Bob Schwartz

Lincoln and Washington used to have separate national holidays for their birthdays. Then the holidays were combined into Presidents’ Day. It is now a bit of history, a lot of sales and shopping.

Lincoln is highly-regarded by historians. An overview of expert evaluations, across the ideological spectrum, is that the he was the greatest or near-greatest president in America’s long and sometimes rocky history.

Above is an editorial cartoon from 1963 by Bill Mauldin, an earlier time of American upheaval. Looking back now, we realize that we hadn’t seen anything yet.

Lincoln is crying, and the reasons for his tears may have changed over sixty years. Today the greatest President looks on the nation and the party he founded and they are somewhat unrecognizable. Lincoln also knew what Ben Franklin said when asked about what kind of government the new America had: “A republic…if you can keep it.”

Keep the faith in what America can be. Lincoln did—and sacrificed for it. We can too.