Seven Reasons Not to Celebrate Abe's 200th

It's that time of year when Great Presidents are celebrated and this year is Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday. While the United States has elected its first African-American President, and the Republican Nation Committee has elected it's first African-American chairman, the Travis County Republican Party is celebrating President Lincoln at its annual banquet. The Republican Party of late is re-heralding itself as the Party of Lincoln. There are certainly some attributes of Lincoln that are worthy of acclamation, but let the revelers beware. Lincoln exudes attributes that are at the core of the problems facing our nation today.

Here are my top seven reasons you and the Republicans should not be celebrating Lincoln...

7) Lincoln did not believe his election to the Presidency would lead to cession/civil war; it did.
6) Lincoln supported the colonization of blacks (i.e. separation of the races).
5) Lincoln was not a true abolitionist.

4) Lincoln built a large national militia used to destroy citizens of the United States.

3) Lincoln authorized the largest percentage increase in national debt ever seen in the U.S.

2) Lincoln authorized the National Banking Act, paving the way for the Federal Reserve Act.

1) Lincoln's presidency was the fulcrum of destruction for State's Rights.

I agree that slavery needed to be abolished, but an abolitionists is not an abolitionist. Lincoln did accomplish major feats for the circumstances, but at what expense? Consider the impact his presidency had on States Rights. The policies of Lincoln and the emerging Republican Party have become the fulcrum of destruction for the balance of power between State and Federal governments. Of that, I want no part.

Reconstruction following the Civil War was used to create the monstrous banking system that now manipulates the world economy. The National Banking Act and other similar laws adopted under Lincoln were the catalyst for destroying interstate competition in banking and general free-market competition between The States.

This period in time birthed an explosion in the size and power of federal government. While, I am certainly opposed to slavery, I am also opposed to the Federal Government imposing itself upon the States and forcing its will upon the people.

While it is rightfully in vogue to celebrate Civil Rights progress, is the destruction of State Rights an identity that Republicans desire to be associated with?

God Save the U.S.A.

Humility in Politics

Some say that "Political Hope" is an oxymoron. What about humility in politics?

As we listened to the various political speeches at the Republican and Democratic National Conventions, did you see or hear true humility? Is that even possible? Am I crazy to even think about it or suggest it?

More than one candidate mentioned some form of the the word humility. All of the quotes I caught were self-described attributes in reference to receiving a nomination or serving with a truly great leader. I'm not going to tell you those were false assertions, though I know many of you are skeptical. I ask you to consider another view of humility, and the reality that one politician had the guts to demonstrate it.

My view of true humility is one that "the Fonz" on Happy Days couldn't quite get out of his mouth. My definition is doctrinal in nature. It has to do with confession; ownership of faults; recognizing that we're human. Of course we all know that we are human and we do have faults. The question; the difficultly ... is admitting them. Are you willing to admit your faults. Do you confess that you made a mistake, or an error, or just flat blew it?

There are two acid tests of true humility. One, are you willing to admit to your kids, especially teenagers, that you were wrong, and two, as a politician are you willing to admit you and/or your party has blown it?

Just my opinion ... but I think we could use a lot more "true humility". We need men and women, parents and politicians both, that are willing to say, "what I've been doing was wrong". From my count, during the last two weeks of national conventions, only one man, only one politician, had the guts to admit fault and take responsiblity for it.

God Save the U.S.A.