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In reply to the discussion: Former Speaker of the House Tom Foley dies at 84 [View all]hadrons
(4,170 posts)I remember that 1994 election ever well and people can focus on the weapons ban all they want to explain the results, but honestly that wasn't the issue, the reason for the Dems big losses that year was simply that people wanted change in how Washington was ran (Clinton won in part because of this) and the establishment Dems simply were acting as business as usual.
Foley was Mr. Business as Usual to the point of punishing freshman Dems who didn't go along with the establishment agenda. Foley, BTW, was the guy who saved ... Newt Gingrich's career. Back in 1990 Gingrich was on the ropes and Dem candidate Ben Jones ('Cooter' on The Dukes Of Hazzard) looked like he was going to take the seat, but Foley had the Democratic leadership pull out all the money to Jones when Jones started making the Congressional pay raises Gingrich voted for an issue (Foley supported and helped this raise.) Without that money, Jones lost by a narrow margin and America got Newt.
Foley's no Bonehead Boener, but he's no different than Max Bacus.