Commentary
While researching President Biden’s executive orders and proclamations on terminating construction of the Southern border wall and his revocation of former President Trump’s approval permit for the Keystone XL pipeline, I was again struck by the power we vest in the bureaucracy.
I’m sure you’ve heard Biden speak about his whole-of-government approach to his policy measures, but I thought a reminder of its meaning was called for. At some point during the Trump administration, I wrote about the significance of his reduction of regulations, citing how bureaucrats in the EPA authored environmental regulations.
I wonder how many voters understand how various agencies within the bureaucracy are called upon to carry out the wishes of the president when he authors an executive order or proclamation.
Take Biden’s proclamation to terminate Trump’s border emergency and the redirection of funds diverted to border wall construction for instance.
In that proclamation discussion of the pausing construction and the obligation of funds, he states that “the secretary of defense and secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the director of the office of management and budget, shall direct the appropriate officials within their respective departments to ….”
Then, in the order reference to redirecting funds and repurposing contracts, he brings the secretary of the treasury, the attorney general and the heads of appropriate executive departments and agencies, in consultation with the assistant to the president for national security affairs to develop a plan.
Perhaps no executive order exemplifies the Biden whole-of-government approach to policy-making implementation than his January 27, 2021 “Executive Order on Tackling Climate Crisis at Home and abroad.
In it, he establishes a national climate change task force consisting of 12 cabinet members and eight administrators, directors, chairmen and assistants to the president.
Each one is assigned a task. For example, the secretaries of interior, agriculture and commerce, the chair of the council on environmental quality, and the heads of other relevant agencies were ordered to submit a report to the task force on conserving our nation’s lands and waters within 90 days.
More recently, on Friday, Biden directed more than a dozen agencies to explore 72 actions touching an array of issues affecting his effort to rewrite economic policy, thus sidestepping a divided Congress.
The bureaucracy involved is mind-boggling, and suggests more meetings, studies and reports, all requiring time will delay any regulatory action. It can take months. And that’s good.
When they finally put something to paper and it appears in the Federal Register, the voices of those who are affected by them will rise up and go to court if necessary. Courts with judges appointed by Trump, known for opposing aggressive regulatory measures.
Thankfully, executive orders can be overturned by future presidents, who can direct regulations be revoked with the stroke of a pen. Legislation enacted by Congress, on the other hand, is difficult to undo.
I was pleased to read at ScottRasmussen.com that 55 percent of voters … and 74 percent of Republicans … believe that letting government bureaucrats set rules without approval of Congress or voters is a major threat to democracy.
So, while Biden has so far signed 52 executive orders, the directives simply won’t take effect for months, and will likely be watered down in review. The radical content of these orders will provide Republicans with lots of red meat in 2022 campaigns to retake the House and Senate.
Now, more than ever … may God continue to bless the United States of America.
