Tim Price on Trump's use of executive orders

Another dark cloud hanging over the political landscape is the, for want of a better phrase, imperial nature of the entire executive order process.  To an admitted outsider, rule by executive order fiat seems to run a coach and horses through the idea of a constitutional framework for democratic government, and the concept of checks and balances against Presidential overreach.  It also seems to refashion the Presidential role to something akin to a ‘primus inter pares’ amongst a cadre of philosophically and morally unreliable tech bro robber barons. 

But let’s not allow the best to become the enemy of the good.  Given what’s at stake, we’ll take robber barons over doctrinaire Communists every day of the week.

~ Tim Price, "War of the Worlds," Price Value Partners, February 3, 2025

Maryland Governor issues stay-at-home order in response to the coronavirus

This is a deadly public health crisis.  We are no longer asking or suggesting that Marylanders stay home.  We are directing them to do so.  This executive order will become effective at 8 pm today.

~ Larry Hogan, Governor of Maryland, "Hogan issues stay-at-home order for Maryland to stop spread of coronavirus," Baltimore Sun, March 30, 2020

Jim Powell on the concentration of executive power

Indeed, [Teddy] Roosevelt ushered in the practice of ruling by means of executive orders, bypassing the congressional legislative process. There had been presidential directives since the beginning, but they had seldom been used. During the presidency of Abraham Lincoln, they became known as executive orders. From Lincoln to Roosevelt’s predecessor, William McKinley, there was a total of 158 executive orders. Roosevelt, during his seven years in office issued 1,007 . . . . Only two other presidents issued more executive orders than he: his fellow progressive Woodrow Wilson (1,791) and his distant cousin, Franklin Deleno Roosevelt (3,723).

~ Jim Powell, Bully Boy: The Truth About Theodore Roosevelt's Legacy