We’re several hours from the much vaunted Day 100 of the current administration, and I can’t help but think, "So what?" Yes, there are many symbolic interpretations to be taken from this time-honored tradition. But I challenge you, does it really matter? Is our republic so weak as to rely so heavily on what a man can do within an arbitrary set of days?
Our Founders never envisioned this in the role of the executive branch. Their expectations for government more broadly were never so ambitious. They were going for progression — not perfection. For that reason, I’m hopeful for our nation.
So the better question the president, his allies and the Congress should be asking is, what does day 101 look like?
There are many challenges. The president must continue to shift, showing the country he is a leader who came to Washington, D.C. to govern — and be a president for all. That means taking care of the country's business — passing laws, paying bills, engaging in diplomacy abroad. These are the pillars of the republic, and ones we should focus on.
I think day 101, and the weeks beyond, should be spent on three critical areas. If Trump can show progress there, he will send a strong message to America and the world that his is an administration which means business.
Economic growth. There are so many directions this mandate can take, but it begins with shoring up our ability as a nation to meet and pay our debts, restrain spending, and keep our debt-to-growth ratio in check. Items such as a continuing resolution, raising the debt ceiling, etc. may not be attractive in the eyes of many, but they are necessary for a nation where one federal department’s budget is greater than the GDP of 100 foreign countries. Here, the president can certainly lead. More importantly, the summation of these successes leads to a major goal for Trump — fundamental tax reform. He should use the bully pulpit to make that a hallmark of his first four years. Think long-game. Don’t pledge another bumbled blitzkrieg to jam through a measure of that magnitude. Take your time; involve bipartisan partners; negotiate a deal and then well, write a book about it. Every major tax bill has needed support from broad constituencies. This will be no different. Trump has the mind for this sort of maneuvering. He should employ it.
Show wisdom abroad. The next few months are critical for the U.S. on the world stage. A North Korean threat should be taken seriously. Desperate men do desperate things. Additionally, the Mideast is never stable, Syria needs more than rhetoric, and the Taliban seems anxious to make a comeback as the world’s leader in terrorism given the mass soldier shooting in Iraq just days ago. The president was smart to dispatch military assets off of Japan. These times call for the proper mix of diplomacy and show of force. I also believe Trump would be wise to employ his secretaries of state and defense. Use them — especially Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley — to be interlocutors on behalf of the White House. They can be the proper channels to convey Trump’s doctrine, without involving the president himself. That only makes sense given so much uncertainty and fluidity globally.
Build out the team. This task seems insignificant for a new president, but the effect of its failure has reverberations felt throughout government. In his best-selling book "Good to Great," business guru Jim Collins writes that a hallmark of successful organizations and leaders starts by getting "the right people on the bus." The federal government is very large, with many executive slots remaining empty. I believe to my core that small, easy accomplishments can start occurring just by having like-minded personnel at the helm, channeling Trump’s agenda day in and day out. That’s a task that Jared Kushner and Reince Priebus can take on collectively; showing others in the White House complex that they can work together for a common good.
The American electorate is ready for this change, and because government permeates every facet of our lives, they will start to see the change even in their daily activities. Make America Great Again is more than a slogan. It’s a pursuit that can and must encompass even the smallest functions of government in order to live up to the weightiness of its words. Day 101 starts now.
Armstrong Williams is the author of "Reawakening Virtues." He is a political commentator who writes a conservative newspaper column, hosts a nationally syndicated TV program called "The Right Side," and hosts a daily radio show on Sirius/XM Power 128 (6-7 p.m. and 5-6 a.m.) Monday through Friday. He also is owner of Howard Stirk Holdings Broadcast TV stations. Read more reports from Armstrong Williams — Click Here Now.
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