My History Can Beat Up Your Politics

Since 2006, this podcast has been using history to elevate today's political debates.  "The perfect antidote to bloviating talking heads, My History is thoughtful, nuanced, and highly engaging." -Columbia Journalism Review

History
News
Politics
1
BLACK MONDAY 1987 AND THE PRICE OF EGGS: ARK OF...
What's the stock market crash of 1987 got to do with the price of eggs/ Plenty, in a historical context. We look at the infamous crash of 1987 and how the computers did not save us. Nor did insurance which has a lot do with eggs, and eggs have a lot do with feeding Americans and making Americans a little money, and they have a lot do with needing markets - and sophisticated markets - so we'll talk about that. Those who listened to this series in 2019 may notice that I am changing the order. With time, i've found placing the two stock market crashes together works. In the fourth episode of the revised order, we'll get to the next day of the crash - Terrible Tuesday.
57 min
2
CRASH PARTY 1929 - THE "ARK" OF COMMERCE
In this look at American commercial history we discuss the Black Thursday Stock market crash, the early career of Thomas Edison, how a popular game evolved from a anticorporate activist, and how Wall Street was once in Philadelphia, so to speak. ...
92 min
3
ARK OF COMMERCE SERIES COMING W/ EXTRA EPISODE ...
We will be running the Ark of Commerce series again between now and February. Also pardons, and more.
32 min
4
"I DON'T WANT TO TRICK YOU" The Lyndon Johnson ...
A transition between Presidents of opposite parties. Nothing starts a good presidential transition like charges of treason, and thus it was in 1968 that a tense election ending started a transition between Presidents of two parties. Yet all things considering, Richard Nixon and Lyndon Johnson's transition is considered one of the better ones. We also look at contemporary news stories, and stories of other presidential transitions. Some mysteries examined, and some LBJ-Nixon phone calls analyzed. Lee Rosevere - music
64 min
5
THEY WILL JUBILATE! - WHAT IT WAS LIKE AFTER CL...
Viewing newspapers from November, 1892 we get a sense of what was being said the last time a former president came back and the "ex" was switched from the former President to the current President. From parades to sour notes and recriminations, from stories of how the election was lost, to predictions that it would be a quick 4 years for the winner, to lots of post-election sniping over tariff policy, we find some notes of today.
30 min
6
FROM ZOE BAIRD TO SWING VOTERS TO INFLATION PER...
47 min
7
THE TIME OF ADJOURMENT CLAUSE AND PRESIDENTIAL ...
Can a President shut down the Senate. Legal scholars agree on an answer "Yes but..." President-Elect / President Trump has invoked an obscure section of the Constitution that has never been used, in order to prod Senators on his appointments. Is it a true power? What is the clause, why is it there, what does it mean, and what might a Supreme Court do? The answer may have to do with a can of Pepsi.
22 min
8
STOCKHOLM SYNDROME? HOW A CITY KEPT ITS NAME AN...
We look at three stories from history. How did Bismarck North Dakota retain its name? Is there really a Stockholm Syndrome, and Lincoln's pardons and commutations, as seen by a supporter.
22 min
9
WHAT I SAID BACK IN 2016 ABOUT THAT ELECTION: S...
In case it's interesting, here's some of what Bruce said back in 2016 when President Trump won his first full term.
30 min
10
NATIONAL VAHALLA: ALL ABOUT STATUES, MONUMENTS,...
From the early attempts to depict Washington, to the first Congressional attempts to block Confederate statues, to today's debate.  In this episode Bruce examines the history behind statues in America, and Bruce looks at every debating point and...
58 min
11
SKOKIE, NEO-NAZIS, FREE SPEECH AND SAFETY
A look at the Neo Nazi rally in Skokie, IL in 1977 and the resulting Supreme Court Case and the ACLU's role. In recent days Skokie has been brought up; and a look at the history of events is useful. We look at Louis Brandeis's great speech on the First Amendment, Chief Justice Robert's view of it recently, Alito's other take. Finally Bruce wonders about the consequences of these rights in a social media world.
33 min
12
THE FINAL DAYS OF THE 1968 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
It wasn't supposed to be close. Then new strategies, a speech and a surprising foreign policy event completely changed the election between Richard Nixon and Hubert Humphrey. Two vice presidents battled it out. One major poll said Nixon had a lead, the other said Humphrey. Both by only a couple of points. The candidates do their Telethons, and the nation votes. Who will win?
54 min
13
THE MYSTERY OF IMPEACHMENT - HOW IT WORKS, WHAT...
Savior or scoundrel?  We look at the case of one of the most celebrated heroes of Presidential impeachment.  And in the course of that - we look at the  Chase, Clinton and Johnson precedents for attempted impeachment, we attempt to...
78 min
14
VICE PRESIDENTS AS CANDIDATES FOR PRESIDENT: A ...
As we discuss with David Priess of Chatter Podcast (and the author of books on national security and presidential history) - it's tough to run for President when you are the sitting VP. It hasn't worked that often. Just twice since the 12th Amendment changed the election rules surrounding VPs, a vice president has won the big job. David goes into why this worked. And why on many other occasions, it did not work.
49 min
15
THE 1848 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: PART 2 - PENNSY...
The "bone and sinew" in Pennsylvania, the voters there would elect Zachary Taylor or not. So said the candidate himself. In the final part of our two-party series on the 1848 Presidential Election, we look at stump speeches, the third party Free Soilers, Stephen Douglas speaking for Democratic candidate Lewis Cass and Abraham Lincoln touting Zachary Taylor. We hear stories from newspapers and a budding author starts to ply his trade with a diversion into political satire. We have a Patreon - www.myhistorycanbeatupyourpolitics.com We are part of Airwave Media Network
72 min
16
THE 1848 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: PART 1- RUN, RO...
In Part 1 of our two-parter on the 1848 election, American politics is experiencing its greatest tumult. To long-time politicos the world is upside down as Whigs are working with Democrats, Democrats with Whigs. Writers are declaring a new Young America and an out with the old. America's territory is about to expand greatly, and there's arguments about how. Into this mix, almost as a relief to Whigs, is a new national hero. But is he the right choice for the highest office?
78 min
17
GROVER CLEVELAND'S NON-CONSECUTIVE SECOND TERM:...
Only one person has been elected President twice in non-consecutive terms. But it was not easy. To do it Grover Cleveland had to pass a few difficult tests. From Goody-Goodies to Anti-Snappers, to Anti-Egoists and Scarecrow Festivals; from entering opposing party contests in secret ways to placing bets for your own candidate, to pretending to run in states and letting a third party win, to taking forceful honest stands, 1892 had everything. It was a triumph of navigating complex steampower politics. The first being, did he really want to run again? We are part of Airwave Media Network. www.airwavemedia.com Our sponsor is Money Pickle. Try out their FREE financial advisor service today at MoneyPIckle.com Do you wish to advertise - contact advertising@airwavemedia.com Donate- www.patreon.com/mhcbuyp
66 min
18
The 1796 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: "Placing us in...
'The public and the public papers have been much occupied lately in placing us in a point of opposition to each other. ' So wrote Jefferson to Adams about the 1796 Presidential Election, America's first with two candidates with true campaigns. ... Before it was over there would feature negative ads, misconstructions of candidate statements, foreign interference and backlash to that interference, and election count disputes.
34 min
19
INFLATION VS. SPACE: How The Cost of Things Lim...
When President Kennedy inspired the nation to put a man on the Moon, he did so at a time when the word "inflation" was not on the mind of most Americans. Why should it have been, the rate was a paltry 1.1%. And we needed to beat the Soviets to the Moon. Once we did, and as the cost of goods, materials and rocket fuel rose over time, The United State's space dreams were limited. Inflation didn't kill space, but it sure changed what the goals of going to space became. We look at the trends of inflation and space exploration on this episode.
42 min
20
NATE SILVER VS. ALAN LICHTMAN -Predicting with ...
Bunch of topics Want more - there's a 4-part series on the 1864 election on Patreon - check it out at www.myhistorycanbeatupyourpoltics.com We are part of Airwave Media Network Check out Triviality, Plodding Through the Presidents, American Revolutionary War cast, For the Love of History and others!
56 min
21
DRINKING WITH FDR
From his bamboo shaker to his views on prohibition, all about Franklin Roosevelt and drinking.
17 min
22
WHY IS THERE AN ELECTORAL COLLEGE?
A look at the Senator who tried to end the Electoral College and the original reasons for it. It has as much to do with 1969 as it does with 1787
38 min
23
Who is AMOS ELLMAKER? Lincoln Tells a Story, In...
58 min
24
GRANTING OF CERTIORARI: The Hidden Process Behi...
A bit about an obscure procedure that can mean everything, from a 2011 episode.
28 min
25
OVER NIAGARA IN A PICKLE BARREL, TALKING BIRDS ...
Bruce was on the Useless Information Podcast Fascinating True Stories from the Flip Side of History go on Useless Information Podcast at - https://uselessinformation.org/
83 min