Every four years presidential candidates barnstorm the country promising sweeping change “on day one.” These grandiose pledges feed a public craving for immediate action, and reinforce an “I alone can fix it” mentality that now defines modern presidencies. While governing by pen may provide quick wins for a public frustrated by the slowness of the swamp, this president-centric approach to governing distorts the constitutional limits of the office, fosters policy instability, and undermines the collaborative spirit of our representative democracy. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Donald Trump, returning to the White House after a first term that saw him issue 220 executive orders, has guaranteed to continue the trend of bold, unilateral action.