Glenn Beck Gets It Wrong On Lincoln

For some time now, I have been watching with passive interest,  the Glenn Beck show.  The main reason for this was due to its emphasis on historical and Constitutional matters.  How did we get here, and what would the founders think of our current situation.  This being in counter distinction to other programing that typically focuses mainly with contemporary politics.  Beck typically places the blame for our overreaching federal government on the policies instituted by Woodrow Wilson and F.D.R.  I had been waiting with bated breath for Beck to mention the actions of Lincoln during the WBTS in hastening the arrival of our current leviathan state.   

On last nights program there was an interesting exchange between Beck and a guest author Lewis E. Lehrman regarding Lincoln.   Some of the comments I found problematic,  as they both were in agreement on giving Lincoln a complete pass on  his many Constitutional violations.  Lehrman made several assertions such as the following:

" The states had certain rights delegated to them by the Constitution." 

This is simply false as the states do not derive their rights from the Constitution.  Rights are inherent and not subject to  governmental approval.   Furthermore, the Constitution cannot delegate rights precisely because it is the creation of the states.  It is the relation between a superior and an inferior.  This is of course the whole nature of sovereignty.   Lehrman continues:

"The federal government had certain rights delegated to them." 

This is true as far as it goes, but it is important to remember that the "delegated rights", proceed not from the Constitution but from the states and the people.  It is also true that these are not "rights" as such, but rather delegated, "powers."  Lehrman:

"Lincoln embraced the rights of states."

There are so many problems with this statement that one scarcely knows where to begin.  Clearly, Lincoln didn't believe in the fundamental sovereignty of the states, or in the idea of consent of the governed.  More to come in a follow up post.