Thursday, January 19, 2017

Lincoln, Trump and Mt. Rushmore, Part One


Donald, are you up for the next challenge?
A wishful-thinker’s projection.

Love him or hate him, Donald Trump deserves our congratulations on successfully waging a campaign that should never have even seen the light of day. He’s not a politician but joined a field of 16 professional politicians, then picked them off one by one until, the last man standing, he nailed his party’s nomination.
Then in the face of polls that showed consistently, right up until the final 48 hours, that he would be obliterated by a vastly determined, well organized, well funded and experienced opponent, he pulled off one of THE great upsets in American presidential history.
Conclusion: the steeper the uphill struggle the more energized Trump became. Let me say that again: Donald Trump comes alive with a challenge.
So: what about another challenge?
Here we drift off into the world of wishful thinking. Stay with me, ok?
Trump has now joined an illustrious group of only 45 people who, since 1788, have held the office of President of the United States. How will he stack up against THAT competition?
That decision will be made by future generations, and there’s a list in place already. It gets revised periodically, of course. As the Trump presidency unfolds they’ll assign a place to him among that august group of 45.
He’d do well to look to one of the greats for guidance. And among great presidents the one whose challenges more closely parallel Trump’s is Lincoln.
Let’s imagine what in the Lincoln presidency Trump might imitate.
[Come back for Part Two tomorrow]


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