Grand Old Partisan honors George Foster Talbot, born in Maine, January 16th 1819. Law studies followed graduation from Bowdoin College. Public service began as town school superintendent, local judge and county prosecutor. Twice, the anti-slavery Free Soil Party nominated him... Read more →
January 16, 2025
January 15, 2025
Abby Kelley – "Trailblazer that History Forgot"
Radical abolitionism became known as "Abby Kelleyism." Grand Old Partisan honors Abby Kelley, born in Massachusetts, January 15th 1811. She collected signatures for a petition to Congress opposing slavery in the District of Columbia and co-founded the American Anti-Slavery Society.... Read more →
January 14, 2025
Beman Dawes, entrepreneurial and venerable Ohio Republican
Grand Old Partisan honors Beman Dawes, born in Ohio, January 14th 1870. His father was Civil War hero Rufus Dawes. Three brothers also achieved prominence: Charles, Vice President; Henry, Comptroller General; Rufus, Financier. Business aptitude led to access with engineering... Read more →
January 13, 2025
the Indianapolis Monetary Convention
Grand Old Partisan spotlights the Indianapolis Monetary Convention. Delegates representing commercial groups from twenty-six states and DC gathered at Tomlinson Hall to advocate for the gold standard. They called on the GOP-controlled 54th Congress to make the dollar exchangeable with... Read more →
January 12, 2025
James Garfield Denouncing Democrat Devilry
Grand Old Partisan highlights a classic denunciation of the Democratic Party. January 12th 1876, James Garfield addressed his colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives: "I have never forgotten and have not yet forgiven those Democrats of the North whose... Read more →
January 11, 2025
William Mills, the last Territorial Governor of New Mexico
Grand Old Partisan honors William Mills, born January 11th 1849. Graduating from Yale, he served in the Connecticut legislature. The ambitious lawyer then relocated to New Mexico. His political affiliation changed from Democrat to Independent to Republican. January 1898, President... Read more →
January 10, 2025
Norman Judd, first Chairman of the Illinois Republican Party
Grand Old Partisan honors Norman Judd, born January 10th 1815. Public service began as Chicago city attorney, then state senator. He "gave his best energies and abilities to securing the material growth and prosperity of the City and did much... Read more →
Thomas Jefferson Dryer, pioneering Oregon Journalist
Grand Old Partisan honors Thomas Jefferson Dryer, born January 10th 1808. Opponents of Oregon Democrats hired this forceful journalist to edit a newspaper in Portland. December 1850, he began publishing The Oregonian, the oldest continuously published newspaper on the west... Read more →
January 09, 2025
John Usher – President Lincoln’s Secretary of the Interior
Grand Old Partisan honors John Usher, born January 9th 1816. Relocating to Indiana followed law studies in New York. Abraham Lincoln and Joseph Cannon were colleagues. Public service began in the state house. November 1861, a Republican governor named him... Read more →
January 07, 2025
John Alley, from apprentice shoemaker to accomplished statesman
Grand Old Partisan honors John Alley, born in Massachusetts, January 7th 1817. Apprenticed to be a shoemaker, he set up his own factory. Public service began as town councilman, then state legislator, then delegate at a constitutional convention. The anti-slavery... Read more →
January 06, 2025
Benjamin Harrison chartered the National Cathedral
Grand Old Partisan commemorates origin of the National Cathedral in Washington, DC. Maintained by an Episcopal bishop, its official name is Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. January 6th 1893, President Benjamin Harrison approved incorporating the Protestant Episcopal... Read more →
January 05, 2025
Flamen Ball, first U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio
Grand Old Partisan salutes Flamen Ball, born January 5th 1809. He practiced law with Salmon Chase, a future Chief Justice. The conscientious attorney successfully sued Cincinnati for refusing to pay Black school teachers. Though over fifty, Ball recruited volunteers and... Read more →
January 04, 2025
Seth Brown, patriotic Soldier and Congressman
Grand Old Partisan salutes Seth Brown, born in Ohio, January 4th 1841. During the Civil War, this young patriot served in the state’s 79th Volunteer Infantry. His regiment battled from Tennessee to Georgia to North Carolina. Peace restored, he was... Read more →
January 03, 2025
Benjamin Eggleston, inventor of the disassembly line
Grand Old Partisan honors Benjamin Eggleston, born January 3rd 1816. He worked himself up from canal boatman to owner of several boats. Political activity began as Cincinnati city council president. His system for disassembling hogs inspired Henry Ford to develop... Read more →
January 02, 2025
John Marshall Robsion and John Marshall Robsion
Grand Old Partisan honors John Marshall Robsion, born in Kentucky, January 2nd 1873. His father had fought for the Union. Early career was trial lawyer and bank president. He advocated women’s suffrage at the GOP’s 1916 national convention. Two years... Read more →
Substack link for Grand Old Partisan
My father, of blessed memory, wrote a book now available on Kindle:
Soldier Boy: a Memoir of Life and Death and Survival during WWII
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.”
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Each day, my Grand Old Partisan blog celebrates more than sixteen decades of Republican heroes and heroics.
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.”