Obama should treat Occupy Wall Street like Lincoln would or something

My old friend Doug Schoen wrote in Tuesday’s Wall Street Journal about a poll of “nearly 200” Occupy Wall Street protesters in New York, concluding that they are committed to “radical left-wing policies.” I’m sure there are some radicals in the crowd, since moderates aren’t given to mass protests. But the dissatisfaction with the privileged that the demonstrators are expressing extends far beyond the left, and majorities share Occupy Wall Street’s inclinations on many issues, including the need for the wealthy to pay more in taxes.

In their time, the abolitionists were radicals, too. Lincoln, a shrewd politician, understood that public opinion in the North did not fully embrace their cause but was moving in their direction. Lincoln remained a moderate at heart, but he abandoned moderation on slavery when this proved to be morally and politically unsuited to the imperatives of his moment. By following Lincoln’s example and acting against the injustices of our time, Obama could also come to occupy the high ground.