Another dictator the Republicans, Libertarians and D+ students like to call out. However, there is a kernel of truth to their accusations. Lincoln did suspend habeas corpus, he did some rather dick moves (exiling a congressman to the Confederacy for “wrongdoing”) and took over at times when a Republican-dominated Congress was doing nothing but running around in circles (sounds familiar). The difference between him and a real dictator? Lincoln appeared to be pretty ready to hand it all back over with the conclusion of the war and I think he was going to call it quits as his second term was nearing completion. An actual dictator wouldn’t have planned to forgive the traitorous South for the war it initiated neither.
The delicious irony remains too. The first Republican president is someone the current GOP can’t run away from fast enough.
I wish I some cool Lincoln ware to remind the sore-loser Secessionist asshats around here who won the war.