Congress would rather steal paychecks from us than stand up to Trump | Your Turn
President Trump has signed more than 100 executive orders in less than 100 days of his second term. Are these the issues you want him to focus on? Here's what you told us.
President Donald Trump is advancing his agenda one executive order at a time. While Congress does anything except its job, Trump has signed more than 100 executive orders on everything from ending diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives to requiring proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections.
Modern presidents have increasingly relied on executive orders to push forward their campaign promises, which left us wondering: Do you think the executive branch is going too far? Or are Trump and other presidents right to act within their presidential powers? Are the executive orders Trump is signing – including a move to end birthright citizenship, expanding school choice, ending the use of paper straws in federal government buildings and redefining "showerhead" – the issues you want him to focus on?
We received responses from Iowa to Ohio and Nevada to North Carolina as readers across the country wrote in to share their perspectives for our latest Paste BN Opinion Forum. Read a collection of their submissions below.
Presidents will cancel each other out with executive orders until Congress learns bipartisanship
I do think President Donald Trump is relying on executive orders too much to enact his agenda.
He should definitely use fewer executive orders and work more with Congress, especially because Republicans have control of both the House and the Senate. These executive orders will just be overturned when the next president comes into the White House, and four or eight years after that the same thing will happen again. It will continue to happen until politicians figure out a way to bring back civility to our nation and a common ground approach so that people will choose to work together for the greater good instead of just for party affiliation or to get elected again.
I would like Congress to stop putting forth bills to rename monuments or airports or giving presidents a third term and instead enact bipartisan legislation that a majority of the country supports. People in the House and Senate need to get back to their constituents and listen for a change instead of simply towing a party line.
— Kelly Kanetkar, Beaumont, Texas
Trump doesn't want to work to find compromise. He'd rather golf.
Mr. Trump is relying too much on executive orders. As he has proved over and over, he is unwilling to find common ground with Congress. That would apparently require something resembling "work."
Rather, he has discovered the power of the pen to be very intoxicating to both himself and his loyal followers. Members of Congress are content to steal their paychecks while the White House people find every crack in every law they've written to exploit for their radically conservative agenda.
Mr. Trump is using the executive orders as a smokescreen for the damage he is causing to our government. Distraction after distraction is thrown at us on Fridays so he can jet off to his golf clubs. These distractions include what he says are hidden agendas by the Smithsonian and the National Zoo to brainwash Americans.
The silence from our elected representatives in Congress has been deafening. The many failures of those legislators are on full display every time Mr. Trump signs an executive order.
I would love to see Congress identify the 300-year-old person receiving Social Security benefits. I would love to see them cut spending across the board instead of letting some tech guy shut down government programs with a keystroke.
— Andrew Taylor, San Antonio, Texas
We are at war. Trump is picking the right issues with his orders.
I'm not sure if Trump is using executive orders too much. It isn't about how many, as much as what legal authorities are there behind them. The courts are going to have their hands full, and Congress is going to have to clarify on authorities.
I do think Trump is picking the right issues with his executive orders. We are essentially in a technological and economic war with China, a semi-kinetic war with Iran and its proxies, and also dealing with Ukraine-Russia-Europe – all while trying to keep at bay Chinese, Russian and cartel influences south of the border.
We are at war. The executive needs flexibility, but the legislative and judicial branches need to keep the executive in check with the authorities.
— Justin Kuchar, Coweta, Oklahoma
Executive orders can be construed as blatant power grab, as used by authoritarian regimes
Trump is using too many executive orders. I don't know if there is an "ideal" number of such orders. Most presidents have used executive orders in the way intended, to affect routine administrative matters and the internal operations of federal agencies. Trump seems to be using them in an attempt to enact federal law or override constitutional rights above the vested power of the executive branch.
I think Trump is picking some, but not most, of the right issues with the orders. For example, his tariff orders are ruining our relationships with allies and raising prices. He seems focused on enacting legislation through the orders to tear down policy and law established over years of hard work. Things don't work that way in any effective government. This can be construed as a blatant power grab similarly used by authoritarian regimes.
Because most of Trump's executive orders exhibit extreme action and seem counterproductive to me, it's hard to say what he should focus on. Plus, his issuing of these orders in rapid succession makes it difficult to pay proper attention to each individual measure taken, adding to the confusion that already exists.
It is the legislative branch that makes and enacts law, not the president (except by veto power). Congressional members need to act outside the influence of their political parties and do what is best for the MAJORITY of Americans.
— Steve Walker, Greenland, New Hampshire