Once again the GOP is screaming about Obama's "unprecedented" executive orders, calling him a tyrant, a monarch and a criminal.
Unprecedented? Here are a few historical executive orders that were met with screams of "tyrant", "monarch". and "criminal".
The Emancipation Proclamation: In 1862 Lincoln issued an executive order that became effective on January 1, 1863 freeing the slaves (at least some of them), known as The Emancipation Proclamation. He was accused of everything from tyranny to committing a felony under the law, of "shredding the constitution" by disregarding 5th amendment property rights protections, and worse.
The Works Progress Administration: Enacted by executive order under Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1935 to combat massive unemployment, a devastated stock market, and a worsening depression, the Works Progress Administration created by this executive order employed millions of people to build roads, bridges, dams, parks, airports, and more. It also provided the first major funding to artists and created countless theaters, museums, sculptures, orchestras and other outlets of artistic expression. It was met with howls of "Tyrant", "Monarch", "Criminal", and accusations of shredding the constitution. And, of course, "Communist".
Desegregation of the Armed Forces: In 1948 Truman issued an executive order desegregating the armed forces, after congress refused to take action on the issue and many democrats deserted the party rather than allow the change (this was the beginning of the failed "Dixiecrat" party). It was met with howls of "Tyrant", "Monarch", "Criminal", and accusations of shredding the constitution. And, of course, of betraying the bible, which was often used to justify segregation as it had been used to legitimize slavery.
Continue reading below the orange twisty doodle.
Affirmative Action: In 1961 John F. Kennedy issued an executive order requiring that government contractors "take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and employees are treated during employment, without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin." It was met with howls of "Tyrant", "Monarch", "Criminal", and accusations of shredding the constitution.
Equal Employment Opportunity: In 1965 Lyndon Johnson signed an executive order banning discrimination in federal employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It was met with howls of "Tyrant", "Monarch", "Criminal", and accusations of shredding the constitution.
Ronald Reagan: Reagan issued 4 executive orders halting deportation of hundreds of thousands of Central American immigrants, including over 100,000 undocumented children, and allowing the immigration of thousands of Africans and Eastern Europeans. He issued a statement in 1981 that included a section advocating amnesty for illegal immigrants who had become a part of the American workforce. Yes, at the time there were a few howls of protest from the nascent extreme far right wing. However the mainstream GOP seemed for the most part unperturbed, and the modern GOP has lobotomized those executive actions from their memories, along with Reagan's tripling of the national debt and raising taxes more than a dozen times.
George H. W. Bush: Issued 5 executive orders halting the deportations of almost 2 million immigrants from countries including those in Central America, Asia, Eastern Europe and the Mid-East. Nobody paid much attention, and nobody really seems to remember Bush Sr. was even ever president.
George W. Bush: Issued 4 executive orders allowing naturalization of green card holders who joined the military, granting 1500 Cubans asylum, halting deportation of thousands of Africans, and halting the deportation of students affected by Hurricane Katrina. Not a whisper of protest from the pre-Tea Party RW, everyone was too busy waving flags and cheering him on as he promised the war in Iraq was going to end in victory "any day now". Besides, he was only allowing naturalization of immigrants who joined the army, to the RW that was just more cannon fodder for the modern military equivalent of the front lines.
So far Obama has issued an average of 30 executive orders per year. Reagan issued an average of 48 executive orders per year. Nixon issued an average of 58 executive orders per year. Eisenhower issued an average of 60 executive orders per year. Ford issued an average of 68 executive orders per year. A list of executive orders dating back to 1826 can be found at UCSB.edu.
Despite the relentless propaganda claiming Obama has issued more executive orders than anyone and "rules by fiat", he has thus far issued less executive orders than many of his predecessors dating back to Theodore Roosevelt, and far fewer than conservative deities like Saint Ronald of Reagan and "We like Ike" Eisenhower.
According to the Federal Register at archives.gov at last count Obama had issued 191 executive orders. Reagan issued 381. Eisenhower issued 486. Theodore Roosevelt issued 1,081. Woodrow Wilson issued 1,803. Calvin Coolidge issued 1,203.
The record is held by FDR who issued 3,728. Obama doesn't come close, and isn't even in the top ten.