Presidential Scandals

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The President of the United States is commonly referred to as the most powerful man in the world. The President is the head of the country which boasts the world’s largest economy, commander and chief of the most powerful military in the world, and has command authority over the largest active nuclear arsenal in the world. However, his power is not unlimited. Throughout the history of the United States, some presidents have attempted to go beyond the powers granted to them. Most of these attempts have ended in scandal. Regardless of whether these actions were for the good of the nation or for personal gain, laws must be obeyed. Otherwise the United States would become the same tyrannical government our forefathers fought to escape from. In 1620, the Mayflower landed in what is now the United States. The Mayflower carried the Puritans and Separatists, also known as pilgrims, who wished to seek religious freedom from the King of Great Britain. By sailing to America, or the new world, the pilgrims could practice their religion without government interference. After the pilgrims colonized the new world and established trade, the King of Britain realized how profitable America could be. The King began to impose laws and taxes on the colonies. Each law and tax was put into to place to benefit Great Britain, not the colonies. Furthermore, the colonies were being taxed without representation. Britain could pass any law or tax without the colonies’ consent. This eventually led to the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which in turn led to the American revolution. After gaining independence from Britain, the colonies created a constitution which is still the governing document of the United States. It was formed to allow the... ... middle of paper ... ...es of his administration. While investigating a scandal, officials have come to ask two important questions; "What did the President know?" and "When did he know it?" Whether knowledgeable or not, the president should still be held accountable. If laws prevent the president from upholding the duties of his office, the he should work with other elected officials to change or remove the laws. Not even the President can break the law and to do so is to undermine the very existence of the Constitution of the United States. Several Presidents have been involved in scandals. Some of these scandals have caused the American people to lose faith in their government. Other scandals have pushed the United States to the brink of nuclear war. The law must be upheld at all costs. The only way to prevent future scandals is to always hold individuals accountable for their actions.

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