Not according to the Supreme Court. See Horne v. Flores, and about a dozen other cases where the Supreme Court ordered that a particular administration spend money it refused to spend. The Executive can't pick and choose what programs it's going to operate, and which ones it isn't.
You're comparing the ability of a US President, presumably any US President to issue an Executive Order with the action of a dictator issuing an edict or ruling by fiat. The comparison is a fallacy, and to make it one must be entirely devoid of intellectual honesty or logic. There are no checks on the Dictator - hence the name. But, there are a myriad of checks on the Executive, to include his ability to issue Executive Orders.
“and to make it one must be entirely devoid of intellectual honesty or logic.”
OK, I am entirely devoid of intellectual honesty or logic. You got me. I am an idiot.
“Dost thou not suspect my place? dost thou not
suspect my years? O that he were here to write me
down an ass! But, masters, remember that I am an
ass; though it be not written down, yet forget not
that I am an ass. No, thou villain, thou art full of
piety, as shall be proved upon thee by good witness.
I am a wise fellow, and, which is more, an officer,
and, which is more, a householder, and, which is
more, as pretty a piece of flesh as any is in
Messina, and one that knows the law, go to; and a
rich fellow enough, go to; and a fellow that hath
had losses, and one that hath two gowns and every
thing handsome about him. Bring him away. O that
I had been writ down an ass!”