The Congress of the United States is the legislative branch of government. They are charged with lawmaking. Article II of our Constitution vests executive powers in the president and requires that the president “shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed.” While an executive order can have the same effect as federal law under certain circumstances, Congress can pass a new law to override an executive order, subject to a presidential veto. Thomas Jefferson noted that the primary function of the president is that of an administrator. Who better to ask, right?! What did the Founders think of executive orders? Actions speak louder than words, so let’s see what they did. The first six presidents issued the following numbers of executive orders: Washington, eight in eight years; Adams, one in four years; Jefferson, four in eight years; Madison, one in eight years; Monroe, one in eight years; J.Q. Adams, …