There are Similarities
Many of us know that President Obama is a “Lincoln Historian”. There are several similarities between the two men.
They both began as poor men. Lincoln was mostly self-taught, while Mr. Obama graduated from Columbia University and then Harvard Law School. Mr. Lincoln served as a one-term legislator in the House of Representatives serving the state of Illinois. Mr. Obama was a senator from Illinois.
In 1860 Mr. Lincoln became the Republican nominee for president. Because of his stand on the cessation and advancement of slavery he had no support from the southern states. He relied entirely on states in the north to win the election. Mr. Obama experienced the same situation in 2008 and again in 2012.
Mr. Lincoln’s election prompted seven southern slavery states, South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Texas, Louisiana, and Georgia to secede from the Union and form the Confederacy. When these and other southern sympathizers joined forces and attacked Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861, the Civil War became a reality.
After Mr. Obama’s election, Texas leading the way, several southern states began petitions for secession from the United States. Mr. Obama’s hatred from the south was not due to his stand on slavery but to his stand on equality for all Americans regardless of race, creed or color. His stand on universal health care for everyone regardless of social or economic class was viewed by the less-informed as socialism.
Mr. Lincoln was defiant when his policies were attacked from more extreme Republicans and “War” Democrats. He was a moderate, and he was re-elected in 1864 despite opposition from some in his own party. Unfortunately, he was assassinated by a southern sympathizer John Wilkes Booth on April 15, 1865. Historians label him as one of the top three Presidents in our history, joined by Washington and Franklin Delano Rossevelt.
Mr. Obama and Mr. Lincoln are considered by historians as great orators. They are both considered men of principle by me.
Mr. Obama has made efforts to unite a country divided by eight years of an abominable administration. The facts speak for themselves. But he is facing the same obstructionist legislature that attempted to derail Mr. Lincoln’s programs.
I hope that Mr. Obama uses the power of being a “lame duck” President to accomplish every goal he promised in both election runs.