Counterpoint: Executive Orders
Earlier this month, President Barack Obama exercised his authority as commander-in-chief by initiating an executive order on gun control. He proposes to require stricter background checks.
Issuing an executive order allows the president to bypass Congress, and effectively establish laws that may have been stunted from passing if the president sees fit.
Historically, Congress is held almost primarily by the opposite political party than the president, often causing there to be consistent conflict between the legislative and executive branches. This is an issue as pressing as mass shootings and gun control is one that needs immediate action.
A president, as the overseer of the wellness of the nation, should not be held back from protecting the country to the best of his ability because the legislative branch chooses to disagree with his party.
It is written in the Constitution that the commander-in-chief execute his authority for the best. Within the Constitution, in Article Two, Section 3, Clause 5, the president’s executive power is stated as being able to “take care that the laws be faithfully executed.”
With several mass shootings happening within the last year, and even more so throughout the duration of Obama’s presidency, it is a crisis that he has grievously taken to heart.
Emotional press releases, visitations to the cities and families affected, and leaving a seat open in humble memoriam at his final State of the Union address are ways Obama has let the country know he cares immensely about this horrible epidemic.
Obama has made several efforts to implement stricter gun control laws, only to have them shot down almost immediately by Congress.
“Change, as always, is going to take all of us,” Obama said in a public address at the beginning of the year. “The gun lobby is loud and well organized in its defense of effortlessly available guns for anyone. The rest of us are going to have to be just as passionate and well organized in our defense of our kids. That’s the work of citizenship —to stand up and fight for the change that we seek.”
In this address, Obama is stating this problem is a nationwide issue. By issuing the executive order it gives the people what they need, protection, when they can’t necessarily provide it themselves with Congress denying them their right to take action.
While bypassing Congress and exercising his legal right might seem tyrannical to those who are opposed to his decision, Obama is not infringing upon citizen’s rights. Rather,he is putting into effect a way for our nation to take steps, even if they are small, toward making our nation a safer place.
Regardless of political party, the president has every right to implement laws in which he believes will make the nation safer. Executive orders are issued in almost all presidencies, and they should certainly not be criticized when it is for the benefit of the nation as a whole.
