A Conversation Between Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln on the State of the Union
February 9, 2025
Maria and I took a trip into the city this afternoon to drop Gabriel off at Union Station. As we drove out, I found myself gazing at the monuments—a rare chance since my usual trips to the city are straight to the office and back. Passing the Jefferson Memorial, I couldn’t help but wonder: what would Thomas Jefferson think of America today? Then I started tho think of the memorial across the pond the Lincoln Memorial. What would a conversation between Uncle Abe and TJ sound like. Here is my take:
(Setting: A quiet evening at Monticello. The ghosts of Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln sit across from each other in old wooden chairs, looking out over the Virginia countryside. A bottle of whiskey sits between them, untouched for now. They have much to discuss.)
What Have We Become?
Jefferson: "Mr. Lincoln, it is an honor to sit with you. Though we walked the Earth in different times, our duty was the same—to guide this fragile experiment in democracy. But I must say, I am troubled by what I see today."
Lincoln: "Indeed, Mr. Jefferson. The Union I fought to preserve still stands, yet I wonder—are its foundations steady, or are we merely watching its slow decay? What troubles you most?"
Jefferson: "Where do I begin? The government, once meant to be limited and answerable to the people, has become bloated and tangled in bureaucracy. But what frightens me more is the people themselves. Knowledge is no longer earned through careful study or reasoned debate—it is consumed in fragments, reduced to slogans, tweets, and whatever nonsense ‘TikTok’ seems to be."
Lincoln: "Yes, public discourse is no longer conducted in town halls but in digital arenas, where wit and venom are sharper than reason. Cults of personality now rule the day, with leaders gaining power not through wisdom or service, but through spectacle."
Jefferson: "Worse still, the people seem to embrace it! They follow individuals, not principles. They elevate opinions above facts. If I thought newspapers were dangerous in my time, I could not have imagined a world where people form their views based on the ramblings of charlatans on a glowing screen."
Are We More Fractured Than Before?
Lincoln: "And yet, I must ask you, Mr. Jefferson—are we more divided now than we were in our times? You saw a revolution tear a people from their king. I saw a war pit brother against brother over the question of liberty itself. Can we truly say this moment is worse?"
Jefferson: "An excellent question. I would argue that, at least in my day, the people understood what they were fighting for. Even in the Civil War, the conflict—tragic as it was—had a clear purpose for both sides. Today, I see division not over great moral questions, but over manufactured outrage and petty grievances. No side fights for freedom; they fight for dominance."
Lincoln: "Indeed. Even in our darkest hours, there was a common recognition of the importance of the Union, of the Constitution. But today, there is no common language, no shared truth. Each side has its own facts, its own reality. In my time, the conflict was brutal, but we knew it was a war. Today, it seems Americans do not even realize they are at war with one another."
Jefferson: "And that is what terrifies me, Mr. Lincoln. In war, there can be resolution, even reconciliation. But a people so thoroughly divided, yet unaware of their division—that is the death of a republic.
Returning to the Ideals of the Founding
Jefferson: "So, how do we return? How do we reclaim the principles of the Declaration of Independence, of the Constitution?"
Lincoln: "The first step is education—not just in schools, but in the hearts and minds of every citizen. We must rekindle an understanding of civic duty, of responsibility. Democracy is not a birthright; it must be earned with each generation."
Jefferson: "Agreed. But education cannot just be facts and dates—it must be philosophy. People must understand why liberty matters, why the Constitution is not just ink on parchment, but a living contract between the governed and those who govern."
Lincoln: "And they must learn to think critically once again. The ability to distinguish truth from manipulation, principle from propaganda—this, above all, is what must be restored."
Jefferson: "A well-informed citizenry is the only defense against tyranny. We cannot hope to move forward unless the people recognize their own power—not as members of a party, but as Americans."
A Call to Action
Lincoln: "Then let us call upon them. Let us remind them that democracy is not a spectator sport. It requires engagement, participation, and, above all, an understanding that self-governance is both a privilege and a burden."
Jefferson: "And let us tell them that the solution is not to destroy the system, but to reclaim it. To return to first principles—not by worshipping the past, but by applying its wisdom to the present."
Lincoln: "If we could stand before them now, I would tell them what I said in my time: ‘A house divided cannot stand.’ This nation must find a way back to its common purpose, or it will not endure."
Jefferson: "And I would tell them, as I always have: ‘The price of liberty is eternal vigilance.’ They must wake from their slumber, before they awaken to a country that no longer belongs to them."
(They sit in silence for a long moment, staring out at the land they once knew. The whiskey remains untouched. Some conversations are too heavy for drink.)