MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY

Dispite the fact polls show public support is not so hot about the idea of private accounts concerning Bush's Social Security plan, Bush just may get his way after all. How?...through executive order.
So, if Bush can't convince Congress to back his private account plan, he may sign an executive order for a smaller version of his plan, which would allow federal employees to experiment with a heavily regulated form of private accounts, which isn't the way he wants to go.
No, he wants a broad national plan, passed by Congress and signed by him. But if he can't get Congressional passage of an overall Social Security change plan (or even just the private account portion), Bush just may use the executive order route to ensure that a test version is put into effect.
Clinton was criticized for his using executive orders when he tried to get his health care plan passed, but he knew in doing this he had to be cautiuos because of the risk that Congress or the courts overturning him.
But Bush has less risk in that regard, thanks to Republican dominance in both arenas.
Take note, if Bush uses this to change Social Security, it will be the fourth major arena in which he has advanced policy using presidential directives.
1. He almost single-handedly created his multi-billion dollar faith-based initiative through executive orders, allowing churches and religious institutions access to taxpayer money for drug treatment, mentoring and other social service programs.
2. His presidential directives have guided much of the covert war on terrorism.
3. He has significantly relaxed regulations and oversight of a number of large business industries via executive order.
Congress and the courts rarely overturn such directives, thereby raising the specter of unchecked, un-reviewed and potentially even presidential abuse of power.
So this fall, whether the issue is Social Security or what to do in the nuclear standoffs with Iran and North Korea, keep your eyes on the Prez, he might just pull a fast one, again.