White House homeland security adviser John Brennan last month said the White House was exploring whether to issue an executive order to protect the nation's critical computer infrastructure, but gave no details on the timing or possible content of such an order.

MSN: Private U.S. networks vulnerable to cyber attack: Pentagon - Technology & science - Security | NBC News

Harriet Miers, the president's former White House counsel, exploring with high-ranking officials of the Justice Department, the removal of all federal prosecutors so that the White House could have a free hand filling those ranks with nothing but political loyalists.

NPR: Bush's White House, Built on Partisanship?

The prime minister told MPs the government was exploring the turn-off in a statement made to the House of Commons during an emergency recall of Parliament.

BBC: England riots: Government mulls social media controls

In May, 2011, shortly after a government shutdown was averted, Vice-President Joseph Biden and the House Majority Leader, Eric Cantor, two politicians opposed in ideology and temperament, held talks exploring whether a deficit deal was possible.

NEWYORKER: The Second Term