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From the right: Chuck Schumers First 117 Days

Most of the news media will be grading President Trump Saturday on his 100th day in office. But Scott Jennings at Real Clear Politics thinks Chuck Schumer deserves a report card, too. And after 117 days as Senate Democratic leader, he has much to show for it. For example, Schumers role in ensuring that Neil Gorsuch was confirmed to the Supreme Court will be an enduring legacy. Indeed, his decision to force a change to Senate rules eliminating the filibuster was nothing less than inspired. As a result, hes made it quite likely that the next nominee will be even more conservative, since only a simple majority will be needed. So history will long remember Schumer for reshaping the Supreme Court for decades to come.

Security pros: Caught in Obamas Iran Nuke Trap

The recent State Department statement certifying Iran to be compliant with the nuclear deal raises troubling questions, warn John Bolton and Paula DeSutter at The Washington Times. Like whether the State Departments bureaucracy knows or cares that US Iran policy has changed with the Trump administrations advent. The president could have sidestepped the issue, especially given his administrations short time in office and its ongoing review of Iran policy. The challenge he faces is not getting entangled in a bureaucratic trap set by his predecessor. Barack Obama negotiated the deal to be inherently unverifiable, because he was after a political agreement . . . that would neither require Senate approval nor be easily terminated by subsequent administrations. Moreover, the actual verification process has been significantly weakened, making the deal a US diplomatic Waterloo.

Foreign desk: Turkey Is Neither Enemy Nor Ally

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has extended the geopolitical equivalent of a middle finger to President Trump after receiving a congratulatory phone call over his victory in an apparently rigged referendum enhancing his already vast power, contends Max Boot at Commentary: Turkish aircraft this week bombed US-backed rebels in Syria and Erodgan is showing his contempt for concerns raised about the fairness of the referendum. Which is why Trump needs to rethink US policy toward Turkey, which is hardly acting like a NATO ally should, and make clear that he will not stand for Turkish actions that are inimical to American interests.

Conservative: Whats Wrong With Obamas $400K Speech?

The condemnation from liberal commentators has been almost unanimous since word got out that ex-President Barack Obama is being paid $400,000 to speak to a Wall Street investment firm. But Ed Krayewski at Reason says that just illustrates the silly nature of Democrats (and, increasingly, Republicans) anti-Wall Street rhetoric. Specifically, that there is something wrong with Wall Street . . . as a whole, and that there [is] such a thing as making enough money. So what if Obama is drawing a $400,000 a year pension and signed a $12 million book deal? Its no ones right to tell him when hes made enough money except him or his family. As for companies buying influence, the real problem lies with the rapid growth of the kinds of regulations and bureaucracies wide open to corruption.

Numbers cruncher: Tax Plan Giveth and Taketh Away

Yes, President Trumps tax plan does benefit the very rich, along with everyone else, by lowering tax rates. But, notes Steven Malanga at City Journal, it also imposes an expensive penalty on the wealthy by eliminating a set of deductions including, crucially, the deduction for state and local taxes. That will put further pressure on states like New York and California to reduce taxes. Because 88 percent of the deductions benefit goes to taxpayers with $100,000 or more in income, reformers have long proposed eliminating it while lowering tax rates across the board as Trump is proposing. Still, for wealthy individuals in high-tax states, the pain would be significant, perhaps prompting many of them to reconsider their residency. But Trump has both given to and taken away from the rich, in pursuit of lower taxes for others.

Compiled by Eric Fettmann

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Schumer's report card, Obama's Iran trap for Trump, and other comments - New York Post