Abraham Lincoln defines "conservatism"

[DailyGrind51]

You probably never heard this one at a Republican Convention!


"What is conservatism? Is it not adherence to the old and tried, against the new and untried?"

Lincoln's Cooper Institute Address, February 27, 1860.

[Clio the Leo]

1. Lincoln would have been called a pinko if he were alive today.

No doubt posters would be erected showing him wearing a Hitler mustache ....... which would be tricky since he already had a beard. :)

[Cha]

3. Lol!

Smartass:P

[bumblebee1]

6. Today's rwers would have shot Lincoln themselves. n/t

[SIMPLYB1980]

2. Another quote that the republican should remember.

"Your purpose, then, plainly stated, is, that you will destroy the Government, unless you be allowed to construe and enforce the Constitution as you please, on all points in dispute between you and us. You will rule or ruin in all events."

[Cha]

4. Where's that from? It sounds

just like the gop.

[whyverne]

5. The parties were reversed back then.

Which is why I always find it amusing when they call the GOP "The party of Lincoln". The Republicans were the progressives back then.

[tammywammy]

7. Exactly n/t

[rasputin1952]

9. Have you noticed the GOP has gotten away from using the Lincoln

reference...it has morphed into the "party of Reagan", as if that is supposed to be an "up".

The R's back then were a pretty good party, lot's of ideas and ideals; it was the D party that was the conservative side of the political spectrum, although the "Radical Republicans" were a pretty nasty group.

[rmp yellow]

10. You nailed it

Republicans were then what Democrats are now.

[Zomby Woof]

11. Not really

They had a liberal wing in favor of civil rights, and a conservative wing which resisted reform at all costs, just like today. On economic matters, they were very friendly to big business. Concessions to reform in the progressive era weren't enacted until two generations after Lincoln's passing.

Lincoln was romantically portrayed as simple country lawyer "riding the circuit" and helping the "common man", but many of his cases were in aiding property owners, including helping a slaveowner retain his slave across state lines (pre-Dred Scott), and he took on a large handful of cases defending the railroads. He was a corporate lawyer of the worst sort.

Lincoln is so goddamned mythologized, it's damn near impossible to strip away the veneer.

[KakistocracyHater]

8. I define the GOP as alcoholics, with their HUGE lies, denial of reality,

& religious obsessions.....they are very much like relatives I have.