Presidents certainly have to rely on Congress to get lots of big things done, but they also have authority to issue executive orders, rules, and policies for how to run the executive departments that have the force of law.
President Bush used (and in my opinion sometimes abused) these powers to promote his agenda. Today Obama reversed two troubling policies of the Bush years.
1. Obama reversed the restrictions Bush had issued on stem-cell research.
Obama Lifts Bush’s Strict Limits on Stem Cell Research
2. Obama also said that he will be much more cautious and conservative in his use of presidential signing statements.
Obama Says He’ll Cut Back on Tactic Bush Used to Sidestep New Laws
President Bush used these infamously to ignore provisions of certain laws Congress passed that his administration opposed. (For example, when signing the bill passed outlawing the use of torture, humiliating, and degrading treament of prisoners, he wrote in a signing statement that the CIA would not be bound by the rules of the law.)
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I think it's great that we now have a president who can actually make intelligent decisions. “President Obama has chosen to turn back the clock,” said Republican lawmaker, Christopher Smith of New Jersey. That's a strange thing to say considering embryonic stem cell research could lead to cures for diabetes, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and countless other problems we have. I don't know if I would call that "turning the clock back". In my opinion, Obama is doing a great job staying true to his promise of bringing "change" to our nation. Hopefully he will stay true to his word and takes a modest approach when issuing signing statements. As long as Obama doesn't issue 130 ridiculous, anti-constitution, statements like Bush did, I'll be happy.
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