Analysis Of The Watergate Scandal

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In 1970, the Watergate scandal introduced the struggle between the executive branch and the legislative branch.There had been commotion over illegal activities committed by Republican President Nixon and his staff which was kept secret from Congress. After years of investigation, Nixon was found guilty. This highly unpopular scandal led to the resignation of Nixon. In the cartoon, President Richard Nixon and Senator Sam Ervin are shown arm wrestling which portrays the battle over the president’s right of executive privilege. The cartoonist is trying to make a point that the executive power and congress are having a struggle or fight whether the president should have the authority to keep certain information secret from the other branch of…show more content…
Without Nixon, there would be no battle because he, as president, was a part of the Watergate Scandal. At the moment he is winning because he has the possession of the tapes. Another symbol the cartoonist used was the drawing of the two arms (labeled executive and legislative) gripped in a intense wrestling battle. The cartoonist was able to use this symbol to illustrate his point because the arms represent the battle for power between the executive branch and legislative branch. (The big battle between the executive and congress did not really arise until the Watergate Scandal brought out a major problem.) Another symbol the cartoonist used was the tapes. These tapes were recordings involving the scandal concealed in President Nixon’s office wall. This symbol illustrates the cartoonist’s point because the tapes were crucial for Congress to getting to the bottom of the Watergate Scandal and finding if the President used his power illegally (in terms of the cartoon: if congress wins “arm wrestle” they get the tapes. They are fighting over the power if president can keep them secret or…show more content…
This Act influenced the relationship between the executive and congress because it limited the power of the president, while allowing congress to do its job which is to tax and spend. The main relationship is just that Congress is now keeping a careful eye on the President. The Act was made so that a scandal like Watergate would never happen again. (Impounding funds is when the president spends money on something congress disagrees with.)The Budget Reform Act was a law passed by Congress saying that the president could not impound funds without congress approval. So if the president impounded funds without approval that would taking away from congressional power. The Congressional Budget Office was created to watch the president for congress and to make sure the president spends money

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