The act of President Johnson purchasing the Louisiana territory was an act of hypocrisy because it contravened the rule of law which is the foundation of democracy, the platform he ran on to become president. is election into the presidency was a win for Democratic-Republicans against the Federalists, and it came with a pledge to foster democracy. There was a belief among the non-elite white Americans that his victory heralded the beginning of politics that favored the masses. Democracy was the foundation of Jefferson and his party’s philosophy when they got elected and after a peaceful transition, it seemed like the projection of a good future fueled by a government of the people.
After becoming president, Jefferson aimed to impose his political ideologies and perspectives on the people. He cut taxes, reduced the budget to allow more Americans to reap the benefits, and chose peaceful interventions over war engagements. His purchase of the Louisiana Territory, heralded in the chapter as a crowning moment, represents a president’s defiance of the rule of law. For all the praise he had given the Constitution in guiding his government as they served the people, his justification for why he purchased this land contravenes everything he had preached.
Jefferson received confirmation from his cabinet confirmed the land deal was an unconstitutional move. Nevertheless, he seized the opportunity because he believed the president could be above the law if there was enough cause. It was a simple statement that bore a lot of weight because disregarding the rule of law meant going beyond the objective limitations set by the Constitution for the powers of someone in authority. It was a hypocritic move for a man who had upheld himself as a leader who lived by the democratic rule of law. The idea that someone in authority can surpass the rule of law in the name of personal achievement is a travesty to the Constitution.