The United States Senate was designed to be the upper house of Congress. Its rules of procedure are intended to allow for the smooth conduct of business and to preserve civility and […]
The Hideous Political Giant With a Reputation as a Monkey
What Can You Expect With a Name Like Millard Fillmore?
Some people seem destined for greatness on the basis of their names, alone. Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar, for example, may have achieved success as secretary of the interior and associate justice of […]
Who Is Next In Line? Understanding the Order of Presidential Succession
When Secretary of State Alexander Haig attempted to calm the nation’s fears after the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan, it was one of those moments that made history. Unfortunately, it was […]
What if the President Goes Stark-Raving Mad? Presidential Succession Due to Disability
UPDATED November 19, 2021 An earlier post answered the question about what would happen if something happens to a presidential candidate during the election process. There, we discussed all kinds of scenarios, […]
What Happens When a Presidential Candidate Dies During the Election Process?
A colleague of ours recently asked what would happen if one of the candidates for President happened to die during the election process. She said, “I pray it doesn’t happen, but after […]
Getting Fried by Hugo N. Frye
The Hugo N. Frye Sesquicentennial Committee of Cornell University planned an event to honor New York’s often-overlooked political activist and founder of the New York Republican Party. The event was scheduled for […]
The Postmaster General is the Second-Highest Paid Person in U.S. Government
If the importance of a position is measured by the paycheck, it makes sense that the President of the United States draws the biggest salary of federal government officials. Using salary as […]
The Secret of Surprising Success
Hubert Humphrey (1911-1978), had a successful career in politics, ultimately becoming the 38th Vice President of the United States. Apparently not everyone felt that his rise to greatness was inevitable. Humphrey famously […]
The Limits of Vice Presidential Power
In 1922 there still was no official residence for the Vice President of the United States. Calvin Coolidge took up residence in the New Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C. during his vice […]
Asleep at the Senate
On February 7, 2017, Vice President Mike Pence became the first Vice President to cast the tie-breaking vote in the US Senate for the confirmation of a cabinet member. Under the terms […]
One Heartbeat Away — Two Different Times
William Rufus King may have risen to the highest political office of any person from Alabama, but history has all but overlooked the man who had the singular distinction of twice being […]
The Not-So-Famous Faces of Fortune
Much has been written and proclaimed about the recent decision to replace Andrew Jackson’s face with Harriet Tubman’s on the $20 bill. It has been so long since a change has taken […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 