Presidential Powers are Limited

America’s basic law, The United States Constitution, does not grant the President or his Executive Department the legal right to effect the daily lives of individual citizens.  The contract with the federal government entered into at the time of ratification (June 21, 1788) is the whole agreement between citizens and Federal government.  Article 2, Sections Two and Three, which describes the duties of the President, makes no mention of the vast powers now assumed by modern Presidents. 

Here is the complete text of the job description of the President of the United States:

1:  The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.

2:  He shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law:  but the Congress may by Law vest the Appointment of such inferior Officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.

3:  The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session.

He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in Case of Disagreement between them, with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such Time as he shall think proper; he shall receive Ambassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the Officers of the United States.

What you have just read is the complete contractual job description of the President of the United States. 

All other duties and powers exercised by a President have been assumed and are beyond his contract.  Meaning they are beyond the Constitution as adopted by We the People of the United States.