Why did Jackson expand presidential power?
The executive office is the people's instrument, and sometimes it must be wielded with a firm hand to protect the nation from its enemies. When I saw the Bank of the United States plotting to corrupt our government and enslave our farmers to debt, it was my duty to act. I vetoed that monster, and I would do it again. The President must be strong enough to stand against conspiracies and to enforce the laws, especially when Congress might be swayed by special interests. The Union must be preserved, and if that requires a strong hand at the helm, then so be it. I was born for a storm, and a calm does not suit me when the nation is imperiled.
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