Obama to use Executive Order

If Obama is going to use his Executive Order powers to overturn some of Bush's docterines (which I don't think would be such a bad thing), then what is to stop him from using it on anything he chooses? (Gun laws, government finance, government eavesdropping, etc.) If the president is not going to use the Congress (which is "supposed" to mimick the peoples wishes), then why have a Congress at all, or Congressional hearings? Why have a [people] voice at all? Wouldn't that change the idea of "..for the people, by the people..."?

news.aol.com... sh-policies/242417

(Third story down)

[edit on 10-11-2008 by scrubsnstuffkim]

[edit on 10-11-2008 by scrubsnstuffkim]

What I find funny is that Congress has the power to overwrite or nullify executives orders by passing legislation. Seeing that he will have a Democratic Congress, why should he worry about issuing out more executive orders to cancel Bush's. Just tell Congress which ones and let them do their job. Sounds like a bunch of hype by me. The less executive orders, the better.

Executive Orders are supposed to be the exception NOT the norm.

It is supposed to be used under extraordinary circumstances and requires a thorough (ostensibly) explanation to the representatives shortly after its issuance.

Legislation on the matter is very clear. President-elect Obama can either continue the executive abuse of his predecessors, or REMOVE the abusive orders en toto and let the people's voice rule on the matters that reflect our desired "national character".

Any bets?

[edit on 10-11-2008 by Maxmars]

Well, it seems to me that he will issue some Executive Orders whether we support them or not. Some of them I probably would. Others I probably wouldn't. But Obama wouldn't necessarily have to, because as was pointed out above, he could just go to Congress and have them issue the appropriate legislation which he could then sign into law. I would necessarily think that this would be his best option, as it would make Congress feel like they were part of the "team effort".

This is the first election year that I have really gotten into the process, and when I posed this same question (original thread post) to my husband, he says that all new presidents do the same thing to the present that preceeded them. Is that true?? Or is this a little more aggressive??

Well here is a list of the 300 or so Executive Orders GWB has issued!

www.whitehouse.gov...

Bush Senior issued 2...thats right 2 executive orders during his presidency, Reagan issued 3. Clinton issued 10.

Bush Jr...maybe 300 so far...
I would expect Obama to issue some Executive Orders quickly after taking office to undue some of the recent expansion of executive oowers.

When Obama DOES become the President, he can then use his Executive Orders, but whatif! If Obama talks abit to much BEFORE he comes into office and the President, Mr Bush could use the "Executive Orders" to stop anything from what Obama has said.

reply to post by maybereal11


Bush Jr has issued 262 Executive orders thus far in 8 years
Clinton Issued 364 in 8 years
Bush Sr Issued 166 in 4 years
Reagan 381 issued in 8 years
Carter 320 Issued in 4 years

Executive Orders Disposition Tables Index

Click on each President in the above link to get the number of EO signed by each president going back to FDR.

Compared to Previous Presidents Bush Jr has had less EO issued based on time in office.

reply to post by DarkStormCrow


Good information, DSC!! Thanks...

legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com...
That's a very good definition and article that's about executive orders.

Bush used them like no President before, well maybe kinda like FDR and what he did to the Japanese living here.

But the only way to overturn some of the executive orders Bush has done is for another president to do a executive order.

I think the number is a little closer to Reagans, for the simple fact that Bush has either hidden or outright denied people from knowing what was in an executive order.

Plus the line-item veto can be seen as an executive order itself, you know like when Bush signed the thing saying we wouldn't torture then wrote a note on the bottom saying we would torture and signed it anyway.

Or the tax code that was thrown away recently in when everyone was freaking out and worried about the Bailout, they revoked a tax code that said you can't get a tax break for buying up smaller companies. Probably why all those banks went ahead and did that.

reply to post by DarkStormCrow


Thank you. Yes I was way off there and appreciate the correction and the link. I had gone to this page on Wikipedia

List of United States federal executive orders
en.wikipedia.org...

* But I failed to notice the fine print..."This list is incomplete"

My apologies and again thanks for catching the error.