Removes bipartisan support Argument: Party loyalty
Counter: Negative effects
In my fourth argument I discuss the lack of bipartisan efforts as a result of executive orders. I acknowledge the counterargument that it is the republicans refusing to operate instead of the president. |
Additionally, the use of executive orders in recent years has led to political parties only working in isolation, therefore, creating stronger bonds within individual entities while depleting bipartisanism. President Obama has complained that all of his efforts to make America a better place are “being blocked or ignored by Republicans in Congress” (“Remarks on Signing an Executive Order” par. 7). If the plans that President Obama had were truly beneficial he would have no trouble uniting the parties to make progress. Not only is he ostracizing republicans in Congress, but he is making history by bringing State Attorneys General together. Edwards stated that in the past states would act independently from each other if they had an issue with an executive order, but Attorney Generals are now choosing to band together in order to fight for states' rights (par. 5). President Obama has practically removed bipartisanship on Capitol Hill. The only people that he is bringing together are people that are banning together to fight against the amount of control he has taken over the American government.
However, the negative effects of executive orders are not clear to Obama supporters when comes to the issue of bipartisanship. A number of supporters of the Obama administration have suggested that “the House of Representatives, the Republicans, voted to sue [President Obama] for taking actions that [the administration] is doing to help families” (“Remarks on Signing an Executive Order” par. 12). Democrats are saying that Republicans are refusing to help better the lives of families. The issue is that members of the Republican party felt compelled to take action against the President of the United States of America for the decisions that he is making. If the decision was simply to “help families” or to not “help families”, there would not even be a discussion. Not only have the lawsuits brought up by Republican caused conflict between President Obama and Republicans, but this situation has driven the wedge deeper between the Republicans and the Democrats. President Obama argues that he is willing to work with Republicans, although he hasn’t done much bipartisan work (“Remarks on Signing an Executive Order” par. 7). The Obama administration has made it clear that creating any new legislation is going to be an us versus them situation. The White House is leading by example to all members of Congress that blaming the other side of the aisle for the lack of action is appropriate. It is harmful enough that President Obama is struggling to work with Republican leadership, but for the good of the American citizens the government needs to be fully functioning regardless of party affiliation. |