Fact check: Obama is the reason why executive orders are so prevalent in modern American politics

1. Summary of the results

The claim that Obama is responsible for the prevalence of executive orders in modern American politics is demonstrably incorrect based on historical data. Barack Obama issued 275-277 executive orders during his presidency, averaging approximately 34-35 orders per year ^{[1] [2]}. This rate was significantly lower than many of his predecessors, with Franklin D. Roosevelt issuing 3,721 orders during his presidency, averaging 307 per year ^{[1] [3]}.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original statement overlooks several crucial historical facts:

• Executive orders have been a presidential tool since the nation's founding, with formal documentation beginning as early as 1862 during Abraham Lincoln's presidency ^{[4] [5]}
• The official numbering system for executive orders was established in 1907, long before Obama's presidency ^[4]
• Obama's use of executive orders was actually notably infrequent, with rates similar to those of Grover Cleveland ^[6]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The statement appears to reflect a common political narrative that misrepresents historical facts. This mischaracterization has been promoted by various political figures, including Donald Trump, who criticized Obama's use of executive orders despite historical evidence showing Obama's relatively limited use of this presidential power ^[2].

The spread of this narrative potentially benefits:

• Political opponents who seek to portray Obama's presidency as overreaching or unconstitutional
• Media outlets that benefit from controversial political narratives
• Political commentators who can use this misconception to fuel partisan debates about executive power

The historical record clearly shows that executive orders are a long-standing feature of American governance, not a modern development attributable to any single president, including Obama.