Was Abe Lincoln a coward?

[Longermonger]

Some people claim that an elected state representative that "doesn't show up for work" by absenting themselves so there is no quorum is a coward.. Does that include Abraham Lincoln?

There's a story about Lincoln jumping from a second story window to deny quorum to his political opponents.

Google it.

[Philhelm]

I don't know if he was a coward, but it seems that your point rests solely with the assumption that Lincoln was a good president, and uses that as an emotional appeal in order to support elected representatives fleeing from the execution of their duties. Similarly, I could say that Franklin Roosevelt was against the unionization of the public sector. Does that make him a member of the Tea Party?

[Longermonger]

Originally Posted by Philhelm

I don't know if he was a coward, but it seems that your point rests solely with the assumption that Lincoln was a good president No, I'm pointing out to those that idolize him, that he did the same damn thing as the Wisconsin senators that they called cowards., and uses that as an emotional appeal ...for the lulz in order to support elected representatives fleeing from the execution of their duties No, their duty is to represent the people of Wisconsin that elected them. That is what they are doing. Similarly, I could say that Franklin Roosevelt was against the unionization of the public sector ...and you'd be wrong. He was against strikes by public unions, not collective bargaining. If we can go back to the time of FDR then we can go back to the time of Lincoln. Does that make him a member of the Tea Party? Does that make Lincoln a coward?

The easy answer is to say that Lincoln was being brave when he jumped out a 2nd story window to deny his opponents a quorum. That would mean admitting that the Wisconsin senators are being brave. Teabaggers won't do that. They'd rather have a double standard where everything that Democrats do is cowardly and illegal and everything that their Republicans do is courageous and just.

To pull off something like that they'd have to have their own propaganda channel and a ton of gullible viewers...

[CuteOldGuy]

Longer, you set up a straw argument, shoot it down, and congratulate yourself on your insightfulness. That is what makes you so much fun to read.

But I will admit I like the idea that the Wisconsin Democrats are actually representing their constituency by not showing up. If all our representatives took that approach, we'd be in much better shape.

[Philhelm]

I know very well what you were doing, and you even admitted that you wished to essentially throw Lincoln in peoples' faces, in order to show the hypocricy amongst those that do not support the Democratic representatives that had fled. Again, you were assuming that such people would think that Lincoln was a good president, as most Americans do.

I don't support the fleeing representatives, and I don't think Lincoln was a good president (I'd argue that he was one of the worst, actually). To answer your question though, I do not think that they are cowards, but I do believe that they are professionally unethical. You claim that they are merely representing their constituents, but since representatives are appointed to geographical areas, rather than by party, they represent more than just those within their party.

I do have to agree with CuteOldGuy though; there is something to be said about gridlock. Perhaps nothing being done by the government is better than any possible outcome due to government action.

If you want to have a discussion about this topic, have a discussion. Asking loaded questions achieves nothing.

[Longermonger]

Originally Posted by Philhelm

Asking loaded questions achieves nothing.

It achieved this thread, no?

It achieved your post, yes?

Did you post without thinking or did you think? This thread made you think, didnt it?

Did anyone learn anything in this thread? Maybe. It depends on
how many of you are historians that know about Lincoln in the 1840s. My guess is that y'all learned sumpin'.

[lacrew_2000]

You do know what Lincoln was trying to obstruct, don't you?