Every February, birthday celebrations for George Washington and Abraham Lincoln bring Democrats and Republicans together around what really matters: mattress markdowns and special sales. Nothing inspires national unity more than discount shopping.
As Americans scan deals, nine of our fellow citizens are in the midst of deciding the nation’s most divisive issue: abortion rights. The Supreme Court is reviewing a Mississippi law limiting abortion to the first 15 weeks of pregnancy. By July, it will issue a ruling upholding, rolling back or overturning Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 case that established a right to abortion prior to fetal viability.
Neither Washington nor Lincoln can tell us how the justices should rule, despite what some advocates on each side may claim. But Lincoln does have something vital to teach us about the debate, which is deeply rooted in the Civil War.
