Two articles included

Updated February 13, 2010

Obama Poised to Use Executive Power to Muscle Through Domestic Agenda

FOXNews.com

Faced with a resurgent GOP and a largely stalled legislative agenda, President Obama is planning to use his executive powers to forge ahead with his domestic initiatives, including on energy, the environment and the economy, The New York Times reported.

"We are reviewing a list of presidential executive orders and directives to get the job done across a front of issues," White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel told the newspaper.

But aides told the newspaper that Obama is still hopeful that progress can be made on Capitol Hill, citing the bipartisan summit on health care scheduled later this month. Yet the GOP's stunning capture last month of the Senate seat previously held by Ted Kennedy has prompted the White House to prepare to go solo to break any partisan gridlock heading into the midterm elections.

The president has a range of powers -- from executive orders to agency initiatives -- that don't require legislative action, and White House officials argue that the increased focus on executive powers is not uncommon in the second year of any presidency.

"The challenges we had to address in 2009 ensured that the center of action would be in Congress," Dan Pfeiffer, the White House communications director, told the newspaper. "In 2010, executive actions will also play a key role in advancing the agenda."

Obama was threatening to use his executive power this month to install nominees whose confirmations had been delayed by senators. But he dropped his threat to use recess appointments after Republicans released their holds and allowed 27 nominees to be voted on and confirmed.

Click here to read the full New York Times story. (printed below)
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/13/us/po ... obama.html

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/02 ... ic-agenda/


Obama Making Plans to Use Executive Power

By PETER BAKER
Published: February 12, 2010

WASHINGTON — With much of his legislative agenda stalled in Congress, President Obama and his team are preparing an array of actions using his executive power to advance energy, environmental, fiscal and other domestic policy priorities.

Mr. Obama has not given up hope of progress on Capitol Hill, aides said, and has scheduled a session with Republican leaders on health care later this month. But in the aftermath of a special election in Massachusetts that cost Democrats unilateral control of the Senate, the White House is getting ready to act on its own in the face of partisan gridlock heading into the midterm campaign.

“We are reviewing a list of presidential executive orders and directives to get the job done across a front of issues,â€