The New York Times doesn’t seem to like the fact President Biden is using so many Executive Orders in his first days in office. They are telling him to slow down.
They want him to slow down in helping the country. Helping the country during a pandemic. Helping the country during an economic depression. Helping the country achieve racial equity. But hey, stop and slow down President Biden, you are helping the American public too much for the New York Times.
I agree with them in that although an Executive Order carries the weight of law, they are not codified as law. Just as the twice impeached insurrectionist one term president used Executive Orders to undo the progress of President Obama, President Biden is doing the same thing to his predecessor. Unfortunately, when the White House next changes parties, that person will continue the cycle, and so on and so forth. There will be very little stability from one administration to the next.
Executive Orders are not the answer for the reason they can be so fleeting. Here today, gone tomorrow. Presidents seem to be adding them as part of their steady repertoire of actions. They are being used to get things done like never before.
What I don’t recall seeing, and please correct me, is an article critical of Mitch McConnell and Kevin McCarthy for not wanting to practice unity with the Democrats. No article lambasting McConnell and McCarthy for being obstructionists.
The unfortunate aspect of Executive Orders is that they are so necessary to get things done now. Congress is broken because of how the trumpublicans operate, meaning they don’t really care for the common, non-billionaire people. They obstruct, obstruct, obstruct. When in power, they obstruct by not bringing bills to committee or the floor for a vote. When in the minority, they over use the filibuster. Therefore they create roadblocks to legislation that will truly help the 99%.
Should the New York Times, and media in general, not want a President to use so many Executive Orders, then start pressuring the trumpublican obstructionists through your stories and editorials. Those of us who pay attention see how Executive Orders are fraught with the dangers outlined above. And, we also know because of how broke Congress is, how they refuse to work in bipartisan ways, if we want progress and help for the American public, Executive Orders are the only thing that can make these things happen.
Until Congress fixes itself, or the American public gives one party 60 votes in the Senate, preferably Democrats, we will have this volley of on again, off again weight of law without being law. As long as this continues, the American people and democracy will suffer.
I’m fairly certain this is not what the Founding Fathers envisioned for the country they created. I’m fairly certain the American people are tired of the gridlock. I’m fairly certain (actually soundly certain) the American people are tired of Congress receiving a paycheck for doing nothing.
Madam New York Times, maybe if you spent less time criticizing what is being done to truly move the country forward, and more time criticizing the party of disunity and obstruction, the trumpublicans, things might get better. Until then, please take a seat while the rest of us try to do the work a free press is supposed to do, defend democracy and to help enrich the American people.
Until then you are just an archaic dinosaur still living in the past, while the rest of us are doing the hard work.
So step up, or step aside!
Personal Reflections of a Middle-Aged Man 