The Presidents #16: Abraham Lincoln

[Ardent15]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln

Discuss him and his Presidency.

[Hawkeye-X]

1. Many Republicans keep claiming they own this guy

But if Abraham Lincoln was alive today, he would be denouncing the Republican Party and joining Green.

Hawkeye-X

[RoyGBiv]

3. Green?

Hardly.

Abraham Lincoln was an American System/Clay Whig. At best he'd be a left-leaning, centrist Democrat. On economic issues he'd be firmly centrist. It's hard to translate his opinions on social issues with those of today, however.

[salguine]

5. + infinity

[proteus_lives]

2. What can you say about Lincoln that hasn't already been said.

He freed the slaves and restored the Union. I wish he hadn't been killed, the after-war period would been much brighter.

The first time I went to his memorial in D.C. I was in awe and choked-up a little.

[Thothmes]

4. Some folks on this site would handily denouce him

as a tool of the corporations and capitalists. He spent many years as a lawyer for the Illinois Central Railroad.

[Arkana]

11. I really don't think there's a single goddamn President in our history

that wouldn't be demonized as a "corporatist tool" by members of this website.

[RFKHumphreyObama]

6. I remember one history lecturer recounting a story that happened during the 1970s

During an era of heightened racial tension over the busing issue. One of his students got up and asked the lecturer what Abraham Lincoln would have thought of busing

The history lecturer didn't miss a beat. He said that, in his considered opinion, Lincoln's reaction to hearing about busing would have been
"What are buses?"

[The_Commonist]

7. He was tall.

And skinny.

[Capt. America]

8. The greatest American president, period. The American Savior.

[BlueIris]

9. He had Marfan syndrome.

Or, at least, I think he did.

[Arkana]

10. What is there about Lincoln that hasn't already been said

by people much more qualified?