What Would Lincoln See in America Today?

Lincoln is looking at more than the reflecting pool.

He’s looking at a government that treats competence like an optional feature.

A reflecting pool drained and left looking neglected is not the end of democracy. But it is a reminder that leadership matters. Stewardship matters. Pride in public institutions matters.

The Lincoln Memorial stands as a monument to preserving the Union through one of the nation’s darkest chapters. Today, Americans are watching political theater, endless culture wars, attacks on expertise, and a government that too often seems focused on loyalty tests instead of solving problems.

Lincoln once challenged us to ensure that government “of the people, by the people, for the people” would endure.

Looking out today, you have to wonder what he would think.

And whether he’d recognize the people claiming to defend his legacy.