The Great Speakers and the Failure of Nancy Pelosi


The Republican Party did not realize it then, but they were about to give up power in the House of Representatives for 60 of the next 64 years. On March 4, 1931, Speaker Nicholas Longworth (R-OH) approached the rostrum for the last time. The first person on his feet was Jack Garner (D-TX) who would be his successor. Then every Democrat and Republican stood up and the applause was thunderous. Continue reading

Freshmen Orientation: New Members Have No Idea How Lucky They Are

Former Rep. and Mrs. Thomas Foley (D-WA) and shown in January of 1965 with then House Speaker John McCormack (D-MA) and his wife. Foley served on Capitol Hill for 30 years before his defeat in the GOP landslide of 1994. He was House Speaker from 1988 until 1994. McCormack served from 1922 until 1970. He was Speaker of the House from 1962 until 1970. He was the last person to serve as Speaker who lacked a high school education.


Members of the House of Representatives freshman class will begin their official orientation session tomorrow, and many of them have no idea how lucky they are. New lawmakers in years past were never given the courtesies and opportunities which are now being extended to the incoming 112th Congress. Continue reading

After Seven Years the Schwarzenegger Era Comes to an End

Maria Shriver, 7, is shown on July 28, 1963 on the Presidential yacht Honey Fitz. This photo does not make her look old or heavy! On the left is her uncle Stephen Smith who is smoking one of the many cigarettes that killed him at age 62.


First Lady Maria Shriver: The Aftermath of the Golden State’s Power Couple
The outgoing California First Lady has always been considered a great beauty. In 2009, Glamour magazine named her a “Woman of the Year,” and a few months ago she was described as a trend setter when she had a front row seat during Fashion Week in Paris. If she has an ounce of fat it certainly is not apparent, but now Maria Shriver hates looking at photos of herself. Continue reading

A Vote for a Libertarian is a Vote For a Liberal

A vote for a Libertarian is always a vote for a Liberal. Every election proves this and yesterday was no different. They took away seven Congressional seats from the GOP, and they came close to taking another four.
The GOP triumph would have been far better without Libertarians and other conservative third party fringe groups draining away votes. They cost Republicans victories in Arizona 7, Arizona 8, Indiana 2, Iowa 1, Missouri 3, Michigan 9 and New York 23. They almost cost the GOP New Hampshire 2, Mississippi 4, Texas 27 and California 11.

The GOP Victory: Real Change is Coming to Capitol Hill and America

The next House Speaker, Rep. John Boehner (R-OH), is shown with the two most recent Speakers, Dennis Hastert (R-IL) and Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).


Republicans and certain to capture control of the House of Representatives today, while the battle for the Senate will be close. President Obama’s veto power will remain in effect for another two years, but real and substantial change is clearly coming to Capitol Hill and America. The days of the Democratic super majority are over, and the end of the Speaker Nancy Pelosi/Majority Leader Harry Reid era is an enormous positive step for the American people. Continue reading

Have Democrats Learned Anything From The 2010 Campaign?

Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) concedes defeat in a 2006 landslide. For every candidate who wins an election, there are many losers and families are always impacted.


After enduring the heartbreak of the 2006 and 2008 elections, I have sympathy for what the Democrats will endure tomorrow. I am thrilled for my fellow Republicans, but Barack Obama is still President and he can veto anything they pass. I am also not joining the GOP chorus and predicting the President will be defeated for re-election.
Republicans lost 26 seats in 1982 and Reagan’s approval rating was a dismal 35%. He came back two years later to carry 49 states. Any GOP gloating will be muted by remembering the loss of so many fine statesmen over the past four years. Continue reading

2010 Election Predictions – The GOP Tsunami: 79 House Seats, 10 Senate Seats and 12 Governors

The GOP election Tsunami means help will soon be on the way for a struggling economy. President Obama will be able to veto legislation, but the days of the Democratic super majority, stimulus spending, and the Capitol Hill favor factory are over. The new GOP lawmakers will demand deficit reduction, an end to many burdensome regulations and continuation of all the Bush tax cuts.


My predictions for the 2010 election are based on the most current survey research data and the “incumbent rule.” This is determined on the Friday before a Tuesday election. It says incumbents who are running under 50% and do not have a 6% lead will lose. With this in mind, I have awarded many seats to the GOP where the Democratic incumbent still has the lead. Undecided voters tend to break for the challenger. Because of the so-called enthusiasm gap, I am also predicting a GOP turnout 8% higher then the Democrats. Continue reading

BOOK REVIEW: "40 More Years: How Democrats Will Rule the Next Generation" by James Carville, Simon & Schuster, 209 pages

40 More Years: How Democrats Will Rule the Next Generation was published on May 4, 2009, and the author was the architect of Bill Clinton’s 1992 victory. James Carville never imagined that six months after publication Democrats would lose governorships in New Jersey and Virginia, and were on the way to turning over Ted Kennedy’s seat in the U.S. Senate. Continue reading