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| Angelika/Mike Schilli |
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12/2016
Angelika During his tenure, Obama frequently used executive orders for implementation. "Executive Orders" are presidential directives that would otherwise lack a majority to obtain through Congress or the Senate due to lack of consensus. Examples during the Obama administration include the Paris Climate Agreement, the issuance of work permits for individuals who entered the country as children illegally with their parents, or even the ban on drilling in the Arctic Ocean.
Both Democratic and Republican presidents have increasingly used this strategy in the last 20 years, even though the Constitution only allows for its use in cases of urgent problems. Historically, almost every American president has made use of this tool, starting with George Washington who issued eight Executive Orders right from the start, through Abraham Lincoln who issued the famous "Emancipation Proclamation" in 1863 to free slaves, up to Ronald Reagan (381), George H.W. Bush (291), Bill Clinton (308), George W. Bush (291) and finally Obama (261).
The problem with this situation is that these orders are not binding laws and the next president can easily abolish them by signing a simple executive order. Trump has already boasted about issuing executive orders as his first official act, and he has also hinted at making liberal use of implementation orders afterwards. Exciting times ahead!
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