Grand Old Partisan salutes John Rhodes, born September 18th 1916. His education was at Kansas State University and Harvard Law School. He served in the Army Air Force during WWII and later in the Arizona Air National Guard. In 1952,... Read more →
September 18, 2021
September 17, 2021
the Funeral of William McKinley
Grand Old Partisan spotlights the funeral of a martyred Republican President. William McKinkey suffered two gunshot wounds on September 6th 1901 and died a week later. His remains were conveyed from Buffalo to Washington, DC. September 17th, the coffin lay... Read more →
September 16, 2021
Asa Bushnell, eminent Army Officer and Industrialist and Republican Governor
Grand Old Partisan salutes Asa Bushnell, born September 16th 1834. He started out clerking at a dry goods store. During the Civil War, this young Republican recruited a company of the 152nd Ohio Infantry Regiment and enlisted as their captain.... Read more →
September 15, 2021
the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Grand Old Partisan highlights Republican emphasis on education as a pathway to prosperity. September 15th 1981, President Ronald Reagan established the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. This was a government program to strengthen the nation’s 105... Read more →
September 14, 2021
Almon Clapp, first Public Printer of the United States
Grand Old Partisan honors Almon Clapp, born September 14th 1811. His career began as a printer in upstate New York and moved on to editing newspapers in Buffalo. This anti-slavery Whig won a term in the state house. Clapp was... Read more →
September 13, 2021
John Pershing, renowned Republican General
Grand Old Partisan salutes John Pershing, born in Missouri, September 13th 1860. His job after high school was teaching African-American children. He entered West Point in 1882, rising to the highest cadet rank. Pershing took part in campaigns against the... Read more →
September 12, 2021
Charles Sheldon, the second Governor of South Dakota
Grand Old Partisan salutes Charles Sheldon, born September 12th 1840. From age twelve he was a farm laborer. Experience in the free market led him to oppose slavery. During the Civil War, Sheldon enlisted in the 7th Vermont Infantry, rising... Read more →
September 11, 2021
John Pettit, early Indiana Republican Congressman
Grand Old Partisan salutes John Pettit, born near Syracuse, September 11th 1820. The ambitious young man moved to Indiana after studying law. President Millard Fillmore named him to a diplomatic post in Brazil. Returning home after three years, he joined... Read more →
September 10, 2021
John Lynch, up from slavery to Republican Congressman and Civil Rights Hero
Grand Old Partisan salutes John Roy Lynch, born into slavery, September 10th 1847. He and his mother were sold away from Louisiana to Mississippi. They were freed by the Emancipation Proclamation. Self-educated, he became a successful businessman in Natchez. The... Read more →
September 09, 2021
another insightful interview about Back to Basics for the Republican Party
Grand Old Partisan spotlights a recent interview about the book Back to Basics for the Republican Party. It is the pro-GOP history of the GOP. John Robert Carman, of the New Jersey Constitutional Republicans, and I discussed my book’s second... Read more →
September 08, 2021
Clarence Emir Allen, the first Utah Congressman after Statehood
Grand Old Partisan honors Charles Emir Allen, born September 8th 1852. While pitching for Case Western Reserve University, he introduced the curveball at the collegiate level. Age twenty-eight, he settled at Salt Lake City to accept a teaching position. This... Read more →
September 07, 2021
James Moorhead, sterling Pennsylvania Entrepreneur and Republican Congressman
Grand Old Partisan honors James Moorhead, born near Harrisburg, September 7th 1806. He apprenticed as a tanner, but soon became superintendent of a canal. Another success was establishing the Western Union Telegraph Company. In 1858, this savvy entrepreneur won the... Read more →
September 06, 2021
Republican Resolve to Reconstruct the Former Confederate States into Free Societies
Grand Old Partisan highlights Republican resolve to Reconstruct the former Confederate states into free societies. September 6th 1865, Representative Thaddeus Stevens delivered a classic address to his Pennsylvania constituents: "It becomes necessary to establish governments therein which shall be republican... Read more →
September 05, 2021
John Burns, Republican Civilian Hero at the Battle of Gettysburg
Grand Old Partisan salutes John Burns, born September 5th 1793. He served in the army during the War of 1812 and the Mexican War. During the Civil War, this patriot was a volunteer teamster with Union troops before being sent... Read more →
September 04, 2021
Democrats Massacred African-Americans in Clinton, Mississippi
Grand Old Partisan denounces Democrat devilry. September 4th 1875, Slavery Party thugs in Clinton, Mississippi attacked a barbecue attended by two thousand Republicans. Murdered were five former slaves and four whites. Over the following days, Democrats slaughtered another one hundred... Read more →
My father, of blessed memory, wrote a book now available on Kindle:
Soldier Boy: a Memoir of Life and Death and Survival during WWII
e-mail to Michael Zak
Back to Basics for the Republican Party
- "We need to promote Back to Basics for the Republican Party to every single proud Republican!!!!"
- "Every precinct committeeman, every candidate and every teacher with a Republican affiliation should read this book and pass it on to another."
- "Michael Zak takes a novel approach to the culture wars by boldly boasting the historical record of the Republican Party. Rather then sheepishly bow to the Democrat's ongoing myths (and frequently, outright lies) about the GOP, he brings the history and heroes of the Republican Party into the fray."
- “Why is it that we Republicans are so easily outmaneuvered by Democrats?
Why do Republicans so readily fight among themselves?
Why is it so difficult for Republicans to advance their policy agenda?
Here's why."
Back to Basics for the Republican Party - “The past is the cause of the present, and the present will be the cause of the future. All these are links in the endless chain stretching from the finite to the infinite.”
Abraham Lincoln - “The Founding Fathers knew a government can't control the economy without controlling people. And they knew when a government sets out to do that, it must use force and coercion to achieve its purpose. So we have come to a time for choosing.”
Ronald Reagan
Speech Raves
- "Your words at the Lincoln Day dinner were truly inspiring. Thank you so much for your dedicated work and contributions to our Party."
- "Your book is outstanding, and it's nice to have the information come alive during your presentation. You are at once informative and motivating. We've got to get back to basics -- as you say."
- "Thank you for speaking at the luncheon. I've already received many favorable comments. You're absolutely right that the Republican leadership should know our party's history."
- "Thanks for all that you do for the Republican Party and our Nation."
- “Your speech was great and just what some of us depressed Republicans needed. The GOP has taken its eye off of the major issue: freedom v. socialism. You spoke to the core of that issue.”
- “Thank you so much for speaking at the state convention. We received wonderful feedback from everyone in attendance. Everyone was impressed with the depth and breadth of your knowledge, as well as your clear speaking style and sense of humor. You made an outstanding presentation, and we are deeply grateful to you for your efforts.”
- “You have a great vision and hope for the Party, and I think you are embarking on important work.”
- “Thank you so much for speaking at our event. You are offering a tremendous service not only to Republicans, but also to the United States and the world.”
grand_old_partisan@hotmail.com
I am offering the solution to a problem most Republicans don't know they have -- that they can be outmaneuvered and thrown on the defensive endlessly, on nearly any issue, because they accept as true Democrat lies about the Republican Party. To correct that misperception and to help the Republican Party get 'back to basics' is why I'm a man on a mission.
A few years ago, after one of my speeches, a man told me "Do you know what your problem is? You're too far ahead of your time!" My efforts to show Republicans how they would benefit from celebrating the heritage of our Grand Old Party have been arduous, but if this were easy someone else would have already done it.
Among my speech topics are Reconciling the Tea Party and the GOP; Barack Obama, the Worst President Ever; Socialism, the new Slavery; Appreciating the Heritage of our Grand Old Party; Returning to the Founding Principles of the United States; The Women’s Rights Achievements of our Grand Old Party; Abraham Lincoln, Republican; Frederick Douglass, Republican; Martin Luther King and the Republican Civil Rights Legacy.
event photos
- Michael Zak is a popular speaker to conservative organizations around the nation -- thirty states so far. His message is that Republicans would benefit tremendously from appreciating the heritage of our Grand Old Party.
Book Reviews
- "Your book is a national treasure.I'm always recommending it to people."
- "Thank you, Michael!!! Every person who calls himself a Republican, and every person who just wants to know the truth. should know your book!!!"
- "If you're a Republican and love history, this book by my friend Michael Zak is a must read. And if you happen to be looking for a Lincoln/Reagan Day dinner speaker, I highly recommend him."
- great information on our rich heritage"Get a copy of Michael Zak's book, Back to Basics for the Republican Party"
- "I recommend Back to Basics for the Republican Party to everyone who wants to be educated on the true history of the GOP and America!!!!
- Phenomenal historyAnyone who liked the Lincoln movie will love this book. This book is perhaps the best kept secret in all political and history books in America. It is something every politico should read. It puts things into historical perspective like few other books I've read. It challenges conventional through thorough documented history. This is a must read for any student of American history and political science. One regret is that I read the book more than a decade after it was published. It truly is something you feel you missed out on. It is also a book that leaves you wanting to learn more about certain individuals such as Thaddeus Stevens. It's an incredible body of work."
- "Thank you for writing your book. I am two chapters into it, and find it fascinating and motivating. This may be a very significant contribution to the rise of the GOP in the coming years."
- "I am a believer in pro-free market and pro-constitutional rights who recently purchased your book Back to Basics for the Republican Party and have not been able to put it down. It is simply amazing you composed a book in 2003 that hits home on the most serious of topics we face today. I completely agree that we must educate and focus on the original plan as laid out by the founders of our party if we are ever to move forward in a positive direction."
- Praise from Alaska"I purchased your book at our Juneau, Alaska Republican Women's Luncheon last month principally because the title intrigued me. I just finished it, reading the last chapter three times. I wanted to burn the wisdom presented into my brain. Thank you again for all your hard work to research and write your book. Thank you for all you are doing to educate Americans on the incredible truth of the founding of our great country.""Thank you for doing all the research to write this book. As a History/American Studies major, I THOUGHT I knew the difference between Republicans and Democrats, the roles of Lincoln and Stevens and Sumner and Reagan, and the history of our country from the revolutionary war through the civil war. Boy, was I soooo wrong."
- Read it and MEMORIZE it!"My copy is dog-eared with notes and underlined parts. “Back to Basics for the Republican Party has been tremendously helpful setting mis-educated Democrats straight on history!"
- It's a fantatic buy!“Back to Basics for the Republican Party is very informative and gives you an insight into the history of the party from the early days to the modern day presidencies of Ronald Reagan and George Bush Sr. What the author has done is provide a balanced view, giving the reader a fascinating 150-year journey of the Republicans. This book is a REAL political page turner which will open minds to a wealth of knowledge and history which most are not even aware of.
- “Back to Basics for the Republican Party is the most significant contribution to the Republican Party in the last twenty years apart from Ronald Reagan.”
- “This is the most amazing book about politics that I have ever read. The Overview should be required reading for anyone with even a minor interest in government. The remainder is an enthralling history lesson that I will never forget. For years, we have all been misled about the true nature of the GOP. This is the real deal! Read it and be proud!”
- “Back to Basics for the Republican Party is more important to our party now than ever before.”
- "one of the best books I ever read"
- “Your book, Back to Basics for the Republican Party, is most timely during this 2010 pre-election period. It is a message that needs to be emphasized to all grassroots activists. From the precinct, county, district and national levels your respected views need to be heard and read on how to take back our country.”
- from the first page: “Democrats control most of the media, but they also write most of the history books, thereby controlling what even Republican activists think they know about our Party's glorious heritage.”