Final answer:
An Executive Order is a directive rule or regulation made by the President that has the effect of law, bypassing Congress but still holding legal force unless overturned by courts. They've become more commonly used in recent times and have the potential to threaten the power of the legislature.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term for a directive rule or regulation made by the President that has the effect of law is an Executive Order. These are rules that presidents can use unilaterally, so they bypass Congress but still have the force of law unless the courts overturn them. Executive orders are used to direct government agencies to pursue a certain course in the absence of congressional action. They've become increasingly common as presidents have made more use of their unilateral powers.
For example, many of the most famous executive orders have come in times of war or invoke the president's authority as commander-in-chief, including Franklin Roosevelt's order permitting the internment of Japanese Americans in 1942, Harry Truman's directive desegregating the armed forces in 1948, and President Donald Trump using it to secure funding for a border wall between the United States and Mexico.
It's also important to note that executive dominance, or an increased use of executive orders, can pose a threat to the power of the legislature. This was seen in the United States, where recent presidents have used executive action to achieve their policy goals more frequently when they were unable to accomplish desired policy changes via Congress.
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