Former Speaker of the House Tom Foley passed away today at the age of 84. Foley, a Democrat from Spokane, WA, was Speaker from 1989 to 1994, having first been elected to the House in 1964. He was a decent, courtly and distinguished man who was swept out of office in the off-year election of 1994. The sinister Newt "Poot" Gingrich became the next Speaker, and later caused the first Government shutdown. Gingrich was the polar opposite of Speaker Foley: nasty, hyperpartisan, arrogant and unscrupulous. After his defeat, Foley served as the U.S. Ambassador to Japan in the Clinton Administration.
We would be far, far better off as a nation if there were more Tom Foleys in public office. RIP.
(h/t to P.E.C.)
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