That Abe Lincoln was one smart cookie

Today is Abraham Lincoln’s birthday.

If he were still alive, he would be 203.

Happy birthday, Abe!

He said something once that I’m thinking of right now.

Not “Fourscore and seven years ago.” Not “With malice toward none, with charity for all.” Not “government of the people, by the people, and for the people.”

I’m not thinking of any of those.

No, I’m thinking of something much more profound. During one of his speeches on the campaign trail he asked, “If you call a tail a leg, how many legs does a dog have?”

Someone in the crowd called out, “Five.”

“Wrong,” said Lincoln. “It would have four legs. Calling a tail a leg doesn’t make it a leg.”

It would be good if certain politicians of our own day, both on the right and on the left, would keep that in mind.