permafrost Loc: Minnesota

On Thursday, President Donald Trump finishes his first six months -- yes, months -- in office.

It has been an uneven debut for the corporate executive and reality TV star turned commander-in-chief, marked most notably by clashes with political rivals and the press, a failed promise to repeal and replace Obamacare and the persistent drip of new details about Russian interference in the 2016 election.
But Trump scored high marks with the Republican conservative base with his Supreme Court pick, Justice Neil Gorsuch, and the party rank-and-file has stuck by his side through the early turbulence, many delighting in his constant attacks on the mainstream media. Still, the durability of their faith could be tested if the second half of the year passes without any major legislative achievements.
Here is the story of Trump's first six months, by the numbers.
Who approves?

Trump's approval ratings have flirted with and, more recently, crossed into historic lows. A recent Washington Post/ABC News survey put the number at 36%, with ABC News calling it "the lowest six-month approval rating of any president in polls dating back 70 years."
Two more polls released in the last few days show approval ratings of 40% (Bloomberg) and 39% (Monmouth) -- for an average slightly north of 38%.

During his primary campaign, Trump not only held regular news conferences, he even took questions -- live and on camera -- from reporters on election nights. But it's been a different story since he became president. From January 20 on, he has held only one solo press conference.
According to the The American Presidency Project that puts him significantly behind the paces set by his predecessors. Obama gave 11 in his first year in office, George W. Bush held 5 and Bill Clinton did 12. What's more, the White House has all but ended the daily press briefing as an on-camera event.
Trump has been less hesitant to address his supporters. Since taking office, he has headlined five campaign style rallies, first in Florida, then Tennessee, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Iowa -- all states he won in 2016.
How many bills signed into law?

Trump has signed dozens of executive actions and presidential proclamations. Some have fared better than others. His travel ban plan, for instance, first caused chaos and was effectively shut down by a series of legal challenges. But the second effort, which also faced a flurry of lawsuits, was ultimately allowed to take effect, on a limited basis, by the Supreme Court.
In all, Trump has signed 42 bills into law. Most notable is the Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act, bipartisan legislation that makes it easier for the VA to fire bad employees and offer stronger safeguards for would-be whistleblowers.
But when it comes to big ticket items, like infrastructure, tax reform or a repeal and/or replacement of Obamacare, Trump is sitting on a goose egg -- zero. With health care seemingly on ice, tax reform is expected to be the big challenge Republicans take on.

Months later, Trump would -- after what was reported to be extended internal White House debate -- step out into the Rose Garden and announce that he was pulling the US out the Paris climate deal. As Democrats around the country protested, Trump declared, "I was elected by the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris."
(Note: As Pittsburgh's Democratic mayor quickly reminded the President on Twitter, the city actually voted overwhelmingly for Clinton.)

vernon

Perm , you are just going after Trump for anything you can come up with.As far as aca it's far from over and nobody said it would be easy.
But the aca has to go ,it is just a sneaky way to give the welfare folks more money and placing the cost of this monster on the working people.
So the people who pay these high premiums and outrageous deductibles just leave and pay the fine,the result being there are not enough people.
to keep it operating.

AS far as polls, break it down and see who they questioned,every time I check this the people questioned are weighted more to demorats by at least 10 to 12 %.Check it out.

And the press gets just what they deserve.They not only attack Trump they send out lies and a hell of a lot of them.

As far as getting his big ticket items done ,you have to admit the demorats have blocked everything that comes up and he has taken a lot of time to get any small thing through the senate,like he still hasn't gotten all his appointees confirmed .Maybe you should look at your own party.

permafrost Loc: Minnesota

vern,

I think the most likely to happen is repeal of the ACA. Replace later, when ever that maybe..

I should add that I sort of liked, of all people, what Rand Paul had to say, what is messed up is the individual market. Paul would like to give everyone the chance to form or join a group. So rather then a group of One or two with a spouse, your could include all sorts of additional people in your group and the rates should be more in line with what the Business pay..

According to Paul, even while they bitch and whine like pigs, the industry made 15 billion in profits.. they simply do not want the business which contains the most expensive patients..

Some who dropped out, (insurance co) are out because they do not think the govt under trump will pay them as the agreement specifies..


No one likes polls, we all complain about them. We know how they can be slanted and how bad they turned out a few months ago. Yet they do get looked at and posted.


The free press is the flag staff of a free nation.. We can all complain about the slant of every media, but the press must remain free.

The Democrats can not block anything. It seems to be the conservative block vs the moderates within the GOP who can not agree on a plan..

vernon

Yes the press should be free . but every time they get called out of a blatant lie they holler freedom of the press.I don't think the 2nd was designed to cover a lie and warrant less attack one one person just to do harm.when i was in school we were taught that a story was to be verified by 3 different sources before it went to print.
Today the msm is nothing but a propaganda source for the socialist party usa.
as long as mc connel is in the majority leader job he will give them the power.

permafrost Loc: Minnesota

Yes, I recall that 3 sources idea..

My complaint with the media, (msm) is omission.. seems they often do not even mention news from other parts of the world unless it includes Americans.

The famine in Africa, which seems a constant problem, Wars between other nations.

I have been watching the BBC and think they are somewhat better.

I do not see that it is all lies and propaganda. But I do see that most reports do show a lean. Right of Left, a reader should watch for it..

McConnel is an evil man...

Louie27 Loc: Peoria, AZ

How on earth can you claim that the press in our country is free when they are in bed with the liberals. A free press is one that prints true facts for everyone to see, not false accusations that have no proof. A really free press does not harp on an issue when there is no proof. A free press is one that does not collude with either party and does not take sides with one party or another. That is not happening in this country at this time. There was a time when the truth meant more than exposure to get ratings and pumping up circulation against one political party for profit. The news agencies have degenerated into an abyss of untruths and half truths to promote the liberal agenda. Again that is not a free press.

permafrost Loc: Minnesota

Lou,

While you are correct by you definition.. I can not agree with the summation of the current media..

reporting things we do not like hearing is not being in bed with that side. What ever it is..

The reporting about trump and his doings is very legitimate and newsworthy.. It is not siding with liberals to report that trump is being investigated for a Russia connection.

It is news that the son of the president and trumps personal adviser met with Russian and did not disclose it. that they lied about the number of people and only the discovery of emails opened the story..

Bannon in fact should get much much more revealed about him and his role with trump..

So much is getting hidden by the GOP and trump that the news can not even cover it all.. we should not have closed meetings to create legislation. That fact is news..

All these things and more.. But even with you view of the media.. I can find news that is clear and fact filled and has no political lean.. So could you if you simply would look..

Louie27 Loc: Peoria, AZ

When the media blatantly puts out false accusations with out checking the source, it is not in the best interests of this country, they have done this time and time again. What about the supposed leaks from the supposedly unbiased criminal investigative organizations and Obama's people still on the White House grounds. Those are criminal offences and the persons should be found and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. I would have that same conclusion even if a Democrat was in office. When these organizations become political it is the start of something sinister and could lead to the collapse of Democracy in this great country.