[Bigun]

The problems of this republic have nothing to do with Lincoln or Republican policies, and result directly from the Progressive movement of the late 1800s (thank you Midwestern proto-hippies), Wilsonian fascism, new deal socialism, expansion of the Interstate Commerce Clause and the creation of the mega-welfare state under LBJ. Oh and let's not forget Ted Kennedy's contribution with the 1965 immigration legislation, allowing a destruction of the homogeneity of the American people. Judicial policies that have helped create this mess were all liberal, although some of the liberals started out as Republicans, like Warren and Souter.

I beg to differ! In my view all of those things you mention were made possible by the extraconstitutinal excursions of Mr. Lincoln. The doors he opened are the very ones those people walked through and continue to be walked through to this day.

Whether you are right or I am is of little consequence however as we are where we are and we ought to be working to figure out how we are going to reclaim our republic IF that is even possible.

[Defiant]

In my view all of those things you mention were made possible by the extraconstitutinal excursions of Mr. Lincoln. The doors he opened are the very ones those people walked through and continue to be walked through to this day.

That's ridiculous. Republicans didn't create or support the Progressive Movement, they fought it. Progressives gave us income taxes, prohibition, direct election of Senators, a National bank. Please explain how you tie Lincoln to FDR's New Deal. The Republican Supreme Court had declared FDR's laws unconstitutional. So he threatened to pack the court, and they caved in. The Interstate Commerce Clause means Congress can regulate anything because Dems in the 30s wanted that interpretation, not because of Lincoln.

Lincoln didn't open any doors that LBJ's Great Society walked through, either.

What you have stated is a platitude, not history.