Study: Obama Has Issued More Restrictive Executive Orders Than Past SIX Administrations
Uses more words that create binding, legal obligations, such as ‘shall’ and ‘must’
Steve Watson
Prisonplanet.com
January 6, 2016
A study undertaken by the Mercatus Institute reveals that President Obama has used more restrictive executive orders than his previous SIX predecessors in the White House.
Despite Obama running on a campaign promise not to abuse executive orders, the findings indicate that while he has not used as many orders as past Presidents, the language in Obama’s executive orders is much more restrictive.
“We examine the usage of restrictions—words that create binding, legal obligations, such as ‘shall’ and ‘must,’” a Mercatus statement said.
“Although the current administration has issued fewer executive orders than other modern administrations, the figures show that its total usage of restrictions in executive orders and proclamations exceeds that of any of the past six administrations, with the exception of Clinton’s first term.” the statement continues.
“We don’t know the actual burden the president’s executive orders impose on the public,” noted James Broughel, a program manager at the Mercatus Center.
“This is because these policies avoid benefit-cost analysis requirements that have been an accepted feature of the regulatory process for over thirty years.” Broughel added.
Figures compiled by the Federal Register also show that while Obama has issued 229 executive orders, to George W. Bush’s 292 and Bill Clinton’s 308, the total length of Obama’s orders equates to 1,086 pages.
Bush’s orders comprised 922 pages and Clinton’s just 781 pages.
“Not all executive orders are created equal,” said John Hudak of the Brookings Institution. “Some are quite forceful, making dramatic changes to policy. Others are more routine, housekeeping issues.”
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