Lincoln and Today’s GOP, Cont’d

The second part of my essay on Lincoln and the contemporary Republican Party was published yesterday at Kiko’s House.

Last week, after the first part was published, a TMV commenter wrote that “Historical figures can only be judged by the standards of their times … so the whole argument is moot.” Perhaps. But that doesn’t stop Republicans and Democrats from fighting over Lincoln. Hence, as long as any party attempts to argue that a historical figure is more reflective of its values than another party’s values, I consider such claims fair game for analysis and debate.

Of course, as I suggested in the linked essay’s conclusion, neither of today’s major parties may be able to lay legitimate claim to Lincoln. I focused on the holes in the Republicans’ argument because I was once a Republican. I leave the holes in the Democrats’ argument to someone else.