Modern presidents have an extraordinary amount of power that they primarily wield through issuing executive orders and other directives with the force of law. Successive Congresses have gradually delegated much of their power to the president or stood idly by as presidents have usurped more power that is legislative in nature and effect. The president’s power is now so massive that that alone justifies focusing on the office’s means of exercising it. In response to this lamentable trend, the Cato Institute published the Cato Handbook on Executive Orders and Presidential Directives to recommend revoking or amending several executive orders, proclamations, and other directives to move public policy in a more libertarian direction.

In the handbook, Cato scholars identify specific executive orders and other presidential directives that violate the Constitution and that conflict with the principles of individual liberty, free markets, limited government, and peace. The handbook suggests revocations and amendments to those executive orders that would affect the federal government’s operations and cover various policy issues like health care, immigration, foreign policy, trade, defense, and others. This handbook is not a comprehensive list of such executive orders but merely the lowest-hanging fruit and best places to begin the long journey back toward a constitutionally limited government.

Join several Cato scholars as we discuss specific executive orders and directives that the incoming Trump administration should revoke or amend that affect energy policy, environmental policy, health care, the federal workforce, foreign policy, defense, and other social policies.

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