The Presidential Veto and Andrew Jackson

Andrew Jackson is one of the most controversial presidents. He is considered by some people as the "People's President" while others think the opposite. The Presidential veto is when congress sends the President a bill to approve and the President rejects it. This is controversial to some people because some think that it is a display of how to President has too much power over congress. Unlike the previous presidents Jackson used the veto much more than the other presidents.  In Jackson's eight years in office he vetoed twelve bills. Of those twelve bills seven of those vetoes were "pocket vetoes" which kills the bill by not signing it after congress has adjourned. The six presidents before Jackson only vetoed ten bills combined. The artist created this political cartoon wants to show the viewer that Jackson wasn't a good president. This cartoon displays how Jackson thought that he was above and  shows disregard of the constitution because it is torn up while being stepped on along with the arms of Pennsylvania. It also displays Jackson abusing the veto to use its power to only have the bills he desires and to show his power over the constitution and the Bank of the U.S.. The cartoon shows that Jackson use of the veto makes him like a king.  The artist displays Jackson as thinking of himself as better than others because of the scepter and the apparel of a king.  Jackson was not the peoples president. His actions were not for the people; but more for himself. He used the veto for political reasons that affected him instead of being unselfish and vetoing unconstitutional bills. Jackson put himself above the law and was undemocratic making him not the people president.