Should the President care?

While doing the reading for this week, based on public opinion and the media, I wondered to myself who actually cares about the public’s opinion? Does our current President care when an election is on the line? At the end or beginning of a term, does it matter if the public likes what you are doing as the leader of the free world? Surveys were taken in the reading about the approval rating of the President by the average Americans. We see on television shows and movies when the President’s approval rating is down. It seems like a devastating blow for an administration. However, if this is so devastating to an administration, what exactly are the consequences? They may affect re-election, the respect of other nations, and the legislative branch.

Assuming that the President takes his position seriously as a representative of the people, their approval rating should matter. Does it? How has our approval rating of President Trump affected his policies? Currently, President Trump has an approval rating of only 37.9%. If the President is really a representative of the people, should we not have more of an input in his actions? Apparently, this is the reason for a House of Representatives. When an executive leader does not care, the people must check him through the legislative branch.

The media will tear the administration to pieces if the people are displeased. The media is dispersed to other nations; the other nations form their opinions from the media. After viewing President Trump’s tweets, many nations lost respect for him. Other leaders have ostracized him from certain meetings because of his tweets. President Trump must be taught about the conveyor belt that is the media.

Ultimately, does Donald Trump have a chance at re-election with public opinion the way it is now? When President Trump was inaugurated, his approval rating was at 45.5%. Today, it is 7.6 points lower. It is because of this that I believe that what the President does influences public opinion more than public opinion influences the President’s actions.

Approval ratings from: https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/trump-approval-ratings/