Reflections on Lincoln's Presidency and Its Current Relevance

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Abraham Lincoln's courage against what his party, the Republican Party, believed were insurmountable odds of passing the thirteenth amendment by January 31st, 1865, formed the backdrop for the movie Lincoln.  This blogger finally saw the film Sunday and found it moving and insightful.  It set the stage for today's post by revealing the stark contrasts between that president and congress and our current president and congress.

The Civil War had raged for four years when Lincoln was re-elected, and he wanted passage of the thirteenth amendment to ensure that slaves whom he freed with the Emancipation Proclamation would return to slavery when the war ended, if they didn't have constitutional legality to remain free.  Since I learned history as a plethora of names, events and dates rather than an exploration of the times, the undercurrents that affected the politicians and citizens of the day, and a macro view of the details that spurred change, I had not previously studied that period with the depth that the movie did.  I saw determination, chicanery, machinations, steadfastness, bribery, and heated debate as President Lincoln worked to get enough votes to pass the amendment. 

The greatest surprise that awaited me as I watched the plot unfold was the Republican Party.  Its members had the progressive view that all men were created equal and supported freedom for Negroes, as they were identified in those times.  The Democrats offered strong opposition to the thirteenth amendment, but, eventually, enough voted "Aye" that it became law.  What a contrast that event offers to today's political landscape.

Congress today is ruled by thoughts of re-election and staying in the good graces of major supporters, such as the NRA, which creates roadblocks to doing the work the public expects.  While the House of Representative of 1865 heatedly debated the thirteenth amendment (the Senate had already passed it), today's House of Representatives has a deplorable record of absenteeism during the discussion of bills that have been brought before it.  Thus, many members don't hear the discussions of pros and cons offered before a bill becomes law.  In fact, some of the bills have onerously long contents that representatives don't take time to read, so they rely on others for their opinions.  Much is lost in this process, which defies the framers intention for the congress to answer solely to the people and not special interests.

Many citizens have lost confidence in our governing bodies and express disappointment that President Obama did not deliver on his promise to substantively change business as usual and bring compromise back to congress.  Clearly, a certain irony exists that a black man takes the oath of office for the second time in a period of great turmoil, albeit a different kind than existed in Lincoln's day.  Obama has a second chance to effect the kind of change that he promised the first time around.  Perhaps the memory of Lincoln 's relentless pursuit of what he believed crucial to America's continuation will inspire a deeper commitment in President Obama to dedicate himself to doing the right thing.