Translate

Friday, January 30, 2015

The Official Obama White House Terrorist Identification Chart


State of Corruption: The McCord scandal

State of Corruption: The McCord scandal

PA State Rep. Marcy Toepel Hosts Open House For House District 147 Residents

From Pennsylvania State Rep. Marcy Toepel's office:
Rep. Marcy Toepel (R-Montgomery) is hosting an open house at her district office, located at 1885 Swamp Pike, Suite 107, in Gilbertsville, on Thursday, Feb. 5, from noon to 6 p.m. The office is located in the Hanover Court Shopping Center.

"The open house is an opportunity for residents to tour the new office, chat with my staff and me about the issues important to our district, as well as learn more about the wide variety of legislative services available through the office," said Toepel. "I look forward to speaking with constituents regarding their priorities for this legislative session."

Light refreshments will be served during the open house.

Registration is not required for the open house, but individuals with questions may contact Toepel’s office at (610) 323-3299, or through her website RepToepel.com and Facebook.com/RepToepel.

The 147th District comprises part of Montgomery County consisting of the townships of Douglass, Lower Frederick, Lower Salford, Marlborough, New Hanover, Upper Frederick, Upper Pottsgrove, Upper Salford and West Pottsgrove. The district also includes the boroughs of Green Lane and Schwenksville.

Democratic PA State Treasurer McCord Resigns in Disgrace



BREAKING: McCord Pleads Guilty

As Senator, Hillary Clinton Flew on Private Jets At Taxpayer Expense

As Senator, Hillary Clinton Flew on Private Jets Every Other Week for Eight Years — At Taxpayer Expense

Liberal Democrat Tom Wolf to name two new PA Supreme Court justices

Wolf to name two Supreme Court justices

Keystone XL Pipeline Bill Scores A Win In The Senate

Both U.S. Senators from Pennsylvania, Pat Toomey and Bob Casey Jr., voted in favor of the Keystone XL Pipeline. The big surprise was Democrat Casey, who broke from Barack Obama after six years of rubber-stamping the failed Obama agenda.

Keystone XL Pipeline Bill Scores A Win In The Senate

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Monday, January 26, 2015

'American Sniper' Earns 'Stunning' $64 Million in 2nd Weekend; Tops $200M

From Ray Subers at BoxOfficeMojo.com:
Coming off a very surprising opening, "American Sniper" reinforced its status as a box office heavyweight by scoring one of the biggest second weekends ever.

With over $200 million in the bank already, "Sniper" is now on track to be the highest-grossing movie from 2014 (it opened in New York and Los Angeles on Christmas Day).

Among the new releases, Jennifer Lopez's "The Boy Next Door" got off to a decent start, while "Mortdecai" and "Strange Magic" were dead on arrival.

Expanding to 3,705 locations — the widest release ever for an R-rated movie — "American Sniper" added an estimated $64 million this weekend. That ranks eighth all-time among second weekends, ahead of movies like "The Dark Knight Rises," "The Hunger Games" and "The Passion of the Christ."

That $64 million tally is off just 28 percent from the movie's opening frame, which is the best second weekend hold ever for a movie that opened above $80 million.

With fantastic word-of-mouth and a few more weeks of light competition, "American Sniper" should continue to hold well in the coming weeks. It will likely close north of $350 million — good enough for the top movie of 2014 — and it even has an outside chance at reaching $400 million.

On This Day in 1998: 'I Did Not Have Sexual Relations With That Woman'

Do we really want to bring back the Clintons to the White House in 2016?
#OnThisDay 1998: 'I Did Not Have Sexual Relations With That Woman' | Truth Revolt

'Free' wine kiosks cost Pennsylvania $300K in legal fees

Any time government uses the word "free" to describe anything, it usually means taxpayers will get hosed. And why is Pennsylvania in the liquor business in the first place?
'Free' wine kiosk initiative costs state Liquor Control Board $300K

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Clinton-Connected Pa. Attorney General Targeted by Grand Jury for Perjury

Clinton-Connected State Attorney General Targeted by Grand Jury

Obama Will Not Attend 70th Anniversary of Auschwitz Liberation

Obama Will Not Attend 70th Anniversary of Auschwitz Liberation

Weekly GOP Address: Keystone XL Pipeline will bring jobs, energy security

'American Sniper' earns $154M at box-office in first 8 days

From Ray Subers at BoxOfficeMojo.com
"American Sniper's" $18.3 million haul is, by a large margin, the biggest second Friday ever for an R-rated movie. In comparison, "The Passion of the Christ" added $13.7 million, while "The Matrix Reloaded" and "The Hangover Part II" earned $10.3 million and $10.6 million, respectively. Sniper's second Friday was also significantly higher than all of 2014's superhero movies, which were in the $9 to $12 million range.

After eight days in nationwide release, American Sniper has already earned $154.1 million. On Friday, it passed "Gran Torino" to become director Clint Eastwood's highest-grossing movie ever. It also eclipsed Bradley Cooper's "American Hustle."
And check out this interesting analysis on why "Sniper" is such a hit with audiences:

Sonny Bunch: An Alternate Explanation for 'American Sniper's' Box Office Success

Turkish War Against Christianity

Interesting report on Turkey's continued oppression of the shrinking Christian community within its borders.

Halki Seminary

Friday, January 23, 2015

The Foot Loop President


Democrat Wolf has been governor for 3 days and Pa. businesses are already shutting down

A-Treat Bottling Company closing after 97 years

Rep. Joe Pitts to Barack Obama: Bipartisanship Requires More Than Words

By Congressman Joe Pitts
Guest Columnist

At the end of the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy taps her feet three times while saying, “There’s no place like home.” She wakes up back in Kansas in her own bed. In dreams, mere words may be able to make something happen. Here in the real world and especially in politics, words aren’t enough to get things done.

The President’s State of the Union speech is always an important part of the political debate. The TV ratings may not be what they were a few decades ago, but the address is still carried on every broadcast channel, all the cable news channels and gets front page coverage in all the national papers.

President Obama’s party may no longer control Congress, but he still has the power of the veto pen, executive authority and the ability to set the agenda through his speeches. Coming into his seventh year in office, the President faces a new political reality: Republicans control both chambers of Congress.

During the speech, the President recalled the Democratic National Convention speech that first vaulted him to national prominence in 2004. This is the speech where he said there wasn’t “a liberal America and a conservative America; there's the United States of America.”

It’s one thing to say that once a year in the biggest speech of the year, and another thing to actually do it on a day-to-day basis. Behind the high-minded sentiments of the address, there were concrete policy proposals. Only a small handful of those proposals have any real hope of finding bipartisan support.

The President did call for more authority from Congress to negotiate trade deals with Pacific nations and Europe. The President also announced an initiative to improve research into diseases. This sounded somewhat similar to the 21st Century Cures initiative that House Energy and Commerce members in both parties started last year.

There really isn’t common ground to be found on many of the biggest proposals in the speech. For instance, the President wants to reduce the price of community college to nothing for students who maintain a C average.

Right now, the federal government has very little reach into community colleges, which are controlled principally by states and counties. By paying for the bulk of tuition for these schools, they would effectively be nationalized. The President noted that Tennessee, a state run by Republicans, currently pays for community college tuition.

That the President would use Tennessee as an example shows just how disconnected he is from Republicans. That a state already has the ability to act on their own and tailor a program to their own needs is a strong argument against an expansive new federal program.

One of the other major proposals was a series of new tax credits paid for with a series of new tax hikes. The President already raised taxes with his health care law and in the fiscal cliff negotiations. I don’t know of a single Republican elected to federal office who ran on a platform of raising taxes. In fact, almost every member would be at risk of losing their primary if they even voiced support for the President’s plan.

The President then threatened to veto a wide variety of bills that could be on their way to his desk. The fact is that almost anything that will get to the President’s desk this year will have real bipartisan backing. Senate Republicans will need at least six Democrats to pass most bills.

I know how hard bipartisanship is to make happen. When I served on the Budget Committee, I negotiated with the Clinton administration to pass balanced budgets four years in a row. As the Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, I’ve negotiated major bills to govern the Food and Drug Administration and reform the way we pay doctors working in Medicare.

You don’t reach a final agreement by starting at a point that is completely untenable to the other party. You can’t simply tap your toes while chanting “bipartisanship” and then wake up with a new law. I’m disappointed that the President’s proposals are so far to the left that it is virtually impossible to meet in the middle. It seems to be a warning that cooperation is going to be difficult to achieve in the final year’s of the Obama presidency. 

Rep. Joe Pitts is a Republican who represents Pennsylvania's 16th Congressional District.

Bill O'Reilly: Obama continues to ignore threat from Islamic terrorism

Bill O'Reilly: Terror and the State of the Union

Monday, January 19, 2015

Pennsylvania teacher salary info posted online

Pennsylvania has posted all teacher salaries online, but makes it nearly impossible to find the information. Did the state hire the same people who designed the Obamacare website?

The new Pennsylvania teacher salary data | PublicSource

Gender equality elusive in Congress as fewer women run for office

Women make up 51 percent of the nation's population, but just 19 percent of its chief deliberative body, according to reporter Melissa Daniels, who examines the dearth of women in Congress for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. In Pennsylvania, none of the 20 elected members of Congress who represent the state are female.

Gender equality elusive in Congress as fewer women run for office

Inspector Barack Clouseau


Union-backed 'dark money' group in Pa. could face IRS fine

Pittsburgh 'dark money' group could face IRS fine | PublicSource

Wolf bringing back Rendell-era retreads to run Pennsylvania

It's back to the future as Democrat Tom Wolf prepares to be sworn in as Pennsylvania's next governor. Wolf, who has never held elected office, is bringing back many of the top officials who ran state government under former Gov. Ed Rendell. You remember the Rendell days, don't you? High taxes, high unemployment and massive deficits. Get ready to Rendell II.
Lots of familiar faces in Wolf administration

Saturday, January 17, 2015

Sorry James Taylor: Allies Know They Haven't 'Got a Friend' in Obama's America

Jonathan Tobin: Allies Know They Haven't "Got a Friend" in Obama's America

Clint Eastwood's 'American Sniper' Posts Huge Box Office Opening

From Ray Subers at BoxOfficeMojo.com:
After three excellent weeks in limited release, "American Sniper" expanded nationwide on Friday and earned a stunning $30.5 million.

This the largest single day ever in January; the previous record belonged to Avatar, which took in $25.8 million on January 2nd, 2010.

With great word-of-mouth ("A+" CinemaScore), Sniper should play well through the rest of the weekend. Even if it takes a big drop against tough competition from the NFL conference championship games on Sunday, it should still wind up over $80 million for the three-day weekend.

If it plays like past Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend releases Contraband and Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, it will reach $100 million on Monday.
That means "American Sniper" will earn back double its production costs on its opening weekend. It's also on track to become director Clinton Eastwood's biggest all-time box office hit, surpassing 2008's "Gran Torino," which earned $148 million. No mean feat for the 83-year-old actor/director whose career in films spans nearly 50 years.

American Sniper Posts Huge Box Office

Weekly Republican Address: Priorities are jobs, stronger economy

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Bill O'Reilly: Honesty and Islamic Terror

Honesty and Islamic Terror

No Offensive Cartoons Involved ...


Public Policy Survey: Few Consider Global Warming A Priority

While Barack Obama and his liberal sycophants in the media keep harping on it, global warming finished 24 in a list of 25 public policy priorities in a recent survey conducted by Pew Research.

Terrorism is the No. 1 priority among the American public, followed closely by the economy.

Public's Policy Priorities Reflect Changing Conditions at Home and Abroad

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Media Eviscerates Obama for Snubbing Paris Rally

Media Eviscerates Obama for Snubbing Paris Rally

Longtime Obama doormat Bob Casey Jr. wants Obamacare tax repealed

It appears longtime Obama ally Bob Casey Jr., senior senator from Pennsylvania, is looking out for his own political future and has cut ties with Barack Obama.

Casey is now calling for repeal of the medical device tax that is an integral part of Obamacare.

A release issued today by Casey's office:
U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) along with a bipartisan group of ten Senators, today introduced the Medical Device Access and Innovation Protection Act, S. 149, a bill to repeal the medical device tax that was implemented as a part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). Under PPACA, manufacturers of medical devices are required to pay a 2.3 percent excise tax on medical devices.
“I’m hopeful that this new Congress can come together in a bipartisan way to repeal the medical device tax,” Senator Casey said. “The current tax on medical devices presents significant challenges for businesses in Pennsylvania who innovate and create jobs.”   
Joining Senator Casey in introducing the Medical Device Access and Innovation Protection Act today were Sens. Hatch (R-UT), Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.),  Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Dan Coats (R-Ind.), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.).

Barack Obama, Motivational Speaker


When Harvard University meets ObamaCare

When Harvard University meets ObamaCare

'Sugar Daddy' solution gains ground among female college students

'Sugar Daddy' solution gains ground among female college students

Saturday, January 10, 2015

Lawyer: Despite threat of criminal charges, PA AG Kathleen Kane won't quit

Lawyer: Kane won't quit if charged

Weekly GOP Address: Obama blocks 42,000 jobs, energy security

Report Debunks Myth that Liberal Groups Were Targeted by IRS

New Oversight Report Debunks Myth that Liberal Groups were Targeted by IRS | Committee on Oversight & Government Reform

Chinese spend thousands persuading U.S. schools to promote their language, culture

Chinese spend thousands persuading U.S. schools to promote their language, culture | Human Events

When the fox watches the henhouse ...

When the fox watches the henhouse, the chickens are barbecued and the taxpayers get the bill | Human Events

1,175,000 Page Views

My site counter has recorded 1,175,000 Page Views from 522,000 Unique Visitors to TONY PHYRILLAS ON POLITICS. Thanks for checking out my blog ... and come back again.

The Threat From Within ...


Obamacare Failing Big Time

Obamacare Failing Big Time

Teacher fired for giving out a Bible may take school district to federal court

Substitute fired for giving out a Bible may take district to federal court

Friday, January 09, 2015

Under Obama, Planned Parenthood Has Aborted Nearly 2M Babies

During Obama Admin, Planned Parenthood Has Aborted Nearly 2,000,000 Babies

Embattled PA AG Kathleen Kane: 'I did nothing illegal'

Kane claims political attack: 'I did nothing illegal. Period.'

PA Senate Committee Chairmanships for 2015 Announced

Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati on Friday announced the Republican Chairpersons for each of the 22 Senate Standing Committees for the 2015-2016 legislative session.

Senate Standing Committee Chair Assignments:
  • Aging & Youth – Senator Michele Brooks (R-50)
  • Agriculture & Rural Affairs – Senator Elder Vogel (R-47)
  • Appropriations – Senator Pat Browne (R-16)
  • Banking & Insurance – Senator Don White (R-41)
  • Communications & Technology – Senator Scott Hutchinson (R-21)
  • Community, Economic & Recreational Development – Senator Kim Ward (R-39)
  • Consumer Protection & Professional Licensure – Senator Robert Tomlinson (R-6)
  • Education – Senator Lloyd Smucker (R-13)
  • Environmental Resources & Energy – Senator Gene Yaw (R-23)
  • Finance – Senator John Eichelberger (R-30)
  • Game & Fisheries – Senator Mario Scavello (R-40)
  • Intergovernmental Operations – Senator Ryan Aument (R-36)
  • Judiciary – Senator Stewart Greenleaf (R-12)
  • Labor & Industry – Senator Lisa Baker (R-20)
  • Law & Justice – Senator Charles McIlhinney (R-10)
  • Local Government – Senator Dominic Pileggi (R-9)
  • Public Health & Welfare – Senator Patricia Vance (R-31)
  • Rules & Executive Nominations – Senator Jake Corman (R-34)
  • State Government – Senator Mike Folmer (R-48)
  • Transportation – Senator John Rafferty (R-44)
  • Urban Affairs & Housing – Senator Scott Wagner (R-28)
  • Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness – Senator Randy Vulakovich (R-38)

Our First Blind President


Imam Choudary: Obama Is 'Lying' About The True Nature Of Islam

Imam Choudary: Obama Is 'Lying' About The True Nature Of Islam | Truth Revolt

Voter fraud uncovered by Pennsylvania election officials

731 Pennsylvania voters may have cast 2 ballots or voted elsewhere, secretary of State says

Monday, January 05, 2015

PA House Committee Chairperson for the 2015-16 Session Announced

Rep. Mike Turzai, soon-to-be Speaker of the House of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, on Monday announced the appointments of both Republican and Democratic committee chairmpersons for the 2015-16 Legislative Session, which begins Jan. 6.
 
Turzai made the following appointments, which are unofficial until announced on the House floor:

Aging and Older Adult Services:
  • Republican: Rep. Tim Hennessey, 26th Legislative District, Chester and Montgomery counties.
  • Democrat: Rep. Steve Samuelson, 135th Legislative District, Lehigh and Northampton counties.

Agriculture and Rural Affairs:
  • Republican: Rep. Martin Causer, 67th Legislative District, Cameron, Potter and McKean counties.
  • Democrat: Rep. John P. Sabatina, 174th Legislative District, Philadelphia.

Children and Youth:
  • Republican: Rep. Kathy Watson, 144th Legislative District, Bucks County.
  • Democrat: Rep. Louise Bishop, 192nd Legislative District, Philadelphia County.

Commerce:
  • Republican: Rep. Adam Harris, 82nd Legislative District, Franklin, Juniata and Mifflin counties.
  • Democrat: Rep. W. Curtis Thomas, 181st Legislative District, Philadelphia County.

Consumer Affairs:
  • Republican: Rep. Robert Godshall, 53rd Legislative District, Montgomery County.
  • Democrat: Rep. Peter J. Daley, 49th Legislative District, Fayette and Washington counties.

Education:
  • Republican: Rep. Stan Saylor, 94th Legislative District, York County.
  • Democrat: Rep. James Roebuck, 188th Legislative District, Philadelphia County.

Environmental Resources and Energy:
  • Republican: Rep. John Maher, 40th Legislative District, Allegheny and Washington counties.
  • Democrat: Rep. Greg Vitali, 166th Legislative District, Delaware and Montgomery counties.

Finance:
  • Republican: Rep. Bernie O’Neill, 29th Legislative District, Bucks County.
  • Democrat: Rep. Jake Wheatley, 19th Legislative District, Allegheny County.

Game and Fisheries:
  • Republican: Rep. Keith Gillespie, 47th Legislative District, York County.
  • Democrat: Rep. Ted Harhai, 58th Legislative District, Westmoreland County.

Gaming Oversight:
  • Republican: Rep. John Payne, 106th Legislative District, Dauphin County.
  • Democrat: Rep. Nick Kotik, 45th District, Allegheny County.

Health:
  • Republican: Rep. Matt Baker, 68th Legislative District, Bradford, Potter and Tioga counties.
  • Democrat: Rep. Florindo (Flo) Fabrizio, 2nd Legislative District, Erie County.

Human Services:
  • Republican: Rep. Gene DiGirolamo, 18th Legislative District, Bucks County.
  • Democrat: Rep. Angel Cruz, 180th Legislative District, Philadelphia County.

Insurance:
  • Republican: Rep. Tina Pickett, 110th Legislative District, Bradford, Sullivan and Susquehanna counties.
  • Democrat: Rep. Tony DeLuca, 32nd Legislative District, Allegheny County.

Judiciary:
  • Republican: Rep. Ron Marsico, 105th Legislative District, Dauphin County.
  • Democrat: Rep. Joseph A. Petrarca, 55th Legislative District, Armstrong, Indiana and Westmoreland counties.

Labor and Industry:
  • Republican: Rep. Mauree Gingrich, 101st Legislative District, Lebanon County.
  • Democrat: Rep. Marc J. Gergely, 35th Legislative District, Allegheny County.

Liquor Control:
  • Republican: Rep. Chris Ross, 158th Legislative District, Chester County.
  • Democrat: Rep. Paul Costa, 34th Legislative District, Allegheny County.

Local Government:
  • Republican: Rep. Kate Harper, 61st Legislative District, Montgomery County.
  • Democrat: Rep. Bob Freeman, 136th Legislative District, Northampton County.

Professional Licensure:
  • Republican: Rep. Julie Harhart, 183rd Legislative District, Lehigh and Northampton counties.
  • Democrat: Rep. Harry Readshaw, 36th Legislative District, Allegheny County.

State Government:
  • Republican: Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, 12th Legislative District, Butler County.
  • Democrat: Rep. Mark Cohen, 202nd Legislative District, Philadelphia County.

Tourism and Recreational Development:
  • Republican: Rep. Dave Hickernell, 98th Legislative District, Lancaster and Dauphin counties
  • Democrat: Rep. Thaddeus Kirkland, 159th Legislative District, Delaware County.

Transportation:
  • Republican: Rep. John Taylor, 177th Legislative District, Philadelphia County.
  • Democrat: Rep. William F. Keller, 184th Legislative District, Philadelphia.

Urban Affairs:
  • Republican: Rep. Scott Petri, 178th Legislative District, Bucks County.
  • Democrat: Rep. Thomas R. Caltagirone, 127th Legislative District, Berks County

Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness:
  • Republican: Rep. Stephen E. Barrar, 160th Legislative District, Chester and Delaware counties.
  • Democrat: Rep. Christopher Sainato, 9th Legislative District, Lawrence County.

Grand jury probe could derail PA AG Kathleen Kane

Stakes are high for Kane at grand jury meeting

Roger Stone: Obama Makes Nixon 'Look Like a Boy Scout'

When it comes to corruption, nobody comes close to Barack Obama. 

Roger Stone: Obama Makes Nixon 'Look Like a Boy Scout'

2014: An awful year for movies

2014 may have been on the all-time worst years for movies. In no particular order ... they were all awful ... these are the worst movies I saw in the past year.

Tammy

The Monuments Men  

Transformers: Age of Extinction

Godzilla

Neighbors         

Ride Along

Noah

Dumb and Dumber To 

The Other Woman 

RoboCop          

Pompeii             

Transcendence

I, Frankenstein

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

Obvious Child 

Draft Day

Bush Vs. Clinton: Make It Stop!


States to challenge Obama's climate rules

States to challenge Obama's climate rules | WashingtonExaminer.com

Half of Obamacare subsidy recipients may owe refunds to the IRS

Half of Obamacare subsidy recipients may owe refunds to the IRS | WashingtonExaminer.com

Sunday, January 04, 2015

25 Most Anticipated Movies of 2015

Screen Rant’s 25 Most Anticipated Movies of 2015

Cyprus named world's 6th most militarized nation

Turkish troops, who invaded Cyprus in 1974, continued to hold one-third of the island's territory hostage.

Cyprus named world's 6th most militarized nation

Auditing higher ed: Expose the ruse of rising tuition

Editorial: Auditing higher ed: Expose the ruse of rising tuition

Kathleen Kane's Mighty Fall

Brad Bumsted: Had Kathleen Kane not been elected AG ...

Obama's 'Catch and Release' Policy with Gitmo Terrorists


Texas Congressman to Challenge Boehner for House Speaker

Rep. Louie Gohmert, a Republican who represents Texas' First Congressional District, released the following statement regarding his decision to challenge John Boehner in the race for House Speaker: 
"After the November elections gave Republicans control of the Senate, voters made clear they wanted change. There have been numerous examples of problematic Republican leadership, but we were hopeful our leaders got the voters' message. However, after our Speaker forced through the CRomnibus by passing it with Democratic votes and without time to read it, it seemed clear that we needed new leadership. There had been much discussion. But, until yesterday, no one had stepped up.
I applaud my friend Rep. Ted Yoho for putting his name forward as an alternative to the status quo. Ted is a good man for whom I could vote, but I have heard from many supporters and also friends in Congress who have urged me to put forward my name for Speaker as well to increase our chances of change. That is why I am also offering my name as a candidate for Speaker.
There is false information being floated that any Republican candidates in addition to the current Speaker will split the vote and give the Speaker's gavel to Congresswoman Pelosi. This is nothing but a scare tactic to keep the current regime in power.
As long as Republicans vote for an adult American citizen for Speaker, no Democrat can win. Only if 59 Republicans voted "Present" would there be a chance for a Democrat to win.
To win the Speaker's race, an adult American citizen has to get a clear majority of all Members of Congress on the House floor voting for an eligible person. Voting "Present" simply reduces the number of votes required to win a majority. If no one wins a majority on the first ballot, then we go to a second vote, then a third, until someone gets a majority.
At this point, the Speaker's election is not about a particular candidate. It is about whether we keep the status quo or make the change the country demands. I am putting forward my name for consideration as Speaker and hope that with a new Speaker, be that me or someone else, we can fight for the ideals and principles that the voters wanted when they elected us in November."