Celebrating the 155th anniversary of the Republican Party

[POSTED HERE A DAY LATE] GRAND OLD PARTISAN BLOG, 3/20/2009 - Our party's heritage IS the moral high ground, and forgetting it costs us the political initiative. We would benefit tremendously from appreciating the heritage of the Republican Party. Today [March 20], Republicans celebrate - or should celebrate - the 155th anniversary of our Grand Old Party.

Several sites share the credit as its birthplace, but our party was named in Ripon, Wisconsin. On March 20, 1854, fifty-eight civil rights activists called for all opponents of slavery to unite in a new organization, to be called "the Republican Party." This name had a past as well as a future, since Thomas Jefferson and many other Founders had called themselves "Republicans."

On July 6, the first state convention was held, in Jackson, Michigan. Thanks to the zeal and dedication of early Republican leaders, the GOP soon became a major national party. Now, more than ever, the Republican Party should get back to basics.

Here is the permalink to this article on the Grand Old Partisan blog, each day celebrating 155 years of Republican heroes and heroics.

Michael Zak is a popular speaker to Republican organizations around the country. See www.RepublicanBasics.com for more information.