Episode 34: The (Limited) Power of Executive Orders

Joe Biden is barely a month in office and he’s already setting a fairly blistering pace of signing executive orders. Why so much activity so early? Is it just about undoing the Trump legacy? Is it about signaling a “energetic executive”? Is it signaling a larger legislative effort? Well, it’s a little of “all of the above”. Compared to his immediate predecessors, Joe Biden moved quickly to sign a bunch of executive orders in the opening weeks of his administration that left many critics crying “imperial presidency,” and “executive overreach!” But is it? In today’s show, I’m going to provide you with a brief overview of executive orders, their purposes, how they fit in our Constitution system, and why they so often become a lightning rod for partisan controversy. Subscribe to the Weekly Brief on Substack (30% for podcast listeners)! Get the show notes at www.timtalkspolitics.com.