The reading covers a lot over the people who make up the Jackson presidency and affects on the party; in particular, Martin Van Buren. The reading covers a couple specific events that Buren took total credit but what I’m interested in is what the book doesn't specifically cover. Henretta states, " Martin Van Buren, the architect of the Democratic Party and Jackson's handpicked successor". The Whig party was banded together to oppose Jackson's policies and "kinglike" conduct. Jackson pushed through congress the Indian removal act. Jackson destroyed the national bank and the American system. His compromise with South Carolina's act of nullification, all of those things Jackson accomplished have strongly changed the future that lies in front of America. To consider a thought, how much advice does Buren give to Jackson, or how much influence does he have on the presidency? How much of the accomplishments can Buren take credit for? Is Jackson making the decisions based on his own thoughts, on Buren's thoughts, or a little of both?
Obviously the decisions made by a president completely affect the country or the world. Possible the president may only be a figure, and his advisors are the real politicians and decision makers. Society could be led to follow a man on T.V rather than his successors. Has an advisor or advisors ever put to much influence on the president and possibly impair him from making a decision that’s not his own? Have their been any presidents that have been suspected of being to influenced to where they are being completely run?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Jackson has this very high reputation for winning a battle but once he becomes president, his reputation seems to be turned upside down. He kicks the indians off their land. Even with all of these events, he somehow manages to postpone a civil war and alter what the history of America would have been if he would have just sat back and done nothing.
Martin Van Buren, I think, had great influence on Jackson. Van Buren's new party pulls Jackson in after his party fails. In this time, Van Buren was able to push his influence on Jackson. Jackson, being a pretty powerful man, was the perfect vehicle for Van Buren's party ideals. Jackson's and Van Buren's successes were directly related to one another. Van Buren would not have had much effect without Jackson's help, and vice versa.
as to the second part. yes i do believe it happens and always has. you are who you hang out with and i don't believe this stops with presidents. a presidents cabinet is a good way to keep up on various topics that would be difficult for one man to track. the problem is, as you said ,when you get men in the cabinet with alternative motives and a weak minded president, usually something other than patriotism is in mind. i believe this selling out has been the root of problems in a democratic system. especially a capitalist one, where power and greed go hand in hand. current topic being oil, i think its hard to deny the motives of bush, he is a oil man, iraq is a gold mine, connect the dots. would we really give a s$%# if it didn't have oil. no, look at somolia or any other 3rd world dictatorship. i realize oil is a priority for our society, but what if all that money spent on the war and everything else the struggle for oil entails, was spent on alternative fuels research... yes i kno... this is too intelligent.
Post a Comment