Obama – “I’ve Got a Pen and a Phone” – speaking Executive Orders – The difference between abuse of power and the basics of a normally benign executive order.

The President is obviously frustrated and in need of a campaign slogan – what better use than to take to the executive order and blame it on those Republican’s –while implementing God knows what next – changing legislation, ignoring legislation, the sky appears to be the limit. The story on CBSLocal Boston is an attempt to explain how this President is applying executive order in the same manner as his predecessors. The comment section suggests that the people aren’t buying it anymore. In fact reading the comment sections was more entertaining than the article. View that at http://www.wasington.cbslocal.com.

The fact that executive orders have been in use for some time is true – the history of each and every one of them since the first is outlines at www.archives.gov/federal-regesiter/executive/dispostion.html - and one sees an anomaly as soon as one hits the main page.

Beginning with Herbert Hoover who issues 906 orders executive orders, through Roosevelt (in 3 terms) who issued 3466, to George W.Bush, who issued merely 290 in 8 years, to Barack Obama, who at present has issued 165, which appears to be on the low side. It is not necessarily the amount of executive orders on President Decrees; it is the content of that order that is at question. Most executive orders suggest naming of days, or bridges, or offering awards as in, or establishing councils as in Bush’s President's Council on Service and Civic Participation, in other words, basic fluff.

Mother’s Day was created by Executive Decree –however, President Obama’s Executive Decrees appear to be more endruns around the Constitution, not for example the following: Prohibiting Certain Imports of Burmese Jadeite and Rubies, Accelerating Investment in Industrial Energy Efficiency. Establishment of the Council of Governors- most of the President appear to be the establishment of sanctions/and or committees or councils to work to oversea every single department of the Federal government, or to oversea industry, in and outside of the US. –on the face of it, it appears to be used as a management tool, and the majority of what is there, is within the guidelines of the Constitution, yet, most would be Congresses purview. Therein lays the crux of the matter.

It is worth the read, as some of the executive orders are pretty interesting, inspiring, or boring, take one’s pick.

The use of the Pen, and the Telephone as he noted, so strongly, appears to suggest his is becoming frustrated and needs to get certain legislation trough by hook or crook to up his historical worth in the long term –Given the healthcare plan has had more than a few bumps in the road – and bailouts to insurance carries, to hold rates low until 2016 smacks of political chicanery.

Therefore he is establishing himself, like any other president of this modern time – nothing more and nothing less. In a few short years, he will be history, and history, like no other subject can be cruel in the long term. In the short-term, since he has lost the trust of the public, anything he attempts will be viewed with suspicion.