Pres. Reagan didn't create amnesty executive by fiat, he signed legislation sent to him by Congress (you know, how the Constitution states it's supposed to work?). In addition when that amnesty was passed, there were actual shooting wars going on which people were fleeing.

As to gridlock, ACA, etc, the House has passed several hundred bills which the Senate has refused to even bring to the floor for discussion. The greatest deliberative body in the world has refused to debate much of anything for several years.

People were either elated or angered by the results of the last national election, and I'm still scratching my head wondering why, as we have yet another two years of the same stale poltroons in charge in the halls of power in D.C.. Until the leadership of both parties change, or they lose an election to third parties, nothing substantive is going to happen. We still returned more than 90% of incumbents running for re-election to Congress.

Until THAT statistic changes, there will be no change.