The extent to which Mr. Clinton misused executive orders was evident in the single order to create 800 pages of new guidelines for managed-care programs under Medicare. Such broad changes demand congressional review. Mr. Clinton also sought to unilaterally name federal land on Governor's Island in New York Harbor as a national monument, despite the lack of an agreement with the state for an acceptable land-use plan for the property. Mr. Clinton's high-handedness will have the effect of eroding public support for federal conservation measures. They should be revoked and submitted to the regular congressional process to determine if there is sufficient support for their adoption.
Executive orders have a place and a purpose.
President Bush, for example, issued orders establishing an ethical code of conduct for members of his administration, and freezing federal hiring until his administration is fully on board. But the executive order authority is not intended to usurp legislative review and approval that is central to the American system of government. Mr. Clinton has created much mischief that will persist after his departure on Saturday, as the new president begins the process of correcting rule changes already in effect. The sooner the vestiges of Mr. Clinton's attempts at one-man rule are swept away, the better. Like many Lowcountry communities, getting from one end of town to the other usually requires traveling by motor vehicle.