The First 100 Days

Rich Bolen explains the historical significance of the first 100 days of office

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COLUMBIA SC (WOLO)–The first 100 days of a presidency, although having no formal significance, have come to be something of a grace period for the new leader of the free world.  According to Rich Bolen, the initial few months have become a traditional honeymoon period, where the president and congress become familiar with each other, and lay the ground work for the working relationship between the two branches of government.  It was President Roosevelt, according to Bolen, who really pointed out the period as something of a time to get things kick-started, and since then, 100 days have often marked and set the pace for the entire term of a president.

Historically, says Bolen, many events have changed the shape of the free world during those 100 days of a new administration.  “The Civil War for Lincoln, Waco for Clinton, and the assassination attempt for Reagan all occurred during those initial days.

In the case of President Elect Trump, he, as so many before him, have issued his agenda for his first 100 days, a clock that starts ticking on Friday, January 20.  Among his goals are a freeze on federal hiring, re-building the military, and the creation of a wall that was a hallmark of his campaign.

“He could technically start building the wall on Friday,” says Bolen, who explains that with an executive order, many of the promises that were made during the long fought months leading up to November 8th, could be kick-started.  Bolen does point out, however, that without congressional authority, through creation of a law, many of the agenda items could be undone with a pen by the next person to sit in the Oval Office.

Bolen says that it will also be “interesting” to see how the various personalities within the party that after Friday controls the White House and both houses of Congress.  “Just because they are all in the same party does not mean it is going to be an easy road for Trump,” points out Bolen.

Donald Trump will be sworn in on Friday January 20th, making him the 45th President of the United States.