Andrew Jackson

Andrew Jackson was the 7th president of the United States. He was elected President in the year 1828 and worked to advance his democratic party's agenda. He was nicknamed “Old Hickory” because he was as tough and rigid as a piece of wood. He accomplished a great deal of “firsts” as President. He was the first President to live in a log cabin, he was the first president to have an actual campaign, he was the first to have his vice-president resign(1), he was the first to marry a divorcee(2) and many other’s.   Although he had some successes while in office, he made controversy with some of the decisions he made on important issues. On account of his self-serving actions as President of the United States, Andrew Jackson does not deserve to be recognized on United States currency. His abuse of veto power, his use of the "spoil system" and his desire to remove Native Americans from their lands demonstrates a President who was more concerned with satisfying his party’s needs, rather than those of the American people.

Jackson used his veto power extensively to his advantage. He vetoed twelve bills in his term of office, more than all the previous presidents put together. Jackson was the first president to use the pocket veto. A pocket veto is a delaying tactic in which the president does not sign a bill within ten days of the Congressional term, preventing it from becoming law. (1) Of his twelve vetoes, five were regular vetoes while seven were pocket vetoes. He vetoed a bill that would let the federal government buy stock in the Mayville Turnpike Road Company so a road could be built through Kentucky, and also vetoed the Second Bank of the United States re-charter. (2) He also pocket vetoed a bill that would better the routing of the Wabash River in Indiana. (2) His abuse of veto power shows his selfish attitude and his refusal to negotiate within reason. Jackson’s strong use of veto power is one example of Jackson’s desire to further his own agenda.
Jackson’s use...