Grand Old Partisan honors Edwin Morrow, born in Kentucky, November 28th 1877. His father had campaigned for Abraham Lincoln and commanded a Union Army regiment. Entry to politics was campaigning for his uncle William Bradley, the state’s first Republican Governor.... Read more →
November 28, 2023
November 27, 2023
Ambrose Murray, anti-slavery Co-Founder of the New York Republican Party
Grand Old Partisan honors Ambrose Murray, born in upstate New York, November 27th 1807. He brought prosperity to the region with savvy infrastructure investments, then entered politics with election as county treasurer. Under his leadership, the state’s Whigs merged into... Read more →
November 26, 2023
Robert Ward, the first Lieutenant Governor of Alaska
Grand Old Partisan honors Robert Ward, born November 26th 1929. His career in Alaska began as an electrician. Entry to politics was on a town council. In 1966, a Republican governor named him commissioner of administration. When the governor resigned... Read more →
November 25, 2023
the notorious Black Codes in Democrat-controlled states
Grand Old Partisan denounces Democrat racism. After surrender of the Confederacy, Democrats remained in control of southern states two years, until passage of the GOP’s 1867 Reconstruction Act. They continued to oppress Blacks, nearly as cruelly as if they were... Read more →
November 24, 2023
William Simonds, the first Commissioner of Patents
Grand Old Partisan salutes William Simonds, born in Connecticut, November 24th 1842. Outbreak of civil war, he enlisted in the state’s 25th Volunteer Infantry, deployed to Louisiana. Gallantry merited the courageous lieutenant a Medal of Honor. Peace restored, Simonds attended... Read more →
November 23, 2023
Ebenezer Dumont, from recovering Democrat to patriotic Republican
Grand Old Partisan salutes Ebenezer Dumont, born November 23rd 1814. He entered politics as a Democrat, winning a term in the Indiana state house at age twenty-three. His next position was county treasurer. During the Mexican-American War, he recruited soldiers... Read more →
November 22, 2023
Shelby Cullom, exemplary Illinois Republican
Grand Old Partisan honors Shelby Cullom, born in Kentucky, November 22nd 1829. His father was an anti-slavery Illinois legislator along with fellow Whig Abraham Lincoln. It was Lincoln's House Divided speech that inspired him to become a Republican. Over time,... Read more →
November 21, 2023
Zophar Ramsdell, anti-slavery West Virginia Republican
Grand Old Partisan salutes Zophar Ramsdell, born November 21st 1816. His career began as a shoemaker. In 1857, abolitionist Eli Thayer persuaded him to help establish an anti-slavery community in western Virginia. During the Civil War, he was captain with... Read more →
November 20, 2023
Republicans and the U.S. Naval Observatory telescope
Grand Old Partisan admires the 26-inch Great Equatorial Telescope at the U.S. Naval Observatory. It first gazed skyward on November 20th 1873. Two decades later, the telescope was moved from Foggy Bottom to its present location. Senator Charles Drake, a... Read more →
November 19, 2023
Samuel Craig, veteran Pennsylvania Republican Congressman
Grand Old Partisan salutes Samuel Craig, born November 19th 1839. His career began as schoolteacher. During the Civil War, the young Republican enlisted in the 105th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry and was promoted to captain. This regiment fought at Malvern Hill,... Read more →
November 18, 2023
Philip Knopf, patriotic Illinois Republican Congressman
Grand Old Partisan salutes Philip Knopf, born November 18th 1847. During the Civil War, the teen enlisted in the state’s 147th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, deployed to Georgia. Peace restored, he studied business and managed a freight hauling company. Entry to... Read more →
November 17, 2023
Grace Abbott, renowned Social Welfare Advocate and Lifelong Republican
Grand Old Partisan honors Grace Abbott, born November 17th 1878. Her father was the first Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska. She started out teaching school. Age twenty-eight, Abbott moved to Chicago for work at Hull House, a social welfare center. Her... Read more →
November 16, 2023
John Henderson, yet another Republican civil rights hero
Grand Old Partisan salutes John Henderson, born in Virginia, November 16th 1826. He moved with his family to Missouri at age five and was orphaned at age nine. After farming and teaching school, the ambitious youth studied law. Prior to... Read more →
November 15, 2023
Senator Howard Baker, the "Great Conciliator"
Grand Old Partisan salutes Howard Baker, born in Tennessee, November 15th 1925. Scott County, his birthplace, was a Unionist stronghold during the Civil War. He studied law after serving as navy lieutenant during WWII. Politics began with managing a re-election... Read more →
November 14, 2023
James Ashley, the "Forgotten Emancipator"
Grand Old Partisan honors James Ashley, born November 14th 1824. He taught himself to read and write while working on a steamboat, then became a printer. His abolitionism began when seeing Blacks being led away in chains. He was further... 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.”