My brother's Facebook campaign to take Jackson off the $20

[oxcoug]

Hasn't quite caught steam yet, but it's a worthy cause.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php...0298665&ref=ts

ABOUT
Andrew Jackson was the pivotal figure in betraying and robbing the Cherokee and four other tribes in the Southeast of their hard-earned homes and property, and precipitating the infamous Trail of Tears. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2959.html

Since his only claim to fame otherwise was (a) destroying the the Bank of the United States and thereby precipitating a financial crisis, and (b) fighting a battle at New Orleans some weeks after the War of 1812 was over, I'm not really clear on what good he accomplished to outweigh the Trail of Tears.

He should be removed from our currency."

[cowboy]

"...He should be removed from our currency."

And replaced with Ronald Reagan

[oxcoug]

And replaced with Ronald Reagan

I could get behind that.

As a buddy of mine noted on the page:

"The only reason he's still on the bill is his hair cut, which I think everyone has to agree is pretty awesome. If he is to be replaced I demand it be someone with equally good hair. I also think we should be open to suggestions from outside politics. My vote: Ricardo Montalban c.1976."

Reagan would fit the good hair requirement.

[il Padrino Ute]

And replaced with Ronald Reagan

I'm all for that.

[Jeff Lebowski]

All great leaders have flaws, but in Jackson's case the flaws are tough to overlook. If I had to make a case as to why Jackson should be treated favorably by history I suppose I would point to the fact that he seemed genuinely interested in rooting corruption and influence peddling from government. His motivation in taking down the bank rose from his belief that the bank had gotten far too powerful and was influencing elections and legislation. He also was our first populist president and greatly expanded the power of the presidency (we can debate whether that was a good thing). Among other things, he was the first president to use the power of the veto to influence legislation.

On the other hand, his role in Indian removal was one of the most shameful acts ever committed by a US president, IMO. The sad thing is that the Cherokee had done everything that was asked of them. They had assimilated into the white man culture by embracing education, farming, and modern business practices. Their only sin was that they owned land that the southern whites coveted. The removal proposals were not overwhelmingly supported. There was substantial resistance on moral and ethical grounds and the issue could have gone either way. Jackson aggressively pushed the issue and ultimately got his way.

I understand that many modern Cherokee refuse to use twenty-dollar bills. They insist on getting change with tens and fives. I can't really blame them.

[beefytee]

I'd approve of this change, but I think a higher priority is getting rid of the penny and paper one dollar bills and just using the dollar coin.

It would save the country lots of money.

[Jeff Lebowski]

I forgot one thing: Jackson pulled the country out of debt. He deserves credit for that.

[Green Monstah]

And Washington owned slaves....what's your brother's point?

I am reading American Lion right now....good book...shows the good and the bad of Old Hickory. I think your brother needs to find something better to do with his time.

[All-American]

Jackson is on the bill because he was one of the first of the "People's" presidents. Founder of the Democratic party as we know it, he was the personification of the idea that the rank and file had a voice in the government.

Our antecedents will all have flaws that would shock us, were we to see them in the modern day.

[ewth8tr]

Our antecedents will all have flaws that would shock us, were we to see them in the modern day.

Isn't that kind of like saying, "sure they were racist, but that is ok because it was acceptable during the time."

[Sleeping in EQ]

"General Jackson's administration may be denominated the acme of American glory, liberty and prosperity, for the national debt, which in 1815, on account of the late war, was $125,000,000, and lessened gradually, was paid up in his golden day; and preparations were made to distribute the surplus revenue among the several states: and that august patriot, to use his own words in his farewell address, retired leaving 'A great people prosperous and happy, in the full enjoyment of liberty and peace, honored and respected by every nation of the world.'"

Joseph Smith Jr. "Views of the Powers and Policy of the Government" 1844, p. 32.

[Sleeping in EQ]

The next sentence is also interesting:

"At the age, then, of sixty years our blooming republic began to decline under the withering touch of Martin Van Buren!"

[Green Monstah]

Isn't that kind of like saying, "sure they were racist, but that is ok because it was acceptable during the time."

That's exactly what he's saying...and he's right.

[Jeff Lebowski]

That's exactly what he's saying...and he's right.

That's a copout. If you keep reading American Lion you will see that the indian relocation was highly controversial at the time. Jackson sided with the worst elements in the battle.

[Indy Coug]

Hasn't quite caught steam yet, but it's a worthy cause.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php...0298665&ref=ts

ABOUT
Andrew Jackson was the pivotal figure in betraying and robbing the Cherokee and four other tribes in the Southeast of their hard-earned homes and property, and precipitating the infamous Trail of Tears. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2959.html

Since his only claim to fame otherwise was (a) destroying the the Bank of the United States and thereby precipitating a financial crisis, and (b) fighting a battle at New Orleans some weeks after the War of 1812 was over, I'm not really clear on what good he accomplished to outweigh the Trail of Tears.

He should be removed from our currency."

I guess everyone needs a windmill to tilt at.