Executive Orders

President Bush apparently plans to go out in a blaze of glory - positive or negative depending on your point of view. Evidently he is publishing a series of executive orders that will give the oil & gas companies drilling and exploration rights on Federal lands next to National Parks.

I do not understand why any individual should have that kind of power. Because I do not understand how it works, or why the power ever was ever granted, I decided to write my representatives for some explanations.

The letter follows. As always, feel free to use any part of it when you write to your representatives.

We the people have to make sure that our elected officials are never allowed to have too much power, especially power that could destroy our environment.

Its Common Sense!


Dear Senator
I would appreciate it if you could explain to me just how a president's power of executive orders work. Like many Americans I am very concerned with the reports coming from DC that President Bush will be using executive orders to open up all kinds of energy exploration and drilling on Federal lands next to National Parks. I do not understand why any individual should be allowed the power to make monumental decisions, such as the destruction of the environment, without any oversight. As I said, a brief history of this power, and actions Congress is or should be considering so that no future President can run off half cocked as they are getting ready to leave office.
Along with that, I question why the president should be allowed to grant unlimited pardons to felons and criminals. Its one thing if a person has been found innocent of a crime they were wrongfully put in prison for. However, a presidential pardon is rarely for the innocent. This, like the executive orders for drilling and exploration of natural gas, look like an effort on the President's part to insure that there will be rich individuals to help him with whatever philanthropic plans he has for the future.
No one individual should have that kind of power and I, feel that Congress needs to take action to insure that it never happens again.
Too much power is never a good thing.