January 1, the day that President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, marks the anniversary of the greatest assertion of presidential power in U.S. history.
Lincoln understood that the constitutional authority for his action was found in his war powers. Concerned that the effect of the proclamation wouldn’t outlive the war, Lincoln did all he could, by hook or by “crook,” to ensure the enduring freedom of the slaves through passage of the Thirteenth Amendment.
President Obama will face a larger Republican majority in the House, and for the first time in his presidency, a Republican-controlled Senate. What lessons can President Obama and Congressional leaders learn from the Great Emancipator?
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The words of this author reflect his/her own opinions and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Orthodox Union.