President Trump is working hard compared to his predecessors, so why are Republicans betraying him?

The media narrative about President Trump is simply a lie.

Americans are baffled. Why is it that Republicans, despite controlling the House, Senate and presidency, cannot pass their agenda. Healthcare, immigration and tax reform all seem stymied on Capitol Hill. What is the explanation behind this mystery?

LOS ANGELES, CA (California Network) -- Following the election of Donald Trump along with a Republican controlled House and Senate, Americans expected a wave of Republican and libertarian reform to sweep government. The era of irresponsible government spending was over. Our borders were to be controlled and tax reform was imminent. Millions waited for January with bated breath. Then, January came, and nothing changed. February, March, April, and so on. It is now July and precious little of President Trump's agenda has passed. Is the Trump presidency a disaster?

The media spin, as usual, misconstrues the facts to make it appear as if President Trump cannot do anything. However, a look at history reveals that the president is working harder than his predecessors.

President Trump has signed 43 laws to date. At this point in his presidency, Obama had signed 40, and George W. Bush even less. Of those laws, 14 roll back Obama era bureaucracy. Thankfully, the media will not allow facts get in the way of a good story. Instead of reporting on the work he's accomplished, the media likes to show the president playing golf. But how can anyone judge the president when he's already accomplished more than his predecessors?

Unfortunately, the media narrative is fueled by the Republican Party, which is remarkably divided. Care should be taken not to blame the president for the sins of the party.

Data collected by the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) reveals that Republicans have become more extreme in their ideology, and more fractured as a party. Having moved the entire party to the right, there are no more "liberal Republicans" who might be Democrats. Historically, these were key individuals, people who might side with the opposition on key issues. Today, they are extinct.

Instead, the problem is not in the middle, where it has always been a matter of crafting a deal so that all sides get something they want. Now, the problem is that laws don't do enough to appease the rightmost wing of the party.

While most Republicans and most Americans want Obamacare replaced, there is a hard-right faction that will only agree to repeal and a return to a free market approach. The result is gridlock within the party itself on a wide range of issues.

The situation does not appear likely to improve, thus rendering the Trump presidency virtually impotent. President Trump will either have to govern as Obama did, which is by issuing daily presidential edicts, or he will have to be content with watching his presidency die a slow death. He will not be able to pass any legislation because it will either be too far to the right, or too much in the center to appease enough Republicans.

Ultimately, it will be up to voters to break this gridlock in the midterm elections of 2018. The concern is they will sweep Democrats into power, which will effectively end the Trump presidency. From there, it's impossible to predict what happens next, but it's unlikely to be something Republicans like.