Editor’s Note: Yesterday we addressed part one in our first year review of Trump in office — the personal side. Today we look at the policies in place.
Year One — The Policies
If we use the standard President Reagan set in his reelection, how would you answer the question. – “are you better off today than a year ago”? We think most people can truly answer better.
Employment is up, unemployment is down. The market has soared. Everyone with savings, an IRA, 401K or investment is in better shape for the future. We cut taxes and the positive impact is seen daily, most notably by Apple’s action yesterday. Beginning in February workers will have more take home in their paychecks. That will drive spending and help fuel further growth. Black American unemployment is at an all time low. Hispanic unemployment is approaching their low.
The administration took a business viewpoint and is unleashing American enterprise. They have reduced cost and timely regulations. They have cancelled 22 for every new one imposed.
They unleashed an American energy boom by ending Obama-era regulations, approving the Keystone pipeline, auctioning off millions of new acres for energy exploration, and opening up ANWR.
They have kept a promise to appoint more conservative and follow the law judges as opposed to make it the law judges. Neil Gorsuch to the supreme court was one, but many at the federal level will have a long term impact.
Internationally we stopped apologizing and started acting. We are rebuilding the military. We have looked foreign leaders in the eye and said “heretofore we are negotiating with an America First” attitude. We told the NATO members to pay the fair share they agreed to. Additional funding has come in. We are renegotiating NAFTA and withdrew from TPP. Illegal immigration is down. ISIS is truly on the run and losing on the battlefield. We are (finally) confronting North Korea, and Iran is getting renewed heat. He promised to walk from an “unfair” Paris Climate” agreement and did. He was the first President to keep his word and announce the movement of our embassy to Jerusalem.
The world learned that he said what he meant and it shocked them.
There are promises made that still need action. Examples:
The Wall. That was a simply ridiculous promise. Mexico is not going to pay for it.
Obamacare replacement. No one had a plan despite the “ease” with which it would be done.
The clumsy attempt to temporally ban predominantly Muslim country travel here.
Infrastructure. He has long promised to rebuild the country.
There was a lot done in year one and a clear guide for the next one. So on the policy side are we better off because we changed direction?
Our answer is yes. Trump’s policies have impacted individual lives and the country in a positive way.
Final Assessment Parts One and Two
Yesterday we said the President failed in personal conduct and how he handled the office. Today we give him high grades for policies and impacting lives and the country.
Doesn’t that make yesterday’s review so sad? What could be greatness is being over shadowed by the personal.
Maybe if this can be explained to him and he understands the ultimate judgement on any President is history, his ego will get it.
Mr. President you can go down as an impact President, and have history remember you as such. You have set the direction, done the hard work. Can you fix the part limiting you?
The Ratings
Total Viewers MONDAY. Fox back on top. Win 4-10. MSNBC wins at 11.
- Total day: FNC: 1.799 | CNN: 843 | MSNBC: 1.295 | HLN: 220
- Primetime: FNC: 2.94 | CNN: 1.053 | MSNBC: 2.389 | HLN: 321
| 4p: | 5p: | 6p: | 7p: | 8p: | 9p: | 10p: | 11p: | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FNC | Cavuto: 1.581 |
Five: 2.523 |
Baier: 2.491 |
MacCallum: 2.188 |
Carlson: 2.913 |
Hannity: 3.414 |
Ingraham: 2.504 |
Bream: 1.404 |
| CNN | Tapper: 941 |
Blitzer: 907 |
Blitzer: 856 |
Burnett: 970 |
Cooper: 1.170 |
Cooper: 1.042 |
Tonight: 938 |
Tonight: 761 |
| MSNBC | Wallace: 1.300 |
MTPDaily: 1.285 |
Melber: 1.432 |
Matthews: 1.855 |
Hayes: 1.885 |
Maddow: 3.046 |
O’Donnell: 2.234 |
Wlms: 1.529 |
| HLN | Michaela: 80 |
Cupp: 93 |
Banfield: 140 |
Banfield: 136 |
Files: 203 |
Files: 353 |
Files: 407 |
Files: 410 |
The top 5 cable stations for the week of Jan.8.
Basic Cable Top 5 – Prime Time (Total Viewers)
- ESPN (4,683,000)
- Fox News (2,212,000)
- MSNBC (1,992,000)
- HGTV (1,476,000)
- USA (1,269,000)
Basic Cable Top 5 – Total Day (Total Viewers)
- Fox News (1,407,000)
- ESPN (1,370,000)
- MSNBC (1,037,000)
- Nickelodeon (951,000)
- Investigation Discovery (844,000)
Business television:
Fox Business defeated CNBC in total Business Day viewers this past week (252,000 to 201,000). Lou Dobbs Tonight marked 73 consecutive weeks as the most-watched show on business news TV.