The American Spectator

Reader Mail

Did You Say Abe Lincoln?

7.23.08 @ 12:01AM

(Page 2 of 3)

Those that worship Lincoln will reject this but not being in the front ranks of the Army Grant sent against dug in Confederates at Cold Harbor in 1864 would tend to gloss over the true cost of Lincoln's vision for a Union held together by force of arms. To those Republicans that have suggested in the past that we need another Lincoln, be very, very careful what you wish for. You'd probably get McClellan, Pope, Hooker, Burnside, Meade, Grant and 5.8 million dead right along with the new Lincoln. I believe there was more to Abraham Lincoln than the narrow view much of history reflects but 600,000 dead Americans is pretty hard to overlook.
-- Thom Bateman
Newport News, Virginia

The book Lincoln the Man has been re-printed and is readily available from the Foundation for American Education (FAEbooks.org).
-- Christopher M. Sullivan

OUTDATED
Re: Jeffrey Lord's Why Obama Models Dukakis:

The fundamental mistake in Jeffrey Lord's column is the assumption that most Americans understand the connection between liberalism and economic illiteracy. They do not, and will not, as long as the MSM is a willing accomplice to the perpetuation of misinformation championed by those same liberals.

Americans know they are being lied to -- but they don't know by whom, exactly.
-- Arnold Ahlert
Boca Raton, Florida

"Were the American people ever to fully understand that it is liberal political philosophy in action that is directly responsible for high gas prices, well, can you say President McCain?"

News flash: By the day, we are becoming more aware.

That awareness includes the very obvious fact that, at least with respect to the energy crisis, the Democrat representatives and senators in Washington, as well as their congressional allies, do not represent the people, do not care about the people and, apparently, are enemies of the people.

Try as he might, Barack "I would have preferred a gradual adjustment [to gasoline prices]" Obama cannot separate himself -- we must not let him separate himself -- from them or the leftists/liberals of Tinseltown or elsewhere who would destroy capitalism and our society.

And, you bet, I can say, proudly and securely, without reservation, "President McCain" -- now and after he wins in November.
-- C. Kenna Amos
Princeton, West Virginia

Your writer Jeffrey Lord calls them "liberals" -- self-named ex-Communists and ex-Socialists ever since these names became unpopular after the terror, poverty, and mass murder sullied those previously popular names. The same people have turned into "environmentalists." For example -- everybody forgot that the ACLU, now "independent," used to be the official legal arm of the Communist Party USA back in the 1930's. The energy crisis of today has been the work of these Communists for the past 30 years -- they really got their serious start under Carter. In order to obtain total power they need either war, wide-spread poverty, economic crisis, armies of unemployed, racial riots, unschooled and illiterate masses -- they got those already thanks to the teacher unions. Their talk about the bright future reminds us all, refugees from Communist regimes, of the speeches by Stalin, Tito, Ceaucescu, Castro, Mao, Kim Il Sung, and other mass murderers of the past 90 years. Speeches by Obama, Gore, Reid, Pelosi -- I see not an iota of difference between their words and those of the above mentioned "liberals," "liberators," and heads of various "Democratic People's Republics."
-- Marc Jeric
Las Vegas, Nevada

Great examples of the destructiveness of liberal energy policies. You forgot the granddaddy of them all, however, the Shoreham Nuclear Power Plant on Long Island. Built and tested in the late 80's, Mario Cuomo refused to approve the evacuation plan. The result was a $6 Billion boondoggle (most of which was picked up by the state and the local utility customers), rolling blackouts in New York on summer days, and the highest utility bills in the country.

Thanks, Mario.
-- Chris B.
New Jersey

The American Spectator and other conservative voices continue to compare the New Democratic Messiah to past fallen prophets (idols?) of the Left. Yes, Barack Obama is even more liberal than McGovern, Mondale and Dukakis, but he is an orator of exceptional skill -- at least when he is reading from prepared scripts. The problem with the conservatives' voice is it is not being heard by the teeming masses. Why? The liberal news media continues Obama's hagiography on a daily basis. Those who adore BHO will not be easily dissuaded from their blissful worship, though members of the Church of Clinton, Distaff Branch, may be open to conversion. They are already heretical in their belief that their Lady of Suffering and Wisdom was denied her rightful ascent to the throne (if not heaven itself) and may be open to further heresy by voting for the demi-liberal John McCain the Elder. McCain, if he is willing to fight a good fight, may be able to reach voters who are not yet caught up in the rapture of Obama. But McCain must bring the fight to Obama since he will find no allies in the mainstream media.

McCain cannot depend on Republicans for a base because his unorthodox approach to conservatism has eroded their support. TAS and talk show radio can, and will continue to offer support for McCain by pointing out just how purely liberal BHO is, but who is listening? The very people who would never vote for any Democrat of any stripe. For McCain to have a fighting chance against the junior Senator from Illinois, he has to force Obama to clearly state his actual policies. If McCain can maneuver Obama into a series of town hall meetings, Obama will slip up and actually speak his mind -- as he did in San Francisco when he remarked how "bitter" small-town Americans "cling to guns or religion." Obama's record demonstrates that he is to the far left of the majority of Americans, and he knows this. Obama uses his lofty rhetoric to disguise his true liberalism. If Obama is so proud of his record and policies, let his voice be lifted as well as it is already exalted.

Letter to the Editor

topics:
Education, John McCain, Barack Obama, Business, Entitlements, Religion, Islam, Environment, Books, Constitution, Law, Supreme Court, NATO, Conservatism, Energy, Unions