“The pen-and-phone theory of executive lawmaking is unconstitutional slop. President Obama did not have the power to unilaterally rewrite immigration law with DACA, and President Trump does not have the power to unilaterally rewrite the payroll tax law.“
–Nebraska Republican Sen. Ben Sasse, in criticizing Donald Trump’s executive orders Saturday that extend unemployment benefits, suspend payroll taxes, and offer federal eviction and student loan relief.
“Our Constitution doesn’t authorize the president to act as king whenever Congress doesn’t legislate.”
–Libertarian Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan, on Trump’s executive orders.
“He is laying out his roadmap to cutting Social Security. Our seniors and millions of Americans with disabilities are under enough stress without Trump putting their hard-earned Social Security benefits in doubt.”
–Joe Biden, warning that Trump’s executive order cutting payroll taxes is “a reckless war on Social Security.” [Just as his gutting the USPS budget, the deployment of federal troops into Democratic-run cities, and his suggestion that the election be delayed were attempts to undermine the electoral process, so too is his payroll tax cut aimed at doing precisely what he has hinted at for four years: destroying Social Security and Medicare.
“The American people desperately need relief. Instead, the president decided to defund Social Security and Medicare.”
–Rep. Val Demings (D-Florida), on Trump’s executive order.
“This is all a stunt—cutting unemployment benefits and threatening Social Security and Medicare only deepen the pain people are feeling.”
–Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), on Trump’s executive order. [As I have always said about politicians of all stripes: Don’t listen to what they say: listen to what they don’t say and watch what they do. Okay, I know that’s not particularly profound, but it’s good advice nonetheless.]
Louisiana Voice 
On behalf of an exhausted nation, I want to thank President trump for contributing a continuous stream of opposition material toward the effort to remove him from office.
Booker is both profound (in today’s world) and 100% correct.
If Biden allows his campaign to fall into the trap of engaging in the type of fear-mongering we have come to accept from Trump, he will LOSE votes. It is not possible to out-bully a bully and it is stupid to try to out-trump Trump. After 3 years and 7 months of negativity, hypocrisy, and unmet promises, the nation needs to hear positive things about what can be done to turn our country around. Attacking Trump makes him happy, particularly if it is done in the context of a campaign. He can turn any attack around and present a false defense and his base loves it and grows. In the polls I follow his approval rating is actually going up – not a lot – but any upward movement should be cause for alarm.
P. S. It is all well and good to say Trump’s executive order has no legal standing, but if the bureaucrats who depend on him for employment implement it and Congress does nothing, what’s to stop it? And, if Congress bends to his will (as always), he will be a hero – until the chickens come home to roost next year (and too late).
Tom, I apologize. I got so fired up, I overlooked the fact the profundity was yours 🙂
Typical tRump tactic. Juke and jive. He can’t do what he says and he knows he can’t do what he says, but he has distracted us (temporarily) away from staring at his daily display of incompetence. To borrow from the old Freddie King song, tRump is going down, down, down. Yes, he’s going down, down, down. What we’re seeing and hearing is a man flailing and falling. Down, down, down. If my contempt for the man shows…oh well, so be it.
Mr. Windham:
As usual, your analysis is on target. Yes, I believe this is a stunt to force the Democrats’ hand and bring negotiating parties back to the table. My initial reaction to Trump’s executive orders were to question the constitutionality of such. Digging deeper, there are some serious ramifications if enacted.
So, the states are supposed to bankroll 25% of the proposed $400? If the states refuse, then what? Most states are having well-documented budgetary problems due to the pandemic. Evictions? Very vague guidelines (as are most of these guidelines). Will Trump provide monies to reimburse landlords or rent relief? Money taken from FEMA (why not “The Wall”), in the midst of what is expected to be a very active hurricane season? Suspension of payroll taxes? Yeah, maybe a brief shot in the arm that will not amount to much..look at the harm long term. Trump promises to make payroll taxes permanent if elected (“if elected”, red meat to the base). A preamble of a second term (alas, I loathe the thought): dismantle ACA, eliminate DACA, and in an insidious, pernicious way defund Medicare and SS…this is what a second term promises, destroy what remains of a safety net. Folks, need we say more? Of course, most of his base does not care or is not aware of the subtleties and impact. In the meantime, increase the fear among folks with the threat of socialism (wait, isn’t the stimulus package a form of socialism?). This is not about you or me, but all of us. Wake up, America..86 more days to the day of reckoning.