Amid a gridlocked congress and increasing amount of gun violence, President Obama’s recent executive order called for stricter background checks for purchasing and selling guns.
By Issuing Executive Order on Gun Control, Obama Overreaches His Power, Increases Congressional Gridlock
President Obama’s recent executive actions on gun control and immigration have placed him at the center of the debate regarding executive power — and for good reason. His desire to overcome a gridlocked Congress gave him few other options besides using wide-ranging and unchecked executive power. But this does not justify his use of extreme measures. Democracy is built around compromise and communication, not a single person or administration. When the president overrides the diligent process of legislative checks and balances in favor of “quicker” and “easier” executive actions, he cuts out a large portion of the U.S. population who might otherwise have their say in the government. Obama’s executive actions will further disillusion voters who are already frustrated with the federal government.
Obama’s actions are also dangerous since he potentially faces a future Republican leader undoing all of his actions as soon as 2016 is over. A GOP president might decide to use executive actions (with Obama as his example) to halt Planned Parenthood or the Affordable Care Act, both of which should require legislative processes. Furthermore, a state governor might use his same methods to derail some of Obama’s initiatives. Executive actions should be limited to specific instances in times of crisis, not as a means to set policy that is not carefully considered by the entire government.
Obama’s decision to use his executive power to set policy stems from his understandable frustration with Congressional gridlock. However, the real problem behind this is partisan politics, political polarization and extremist candidates. More executive actions will not solve these serious problems in American politics; they will only worsen it. In his State of the Union address, President Obama fully admitted that “the rancour and suspicion between the parties has gotten worse instead of better,” and his executive actions have only contributed to this problem, according to the Guardian. President Obama should be focusing on the underlying issues surrounding Congressional gridlock so that he can effectively enforce substantial gun and immigration reform. He should not bypass the very system designed to keep executive power in check just because of his frustration. His orders create a slippery slope with little oversight, and Obama’s decision to continue the status quo does not bode well for American politics.
— NATHAN WALKER Staff Writer
Executive Order on Gun Control is Necessary to Propel a Gridlocked Congress into Taking Significant Action on Reform
A few weeks ago, President Obama laid the foundation for a new series of executive orders on gun reform. These orders are designed to sidestep a gridlocked Congress in order to prevent gun violence in the U.S. According to a White House press release, this will be achieved through clarification of background checks for sellers and buyers of guns, stronger gun law enforcement and investment in safer gun technologies. Despite the connotations of unconstitutionality and an abuse of power, these executive orders are relatively minor actions in regards to gun reform, and as the Washington Post reported, Congressional action is needed to fully address the problem. Obama’s orders on gun reform are not a violation of his authority but a necessary step forward that will hopefully encourage further reforms.
Many people are uncomfortable with the concept of an “executive order,” when it is in fact well within legal boundaries. According to This Nation, a website on American government and politics, Article II of the Constitution grants the president “executive power” to enforce laws. This means that his orders should be used to direct federal agencies in their execution of existing Congressional laws. Also, in contrast to conservative accusations of tyranny, Obama’s highly publicized use of executive orders are actually far fewer than most presidents before him. The American Presidency Project reports that Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered the most, numbering around 3,700. Obama on the other hand is currently at a measly 227, which is striking when compared to the more recent Republican president Ronald Reagan’s 381.
As President Obama wrote in a letter to the New York Times, most Americans support common sense gun reforms, and yet, he concedes, meaningful gun legislation will not pass through this current Congress. A recent Gallup Poll revealed that a new high of 62 percent of Americans are dissatisfied with our gun laws. Despite this, Congress has failed to enact meaningful reform. With this disparity between public interest and Congressional action, the standard legislative approach is no longer an option. In his last term as president, his executive orders have allowed Obama to get the ball rolling on gun reform. Hopefully these baby steps will inspire greater action by legislators and voters to push for greater changes.
— SOPHIE OSBORN Staff Writer
