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"My politics are short and sweet, like the old woman's dance. I am in favor of a national bank ... in favor of the internal improvements system and a high protective tariff." ~ Lincoln, Campaign Speech, 1832

You'd think after 170 years some Republicans would have smartened up. Guess not...

"[Free trade is a system whereby] some have labored, and others have, without labor, enjoyed a large portion of the fruits.... To secure to each laborer the whole product of his labor, or as nearly as possible, is a most worthy object of any good government." "[International trade] is demonstrably a dead loss of labor... labor being the true standard of value." ~ Lincoln, Feb. 15, 1861

Spoken like a man that receives letters of commendation from Karl Marx....

The 16th President In His Own Words

So Lincoln was a Henry Clay disciple. If that was such an evil to be avoided, the southern Democrats would not have broken away from Douglas and ensured Lincoln's election.

Lincoln's economic errors pale when compared to the thoughts of the VP of the Confederacy:

"Our new government is founded upon exactly the opposite idea; its foundations are laid, its corner- stone rests, upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery—subordination to the superior race—is his natural and normal condition. This, our new government, is the first, in the history of the world, based upon this great physical, philosophical, and moral truth."

I think most people will agree that a civilization based on tariffs, no matter how economically inefficient, is preferable to a civilization founded on slavery.

"Our position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery - the greatest material interest of the world." - Mississippi's Declaration of Secession

"The legitimate object of government is to do for a community of people whatever they need to have done, but cannot do at all, or cannot do so well, for themselves, in their separate and individual capacities."

Let's look at that quote in context, billbears. Something you absolutely hated doing, I know, but is often necessary after one of your attacks.

"The legitimate object of government, is to do for a community of people, whatever they need to have done, but can not do, at all, or can not, so well do, for themselves---in their separate, and individual capacities.

In all that the people can individually do as well for themselves, government ought not to interfere.

The desirable things which the individuals of a people can not do, or can not well do, for themselves, fall into two classes: those which have relation to wrongs, and those which have not. Each of these branch off into an infinite variety of subdivisions.

The first---that in relation to wrongs---embraces all crimes, misdemeanors, and non-performance of contracts. The other embraces all which, in its nature, and without wrong, requires combined action, as public roads and highways, public schools, charities, pauperism, orphanage, estates of the deceased, and the machinery of government itself.

From this it appears that if all men were just, there still would be some, though not so much, need of government." -- Abraham Lincoln July 1854(?)

Now what, exactly, is wrong with that?