The Republican party, unable to count an absolute U. S. Senate majority since 1930, gained the upper hand over its Democratic rivals in the 1946 voting.
For the first time in 15 years, Republicans seized immediately took steps to solidify year legislative tussle with the dominant role for the first time control of the House today and their ranks for a probable two year legislative tussle with the administration.
The first postwar election assured the Republicans a working majority in the House and made it certain Republican Leader Jospeh Martin of Massachusetts (pictured above) will mount the rostrum as Speaker after Congress reconvened January 3.
Martin called a meeting of the Republican Steering Committee, the high command which shapes party policy–for November 18, and has all Republican representatives elect to report here early in December to lay the groundwork for a legislative program. “We will take the government out of the people’s hair and put it back into their hands,’ he declared. In the party’s jubilation over its emergence from the role of underdogs, there was some evidence, however, of difficulties ahead. A fight looms for the choice, politically-potent post of House majority leader. If it engenders bitterness, it may raise some threat to party.
In the year since that historic election, an assessment of just how effective (or not) the GOP majority was making so far was being addressed and discussed via the various Public Affairs programs of the day.
In this episode of Northwestern Reviewing Stand, Representative Karl Mundt (R-Minn.) gives an upbeat assessment of the first year, while other opinions differed saying what we being delivered so far was not what was promised and that the Republican Party did not have a clear-cut plan once it took control.
One could draw comparisons – but the biggest difference is the climate this current political landscape is operating under.
But for an idea how Capitol Hill was working in 1947 – here is that episdoe of Northwestern Reviewing Stand from Mutual.
