to end trade abuses: These also fall into the money categories, ensuring that foreign companies are taxed properly according to trade policies.

—Executive order establishing a commission on drug and opioid abuse: It’s a start, but so much more needs to be done, including securing our borders and cracking down on the distribution of illegal drugs.

—ObamaCare repeal failure: Personally, 100 days is a stretch to believe a revamped health care system could be created successfully. I feel this will be revisited in the future and hopefully will result in an improved means of providing insurance for our families on a more individualized level.

I could spend a ton of time raving about the great job Trump is doing and could spend nearly as much time discussing failures. But in reality, there is a lot of time left in this first term in which things can go good or bad. As I said, he is my president and as an American, I hold high hopes he will be successful because I want us all to be successful.

I was taught at a young age and it still holds true today; we have to work hard and not be afraid to try new things and introduce ideas if we want to get anywhere in life. If the ideas are successful, then it is a win. If it doesn’t work, we learn from it and try something else.

One of my favorite presidential quotes fits in this week, as President James Monroe said, “It is by a thorough knowledge of the whole subject that people are enabled to judge correctly of the past and to give proper direction of the future.”

Political enthusiast Will Collins is a Kentucky native who has called Winchester home for nearly the past 20 years. He can be emailed at wrcollins@gmail.com.