In the same manner that Jimmy Carter is responsible for the deaths of a Million people. Had he supported the Shah of Iran, the Iran/Iraq war would never have happened.
The consequences of Lincoln turning the law on it's head eventually led to the court abusing the 14th amendment to push these "discrimination" arguments. Lincoln is indirectly responsible for much crap we are dealing with today.
I don't just mean that you were the first to suggest it on this thread or at this website. I believe that you are the first person anywhere in the world to make that connection.
Some people see deeper than others. Many of the arguments that I get into are the result of other people's shallow thinking and shallow perception; people who simply do not have sufficient scope of thought to perceive what has happened and what it will eventually lead to.
The very day Paul Bremer announced the plan to disband the Iraq army and prohibit "bathe party" members from holding any government jobs or positions, I immediately started screaming at the radio about what a colossally stupid thing that was, that it would turn our victory into ashes and bung up Iraq in an unbelievable manner.
I knew they would get an immediate and violent response. I bemoaned the fact that out of all those War College graduates, none of them seemed to have the wit to tell the civilians that this would be an incredibly stupid move.
Another example:
When George HW Bush made noises about going along with a Democrat tax increase, again I started screaming at my radio. I said "You stupid fool! They don't give a crap about taxes, they just want to make you break that promise so as to undermine you politically, and perhaps wreck your reelection effort. "
Again, history unfolded exactly as I predicted. As a matter of fact, it happens so often that I generally don't even pay much attention to it anymore.
Want another example? See what I wrote about Mitch McConnell and Thad Cochran during the few months prior to November of last year. It's posted right here on Free Republic, and you can go read it without having to take my word for it.
Both of them have done exactly what I predicted they would do.
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No. The fact is that you cannot even make a good case that Lincoln was responsible for the Fourteenth Amendment, much less the way in which Americans subsequently interpreted it.
Some people see deeper than others.
Some people are delusional. Whether Lincoln is significantly influencing your life is not even a serious question. The man has been dead for over 150 years. Our world is the way it is today because of the decisions that we make today.
I am prepared to take responsibility for the decisions that I make and for my own circumstances. You will never be happy until you do.