Yes maggot, I think we should have a two party system in the United States: The Constitutionalists - who would live by the original tenets of the Constitution and, the Communists, who wouldn't.
Now, in comparison that gives us republicans and demicraps - those who would live by the Constitution, and those who wouldn't.
It may have been that the Republicans were the first liberals, that is, liberal in the interpretation of the Constitution to prevent or preclude governmental restrictions on individual rights, but the definition has changed over the years.
Now, liberals are those (commies and demicraps) who interpret the Constituion so as to allow governmental restrictions on individual rights, and they are liberal enough with your tax money to try and fund their anti-Constitutional agenda to do so.
This, of course, is just my two cents worth but in all my studies and practice in government, I see little difference between the liberals/demicraps of today and totalitarian communism. Both want total control and consider the general populace either too stupid to realize it or too vunerable to do anything about it (as in unarmed). The lib/dems would never publically state that purpose as they are well aware that it would spell the end of their days.
I would think that during Lincoln's day if there wasn't a law against doing something, especially if it wasn't criminal in nature, I doubt anone would have thought of making up a law to prevent what was going on. Today however we can use England, Australia, Canada and our own society as fine examples of societies headed in the opposite direction. and suffering for it. Dos mas centavos.. Mikey.