by executive order of the president... wtf?

over the past year, i've been told over and over again by Very. Important. People that the president didn't want to use an executive order to stop military discharges under "don't ask, don't tell" because, good heavens, don't you know, that's not a permanent fix and the next president can just as easily reverse that with the swipe of a pen. these Very.Important.People have been quite condescending about my and others' ignorance of how the Real.World works.

[note to Very. Important. People: stopping military discharges pending permanent repeal through an executive order is not, i repeat not, intended as a permanent fix but rather a measure of decency and a show of commitment to repeal.]

[ps, i am not stupid.]

well, lo and behold, now some Very.Important.People over at the Center for American Progress are all "hey look, Obama can use his executive powers to get some things done."

Through his own executive powers, Obama can work to reduce oil imports, stave off home foreclosures, and delay military discharges to blunt the effects of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy barring gays from serving openly, the report said. A White House official said the report would get a close look. [http://lat.ms/aDEwIq]

 oh.  my.  fucking.  god.

we're two years into a four year term, and folks have just discovered executive powers!? it's almost enough to turn me to prayer...

let's review: has a law degree so i assume took at least one conlaw class, taught conlaw at university of chicago so i again assume has a passing acquaintance with the different powers given to the three branches of government, was a junior senator from a midwest state for almost a whole term while bush was president so i also assume has at least a vague recollection of the use of executive orders, elected to presidency in 2008, inaugurated in january 2009, lives in the white house so i assume someone has mentioned who can issue executive orders by now, has the ability to effect changes in policy and practice if not law without anyone else's say-so through the use of the multiply-aforementioned executive orders, and is now going to take "a close look" at a report about using executive orders....

yep, it's sunday and i'd better start looking around for a church. sheesh