U.S. needs Lincoln’s ‘team of rivals’ approach
In 1860, following his election as president, Abraham Lincoln realized that the turbulent times preceding the Civil War required consensus wherever possible. To maximize his support and set an example for Congress, he realized that an Executive Branch that included bipartisan cooperation was advisable. As a result, he named former political opponents William Seward, Salmon Chase and Edward Bates to Cabinet positions in his administration and Attorney General. Not only did they turn out to be effective public servants, they became valuable assets and close confidants throughout Lincoln’s tenure during the Civil War.
Today, although a military civil war is not on the horizon, a crisis in democracy exists that threatens effective government at all levels. The degree of acrimony between the parties is unprecedented and the prospects of improvement are unlikely during a rematch between President Biden and former President Donald Trump .
During the past several months several prominent Republican leaders have emerged as effective spokespersons for a return to the cooperative atmosphere that once existed in the federal government. Liz Cheney, Chris Christie, Nikki Haley, Adam Kinzinger and Larry Hogan have all been unapologetic in their disdain for those who insist upon hateful partisan rhetoric. Each has admirable qualities that would make them valuable members in a second Biden term.
While it is unclear which current officials in Biden’s administration would leave or resume their current positions if he is reelected, a partial changing of the guard of at least some of the Cabinet to a bipartisan group would set a terrific example.
Furthermore, by naming some of these replacements prior to the election, the president would enhance his political standing and the confidence of many in the electorate.
The lessons of Lincoln between 1860-1865 need not be limited to those provided in the Emancipation Proclamation and the elimination of slavery. His governmental style could be invoked by the president today by naming a bipartisan Cabinet to help eradicate the current lethal partisan divide.