Ordinary citizens often live unaware of the inner workings of their government. Knowledge about political espionage is often too challenging a topic to bring into conversation. It's true that, at first glance, the modest twists and turns of the information might not be considered substantial, but this inconsideration leaves a lot to check out. It's easy for political leaders to go power-mad and not realize the huge implications that come with their actions. Only after all is said and done do people actually realize that their government is an opaque mask of deception. The Watergate scandal substantially affected Americans' trust in their government. The years leading up to the 1972 election were full of new political tactics. At the beginning of the election year, President Nixon looked like he might never lose a second term election after successfully negotiating with Vietnam, Beijing, and Russia to improve international relations (Emery 4). The increase in international harshness made Nixon seem the person most worthy of remaining president. As Fred Emery analyzes in his novel Watergate: The Corruption of American Politics and the Fall of Richard Nixon, the president was also organizing the first summit meeting in history with the presidents of the Soviet Union (3). There seemed to be nothing capable of holding the man apparently responsible. However, this insurance had enormous consequences. The absolute certainty that Nixon would be re-elected fueled the lies and abuses of power by the Nixon government (Emery 195). As the prospect of landslide wins took over the White House, moral reasoning that “the ends justify the means” became prevalent. Nixon was obsessed with victory and success. Under his command, his staff did everything they could to... middle of paper... strengthen their rule. Over time, unchecked political power has proven to claim victims among the masses. The impacts of Watergate still exist today. Failure to comply with White House guidelines has cost millions of dollars and citizens' trust. Unlimited power is devastating when given the chance to run rampant. Works Cited Emery, Fred. Watergate: The Corruption of American Politics and the Fall of Richard Nixon.New York; Touchstone, 1994. Print.Fisher, Mark. “Watergate: The Long Play of a Scandal.” The Washington Post. May 2013. Three pages “Watergate”. Mary Ferrell Foundation. 2012. The US Department of State. ND Web. January 10, 2014. “The Watergate Files.” The Ford Library. 1995. Gerald Ford Library and Museum. May 5, 2013. Network. January 12, 2014. "The Watergate Scandal: Timeline" The Washington Post. April 2012. Three pages.