There is little doubt that the fall elections will have a major cultural and political impact in the American way of life. Perhaps only twice in American history has an election divided the country so strongly on moral and constitutional issues and produced such public awareness and passion.

These two past elections divided the nation with incompatible ideological views strong enough to fracture the existing political structures. The survivors formed new political parties with platforms that transformed the country as well as the political power centers. These presidents were rogues who bent the rules to achieve their goals. Each significantly increased the power of the presidency and violated the Constitution “for the good of the country” on several occasions.

Both presidents desired for the people to have more control over the government. Both reinforced the supremacy of the federal government over the states. Both were controversial and created bitter enemies. One remains controversial to this day, while the other has become an American icon of nobility. Assignation attempts were made on both men. One was successful.

Andrew Jackson formed a coalition of pro-slavery political leaders, including John C. Calhoun, Martin Van Buren and Thomas Ritchie. They revived the old Republican Party, renaming it as the Democratic Party that we know today, including the donkey logo – although detractors referred to it as a “jackass” originally, a slur on Jackson’s stubbornness.