President Trump finished his first 100 days in office, and everyone wants to give him a grade. Depending on who you ask, he has received grades from A- to F. One California Congresswoman wants to impeach him, which is pretty much a zero grade. The most accurate grade is “Incomplete.”
He did get a Supreme Court justice confirmed, got the oil flowing through Keystone, the stock market is up, and our friends around the world are pleased the U.S. is leading again, from the front. But Obamacare is still the law of the land and the wall on the southern border is on hold.
How do the first 100 days of Trump compare to the first 100 of FDR?
Franklin D. Roosevelt was inaugurated as President March 4, 1933. This was a little over 3 years after the stock market crash that started the Great Depression. Democrats controlled Congress with 63% of the House and over 70% of the Senate. Even with that overwhelming majority, FDR, like Trump today, had battles with Congress. Programs or laws enacted included the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC), Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), Glass-Stegall Act, National Recovery Administration (NRA), Federal Emergency Relief Act, and the Agricultural Adjustment Act.
Here are a few selected comments from Will Rogers’ syndicated daily newspaper columns during those 100 days.
“The whole country is with [Roosevelt]. Even if what he does is wrong they are with him.” March 5, 1933
“Say this Roosevelt is a fast worker. Even on Sunday… he closed all the banks [for 5 days] and called Congress into extra session.” March 6
“And Congress! I want to go on record as giving those rascals a world of credit. They have reformed and they look like they are sorry for what they have done for years.” March 17
“When he sends a message to Congress it ‘stays sent.’ Well, beer will be here Friday with the politician replacing the bootlegger.” Apr. 4
“I have always claimed that America didn’t want a drink as bad as they wanted the right to take a drink if they did happen to want one.” Apr. 7
“They say we are off the gold [standard].” April 20
“Say, this man Roosevelt not only makes Congress roll over and play dead, but by golly he made this tough guy Hitler promise to bring [warships] out of the water. Is there no end to this man’s cleverness? Course there is one thing about Europe. You can never believe ‘em the first time. They will agree to anything till it comes time to sign up.” May 17
“The phenomenal popularity of the Roosevelt administration now meets its severest test. They are starting to decide where all this money they have appropriated will come from.” May 22
“Things been just going along fine and it looked like we was going to have some real recovery with Mr. Roosevelt piloting. But I guess it’s about over. I see where Congress is starting taking themselves serious again.” June 5
“They talked about how fast Roosevelt got things done. Congress is going to make a snail out of him. They are going to undo in ten days what it took him ten weeks to do.” June 8
“Well there is bad news for the country this morning… Congress didn’t adjourn.” June 11