America: What Did Abraham Lincoln Mean?

by Frank Li

After listening to Winston Churchill and Ronald Reagan, it’s only natural that we listen to Abraham Lincoln, right?  Here you go …

“Allow the president to invade a neighboring nation, whenever he shall deem it necessary to repel an invasion, and you allow him to do so whenever he may choose to say he deems it necessary for such a purpose – and you allow him to make war at pleasure.”

He meant: President George W. Bush, it was reckless for you to launch the Iraq War in 2003!

“America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.”

He meant: Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, your policies have done more damage to America than all of America’s enemies have done, combined! The biggest threat to America is its faltering economy, as it is now!

“Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth.”

He meant: If you think the current form of the American government is of/by/for the people, think again! Two perspectives:

1.    Are our children and their children “people” too? If yes, do you still think it’s right that we spend their financial futures like there is no tomorrow?
2.    If Congress is of/by/for the people, why is its disapproval rating at 87%?

“I destroy my enemies when I make them my friends.”

He meant: America, we have too many enemies now! Change the foreign policy fundamentally and change the Cold War mentality, starting with changing the political system!

“I don’t like that man. I must get to know him better.”

He meant: Seek to understand before being understood. This applies not only to individuals, but also to countries, such as China. China is a competitor, not an enemy!

“Marriage is neither heaven nor hell, it is simply purgatory.”

He meant: Work out your differences as a couple. Nothing is more important than the family – It’s the core and fiber of our society. When that core is broken, you will have nothing but trouble, everywhere and all the time.

“Let not him who is houseless pull down the house of another, but let him work diligently and build one for himself, thus by example assuring that his own shall be safe from violence when built.”

He meant: America has been the “Land of Opportunities” and must remain so: you can make it if you work hard and you are smart (and lucky).  No class warfare must be allowed! Redistribution of wealth is wrong and is un-American – Earn it or go without!

“The people will save their government, if the government itself will allow them.”

He meant: Have you seen anything better than this diagnosis and this solution? More profoundly, read this: Towards An Ideal Form of Government.

Economic principles of Abraham Lincoln:

1.    You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
2.    You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
3.    You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.
4.    You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
5.    You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
6.    You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.
7.    You cannot establish sound security on borrowed money.
8.    You cannot build character and courage by taking away a man’s initiative and independence.
9.    You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.

“Republicans are for both the man and the dollar, but in case of conflict the man before the dollar.”

He meant: America desperately needs a great President to turn things around now. Bet on a Republican this time, because the odds are much better than the Democrats. 7/8, as shown in the picture below – Way better than the Democrats, huh?

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About the Author

Frank Li is the Founder and President of W.E.I. (West-East International), a Chicago-based import & export company. Frank received his B.E. from Zhejiang University (China) in 1982, M.E. from the University of Tokyo in 1985, and Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University in 1988, all in Electrical Engineering. He worked for several companies until 2004, when he founded his own company W.E.I. Today, W.E.I. is a leader in the weighing industry not only in products & services, but also in thought and action.

Dr. Li writes extensively and uniquely on politics, for which he has been called “a modern-day Thomas Jefferson”(see page 31).