[DiogenesLamp]

I seem to recall that Lincoln’s disagreements with Taney were possibly related to Taney’s part in killing the National Bank. Lincoln was an ardent supporter of a national bank and paper currency, in the mold of Henry Clay. Have you heard or read anything like that?

The more I learn of this period of history when Jackson killed the national bank, the more I realize that Jackson was a lot smarter than I had previously given him credit for being.

Jackson rightfully recognized the threat that these manipulators of money could represent. The shame is that the National Bank didn't stay dead.

Where there is an opportunity to make unearned money, the corrupt will always find a way to exploit it.

[Kalamata]

>>DiogenesLamp wrote: "The more I learn of this period of history when Jackson killed the national bank, the more I realize that Jackson was a lot smarter than I had previously given him credit for being. Jackson rightfully recognized the threat that these manipulators of money could represent. The shame is that the National Bank didn't stay dead. Where there is an opportunity to make unearned money, the corrupt will always find a way to exploit it."

Are you aware that Lincoln campaigned in favor of a national bank throughout his career? This is one of his earliest stump speeches, if not the earliest:

"Fellow-Citizens: I presume you all know who I am. I am humble Abraham Lincoln. I have been solicited by many friends to become a candidate for the Legislature. My politics are short and sweet, like the old woman's dance. I am in favor of a national bank. I am in favor of the internal improvement system, and a high protective tariff. These are my sentiments and political principles. If elected, I shall be thankful; if not it will be all the same."[1]

Lincoln's campaign platform is straight out of Henry Clay's rulebook.

Mr. Kalamata

[1] Announcement of His Candidacy for the State Legislature, about March 1, 1832, in Whitney, Henry Clay, "Life and works of Abraham Lincoln Vol 03: Early Speeches." Current Literature Publishing Co., 1907, p.1

[BroJoeK]

DiogenesLamp to Kalamata: "The more I learn of this period of history when Jackson killed the national bank, the more I realize that Jackson was a lot smarter than I had previously given him credit for being."

Like our current President, I'm a huge admirer of President Jackson, he was my kind of guy -- tough as nails, smart as a tack, a leader of men who put up with no BS from anybody -- and took bullets to prove it.
Frankly, I've never understood what was the big deal about a national bank -- banks are banks, no matter what name you put on them they all do the same things and one is as good as another.

Anyway, Jackson was the only president in our history to ever pay off -- not just pay down, pay off -- the national debt, and he did it by keeping in place that "Tariff of Abominations" much longer than his opponents wanted.
He made them howl with anger and then threatened them with war if they didn't pipe down.

Jackson set the example for dealing with secessionists that Lincoln followed.
My kind of guy.

By the way, if you wonder what happened to the national debt after Jackson, Democrat President Van Buren doubled spending and recreated a small national debt.
Whig Presidents Harrison/Tyler reduced spending back to Jackson levels and held the debt steady, then Democrat Polk's Mexican War tripled both Federal spending and national debt.
Whig Presidents Taylor/Fillmore let spending rise with rising revenues (from lower tariffs), reducing national debt by half, as did Democrat President Pierce.
But under Democrat President Buchanan both spending and debt went through the roof -- spending at four times Jackson's levels, raising the debt back to Mexican War levels.