In March 2015 I wrote that Alexander Hamilton should not be removed from the $10 bill, as had been suggested by some in the Obama administration.
After all, I argued, he was a founding father of our country, and is the main reason our nation has a banking system in the first place.
Taking Alexander Hamilton off the money is like taking Neil Armstrong off the moon.
It should never happen!
I also wrote this: “I like the idea of replacing Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill. There’s nothing in law that says he has to stay there – in fact he replaced Grover Cleveland.”
Well, I’m happy to announce that someone in Washington was apparently listening.
Treasury Secretary Jack Lew will announce this week the decision to keep Hamilton’s face on the $10 bill and remove Jackson and add a woman’s portrait on the $20 bill.
So long Andy!
As you know, I love presidential history. I’ve kept a set of miniature presidents in my room since the age of 5 (it’s in my book) and I’ve never been a big fan of Andrew Jackson.
Sure, he broke up the “establishment” control of the electoral college.
He was a popular, loud and slightly obnoxious war hero who rode into the presidency on an anti-Washington platform.
He was also the first elected president from the Democratic Party.
But before you put him on the money, you have to look objectively at his actual record.
The policies of this Washington “outsider” actually created a nasty and corrupt policy of rewarding government jobs on partisan grounds. Called the “spoils system” this became the ultimate game of “insider” who-you-know and what-you-owe hiring.
(This classic Thomas Nast cartoon to the left shows Jackson on a pig, which is standing on fraud, bribery, and spoils eating plunder.)
Jackson also hated the very foundation of our banking system. In fact, he hated the very paper money that he’s now on. His mistrust of banks contributed to the Panic of 1837, one of our nations worst economic meltdowns.
How does a president who created a great depression end up on the money?
But those are not the only reasons why I’ve never cared for our 7th president, although that is certainly enough.
Jackson was also a slave holder and racist with one hell of a temper. And he signed one of the worst pieces of legislation in American history.
The Indian Removal Act of 1830 is the (unbelievably) only major legislation which passed during Jackson’s eight years as 
president.
It was a cold and calculated law which made promises to Native Americans that the government did not fulfill.
In fact, the Cherokees’ forced exodus due to the law became notorious as the “Trail of Tears.”
Any president who leaves a Trail of Tears should not be on the money.
The treasury department says a woman (Harriet Tubman, the 19th century abolitionist and humanitarian is the front-runner) will take Jackson’s place, but not until 2030.
It’s a good decision and overdue.
(NOTE: Donald Trump canceled the removal of Jackson from the $20 bill in 2018).