President Biden, Eighteen Executive Orders with a side of Fries and a Large Diet Coke: Part 2
Analysis of Eighteen, Sometimes Comical, Executive Orders
Continuing from last night in Part 1 of this series, let us get right into it.
6) Executive Order on the Revision of Civil Immigration Enforcement Policies and Priorities
My Vote: YAY
Surprised? You should’t be but then again most readers do not know my policy beliefs. I have a simple view of illegal immigrants in America today, no I won’t be “politically correct” but do hold the smack cause I am about to blow your socks off. But before I do, lets review the revoked Executive Order 13768:
Sanctuary jurisdictions across the United States willfully violate Federal law in an attempt to shield aliens from removal from the United States. These jurisdictions have caused immeasurable harm to the American people and to the very fabric of our Republic.
Tens of thousands of removable aliens have been released into communities across the country, solely because their home countries refuse to accept their repatriation. Many of these aliens are criminals who have served time in our Federal, State, and local jails. The presence of such individuals in the United States, and the practices of foreign nations that refuse the repatriation of their nationals, are contrary to the national interest.
Although Federal immigration law provides a framework for Federal-State partnerships in enforcing our immigration laws to ensure the removal of aliens who have no right to be in the United States, the Federal Government has failed to discharge this basic sovereign responsibility. We cannot faithfully execute the immigration laws of the United States if we exempt classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement. The purpose of this order is to direct executive departments and agencies (agencies) to employ all lawful means to enforce the immigration laws of the United States.
Furthermore:
Sec. 14. Privacy Act. Agencies shall, to the extent consistent with applicable law, ensure that their privacy policies exclude persons who are not United States citizens or lawful permanent residents from the protections of the Privacy Act regarding personally identifiable information.
Sec. 15. Reporting. Except as otherwise provided in this order, the Secretary and the Attorney General shall each submit to the President a report on the progress of the directives contained in this order within 90 days of the date of this order and again within 180 days of the date of this order.
Yeah, so you can believe chasing down thousands of immigrants is a good thing; that having citizens reporting on others; and taking away essential rights such as privacy from non-citizens (I think privacy is a universal right). However, that way of thinking is expensive and costly. Should we go after criminal elements? Of course! Should these people be processed into the system? Absolutely!
My solution, offer a window of immediate legalization through naturalization. A warp-speed process of the entire undocumented population. Let’s treat them with respect and dignity. I guarantee a majority of them risked everything to make it to this nation for a better life. They likely make better citizens than those of us who take advantage of our birthright and I mean no disrespect, just acknowledging that there is better way to resolving matters.
We need to tighten up our borders. Fight the war on drugs (in a much smarter manner). End trafficking and sex trade. And improve the immigration process in this country so that everyone in the world has a fair opportunity to become a citizen of the greatest nation on earth.
7) Executive Order on Revocation of Certain Executive Orders Concerning Federal Regulation
My Vote: NAY
Sec. 2. Revocation of Orders. Executive Order 13771 of January 30, 2017 (Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs), Executive Order 13777 of February 24, 2017 (Enforcing the Regulatory Reform Agenda), Executive Order 13875 of June 14, 2019 (Evaluating and Improving the Utility of Federal Advisory Committees), Executive Order 13891 of October 9, 2019 (Promoting the Rule of Law Through Improved Agency Guidance Documents), Executive Order 13892 of October 9, 2019 (Promoting the Rule of Law Through Transparency and Fairness in Civil Administrative Enforcement and Adjudication), and Executive Order 13893 of October 10, 2019 (Increasing Government Accountability for Administrative Actions by Reinvigorating Administrative PAYGO), are hereby revoked.
Without going into detail of all the EO’s President Biden revoked it appears to me that he made up an excuse to revoke perfectly good EO’s from former President Trump. Executive Order 13777, for example, was set into place to reduce useless regulations. From the order:
At a minimum, each Regulatory Reform Task Force shall attempt to identify regulations that:
(i) eliminate jobs, or inhibit job creation;
(ii) are outdated, unnecessary, or ineffective;
(iii) impose costs that exceed benefits;
(iv) create a serious inconsistency or otherwise interfere with regulatory reform initiatives and policies;
(v) are inconsistent with the requirements of section 515 of the Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act, 2001 (44 U.S.C. 3516 note), or the guidance issued pursuant to that provision, in particular those regulations that rely in whole or in part on data, information, or methods that are not publicly available or that are insufficiently transparent to meet the standard for reproducibility; or
(vi) derive from or implement Executive Orders or other Presidential directives that have been subsequently rescinded or substantially modified.
Streamlining should improve not “frustrate frustrate the Federal Government’s ability to confront these problems, and empowers agencies to use appropriate regulatory tools to achieve these goals” end quote. And really, these President’s need to regulate themselves with all of their royal directives. Congress and the States needs to get their act together.
My Vote: YAY, but open for review
This has to do with the census on who should or shouldn’t be counted. I am not going to make a legal or philosophical argument one way or another, yet, while a fascinating question to be sure. For a refresher, check the Constitution Center:
In modern times – and, indeed, at the center of the case now before the Supreme Court – this debate over what constitutes an “actual enumeration” has been significantly affected by the interaction of realities. First, it has always been understood (though frequently debated all over again from time to time) that the census should not only count every citizen, but every resident – including non-citizens who live in the country, whether or not they entered legally, and, second, the count thus will include between 10 and 11 million undocumented immigrants now living in the United States, many of them living with uncertainty about their right to remain.
We should take citizenship more seriously. The question of counting everyone or not also poses a question of what it means to benefit as a citizen and each district and every state. It is a matter to consider.
My Vote: NAY
There is too much baggage in this EO. Why suspend Executive Order 13920 of May 1, 2020 (Securing the United States Bulk-Power System)? China is not our ally. And ending the Keystone XL pipeline is a poor decision as well.
To be clear, I absolutely believe in Climate Change (I think I mention this a lot) and going Green. But keep the politics out of it Mr. President, the restoration of monuments has nothing to do with Health, Environment, or Science in tackling climate change:
Sec. 3. Restoring National Monuments. (a) The Secretary of the Interior, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law, including the Antiquities Act, 54 U.S.C. 320301 et seq., shall, in consultation with the Attorney General, the Secretaries of Agriculture and Commerce, the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality, and Tribal governments, conduct a review of the monument boundaries and conditions that were established by Proclamation 9681 of December 4, 2017 (Modifying the Bears Ears National Monument); Proclamation 9682 of December 4, 2017 (Modifying the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument); and Proclamation 10049 of June 5, 2020 (Modifying the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument), to determine whether restoration of the monument boundaries and conditions that existed as of January 20, 2017, would be appropriate.
Is it an issue that requires addressing? Yes. One take on the issue from High Country News:
Long before former President Barack Obama established Bears Ears National Monument — and former President Donald Trump nearly destroyed it — these geographically stunning southern Utah canyons were the setting of countless battles over who belongs to this land and whose history is worth saving.
In the first weeks, if not days, of his administration, President Joe Biden is expected to restore the boundaries of two national monuments in Utah, Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante. But tribal leaders say that returning millions of acres should be only the beginning of Biden’s commitment to protect more public lands — and that tribal nations should be leading the charge. It’s more than just the threat of degradation, they say; Indigenous voices are long overdue in public-land management.
The matters of the indigenous are a profoundly modern question that have ramifications regardless of the view. Perhaps I will write on them as some point. But to reiterate, do not equate climate change with land increase or reduction from one set of hands to another. Following that line of thinking it would then follow that tribalism is best for the environment leaving all other sources of existence as “bad.” This is simply untrue.
My Vote: NAY, to the absolute.
The erasure of gender is real and the war on our children is real and the battle over male and female is real. Go and buy these books for starters:
The End of Gender: Debunking the Myths about Sex and Identity in Our Society
Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters
Female Erasure: What You Need To Know About Gender Politics' War on Women, the Female Sex and Human Rights
11) Executive Order on Ethics Commitments by Executive Branch Personnel
My Vote: YAY
A great commitment though too bad it has waivers that will likely free everyone from not lobbying on something considered in the “interest of the public.” Ethics rules like these though at least intend to lower conflicts of interest which is always important.
My Vote: YAY
The Great Southern Wall was a cumbersome mess. There should be repairs and improvements however.
13) Reinstating Deferred Enforced Departure for Liberians
My Vote: YAY
Liberia and the U.S. have a long history together. Thank you President Biden for reinstating this protection.
14) Preserving and Fortifying Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
My Vote: YAY
DACA is the proper moral stance in the treatment of children and families:
This memorandum, known as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) guidance, deferred the removal of certain undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children, have obeyed the law, and stayed in school or enlisted in the military. DACA and associated regulations permit eligible individuals who pass a background check to request temporary relief from removal and to apply for temporary work permits. DACA reflects a judgment that these immigrants should not be a priority for removal based on humanitarian concerns and other considerations, and that work authorization will enable them to support themselves and their families, and to contribute to our economy, while they remain.
Once more I am reaching my limit. Therefore, the final five will be covered tomorrow.