Two hundred thirty-eight years ago today, a plainspoken pamphlet entitled “Common Sense” by Thomas Paine was a “call-to-arms” for the American Revolution.  It made the case for the necessity of declaring independence from Great Britain.  A mere six months spanned from the publication’s debut until the colonists declared their independence in the summer of 1776, affirming the adage “the pen is mightier than the sword.”  In a nod to this pamphlet I’ve entitled a special President’s Day post:  “Lincoln Sense:  A penny for Abe’s thoughts.”  I pay tribute to our 16th president, largely through his own words (can anyone say it better than he?).  Lincoln eloquently and successfully made the case for returning to the founders’ model of self-government grounded in transcendent moral truth, which guided the nation though its most serious existential crisis since the Revolution.  And he can do it again, if Americans have the common sense to apply “Lincoln Sense.”