What Would Lincoln Do?

You know you work at a cool place when you go upstairs and see Abraham Lincoln, complete with shades and a golden earring, staring at you! I think that this is a wax figure leftover from the Abraham Lincoln Museum. My classmates and I saw this Lincoln earlier this year when Linda took us upstairs to show us the old IHPA storage room, but back in January he had an afro and no shades or earring. I guess that he changes his look every few months :-)

Speaking of Abraham Lincoln, since today is Election Day Eve I have been reflecting on what Abraham Lincoln would think about the current state of affairs in the country if he were alive today. I think he would be quite concerned--especially since some people are calling Barack Obama "the next Lincoln" just because they both lived in Illinois. Since Abraham Lincoln is one of America's most revered Presidents, I thought that it would be a good idea to ask oneself before voting, "What would Lincoln do?" He would vote for John McCain and Sarah Palin. Why am I so sure? Here are a few quotes:

In a radio interview a few years ago, Barack Obama said that the Constitution reflects the "fundamental flaw of this country that continues to this day." The "flaw" he referred to was the lack of wording to support a redistribution of wealth among American citizens. News flash for Obama: everyone in America in 1776 was having a hard time financially--that's why the capitalist system developed and flourished! The founding fathers had bigger problems to worry about than redistributing wealth--problems like figuring out how to create a new country.

Here's what Abraham Lincoln had to say about the Constitution in 1856: "Don't interfere with anything in the Constitution. That must be maintained, for it is the only safeguard of our liberties." And in 1858: "Let us then turn this government back into the channel in which the framers of the Constitution originally placed it."

In 1996, Barack Obama explained to a crowd why the Bible should not be consulted when developing public policy. He sarcastically said, "We could consult Leviticus that says slavery was okay, or Deuteronomy that says you can stone your children. Or, my personal favorite, the 'Sermon on the Mount'--with ideas that are so radical that even our defense department would have a hard time applying them."

Here's what Abraham Lincoln thought about the Bible: "I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man. All the good from the Savior of the world is communicated to us through this book." He also said, "I do not think I could myself, be brought to support a man for office, whom I knew to be a scoffer at religion."

Barack Obama thinks that the government should take over the minute details of our lives. Abraham Lincoln maintained that the government should remain uninvolved in the everyday lives of the citizens. Barack Obama believes that those who make more money should give some of it to those who don't make as much. Abraham Lincoln thought that everyone had a right to do what they want with what they earn.

And my favorite: Michelle Obama said that her husband is "gonna change our traditions--our history." Abraham Lincoln reminded everyone in 1861, "Fellow citizens, we cannot escape history."

Abraham Lincoln would vote for John McCain. :-)