[BroJoeK]

DiogenesLamp: "You are not accurately stating my position. You are putting forth your cartoon version of what I have been saying."

Just slight exaggerations for dramatic effect. ;-)

The sad truth is your actual positions are not different enough from my caricature to make much difference.
Bottom line: it's all Lincoln's fault, right?

[DiogenesLamp]

I've noted more than once that Lincoln was in a bit of a pickle, and had he not done what he did, he would have gone down in history as a horrible President.

The economic threat to the North was real. Had Lincoln taken no action to deal with it, there would have been resulting economic devastation in the North East.