What Went Down During The First 100 Days of Every President Since FDR

Highs: Sworn in amid the COVID-19 Pandemic, Biden acted quickly in his first 100 days, issuing more executive orders than his last three predecessors. Many of the 60 executive orders he signed in his first 100 days focused on either curbing the virus or overturning Trump-era policies. Before he was inaugurated, Biden proposed a $1.9 trillion economic relief plan, which subsequently passed in March. Among many other executive actions, Biden reversed President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender Americans joining the military, many of his immigration policies, and his withdrawal from the 2015 Paris climate accords. As promised in his campaign, Biden hosted a global climate summit where he committed the United States to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Lows: Biden struggled with the implementation of multiple programs. As part of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, many of the grant programs to aid Small Businesses were either slow or failed to launch. Furthermore, his efforts to provide funds to low-income families who relied upon free or reduced-price meals at school have been stalled on a state-by-state level. One of the Biden Administration’s biggest struggles, however, was in immigration. In his first 100 days, Biden rescinded Trump’s national emergency declaration, reversed many of Trump’s policies, and narrowed immigration enforcement in the US. But he also struggled to address a large influx of migrants coming to the US southern border, leaving many unaccompanied migrant children in poorly accommodated facilities.

Highs: One of Trump’s biggest wins was having Neil Gorsuch controversially confirmed as a Supreme Court Justice. As promised, Trump saw that many Obama-era economic and environmental regulations were repealed. He was active with several executive orders, using the most since 1949 and more than Barack Obama, who he had previously criticized for the very same thing. Trump’s Syrian air strike is still controversial, but it’s a definitive action. The same could be said of the pushing through of the Keystone XL Pipeline.

Lows: The numbers say it all, sometimes. Trump’s approval rating is historically low at 43%. His bigly hyped replacement for the Affordable Care Act was ultimately withdrawn when it was widely panned by just about everyone. His executive orders regarding the immigration of people from certain Muslim countries were blocked by federal courts, in an impressive display of the government’s checks and balances. Another order regarding the funding of sanctuary cities was also blocked. Countless other promises were just plain broken, not the least were those regarding vacation time, his personal salary and expenses, and his time on vacation. Perhaps most embarrassingly, Trump’s National Security Advisor Michael Flynn was forced to resign over inappropriate contact with a Russian ambassador. Speaking of Russia, allegations and investigations regarding the Trump team’s relationship with Putin and the Kremlin absolutely dominated the headlines.

Highs: Obama enjoyed a 65% approval rating after his first 100 days, higher than his three predecessors. He introduced his economic stimulus package, and it was quickly passed in both the House and Senate. Obama also expanded on children’s health care, and bolstered equal-pay with the Lilly Ledbetter Act. He supported science by lifting the ban on stem-cell research, and aimed to improve political ethics by introducing new guidelines for lobbyists.

Lows: Obama inherited a receding economy, and he had to deal with the repercussions immediately after taking office. Perhaps distracted by the economy, Obama was only able to pass 11 laws during his first 100 days. On a more personal level, his nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tom Daschle, was forced to withdraw when his severe tax evading ways were discovered. Obama attempted, but failed, to close Guantanamo with an executive order.

Highs: Bush enjoyed a 62% approval rating, higher than Bill Clinton’s or his own father’s. He quickly slashed income tax to a great degree, fulfilling a campaign promise. Bush proposed the eventually-controversial No Child Left Behind educational policy, and he opened up for more government funding of faith-based organizations.

Lows: George W. Bush was quite inactive in his first 100 days, only passing seven laws and using few executive orders. Far more devastating than his inactivity was his ignorance, as Bush mostly ignored a blue-ribbon commission on homeland security, which suggested that a terrorist attack may be imminent. Of course, the attacks of September 11th, 2001, were to follow.

Highs: Clinton was an incredibly active president in his first 100 days, passing the fourth-most laws of all time, with 24. Many of Clinton’s moves were concerned with human and personal rights, such as the walking back of restrictions on abortion or the opening up of the military to gays and lesbians. His Family and Medical Leave Act also helped improve the lives of countless individuals.

Lows: Clinton made headlines by putting his wife, Hillary Clinton, in control of a massive health care overhaul, which would ultimately fail. His stimulus package was killed by a Republican filibuster, and he faced a smaller controversy over the firing of some White House staffers.

Highs: The senior Bush started out well with his bailout plan for savings and loans, which was widely praised. He proposed debt forgiveness for developing countries, an important humanitarian decision, and he reversed a bit of Reagan’s policy by cutting defense spending. Bush also quickly addressed some environmental issues, concerning acid rain and smog.

Lows: Bush had his Defense Secretary pick rejected by the Senate in an early defeat. He was criticized for a general lack of direction, but his actions might best be described as housekeeping. Bush was denounced by the NRA, which had previously endorsed him, after a slight bit of regulation. He was also criticized for a slow response to the Exxon-Valdez crisis.