Steven Spielberg's new film "Lincoln" is a masterpiece. It focuses on the struggle to get the 13th Amendment passed, abolishing slavery just three months before President Lincoln was assassinated. The film has perhaps the finest acting you'll ever see, starting with Daniel Day-Lewis as Lincoln and Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln, and continuing through the supporting cast which includes a convincing Tommy Lee Jones as radical Thaddeus Stevens. The screenplay by Tony Kushner, the perfect set designs and special effects, the cinematography, everything was superbly done. It's received justifiably rave reviews, and now having seen it, we understand why.
Flash forward to present day politics: we noticed this new poll of registered Rethuglicans, 25% of whom want their state to secede from the U.S. Watching "Lincoln" drove home just how much the Rethuglican / New Confederate Party has become the old Democratic / States Rights party of 150 years ago, completely switching sides ideologically and demographically. The Abraham Lincoln of the fight for the 13th Amendment wouldn't recognize the current version of his Party, and would probably leave it.
(photo: Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln)
