Lessons from Lincoln

Call me idealistic, but I can picture a United States of America, particularly under the influence of President Barack Obama, where people with unlike ideas respect each other enough to use civil discourse. Too long this country has been living with an "Us Versus Them" mentality. Too long Republicans and Democrats have been trying to score political points with their clever, cutting comments, many times directed at humiliating the other side. That kind of rhetoric and separatism divide us. We need to be brought together as "one nation under God".

That is not to say Democrats and Republicans should agree on every issue under the sun. On the contrary, in this age of democratic dominance and especially within our own state, standing up for what we believe to be true and just is not only the right thing to do, it's patriotic and reinforces our system of checks and balances. But when we make our stand, let us be absolutely sure to be civil. Rather than taking meaningless party line jabs and stabs at one another, stick to the item at hand.

Abraham Lincoln served as President when our country was torn apart by war, geography and ideology. He brought us together under incredibly difficult, trying circumstances and truth and honor shone through in the end. Let us resolve as Republicans to honor our 16th President, not just on his birthday but throughout the year by approaching our fellow Dems with civility and respect. By doing so, we will indeed be putting our "country first". (John McCain)