My History Can Beat Up Your Politics

Have we forgotten about George W. Bush and how much today's politics were defined during his administration? Does Congress have any role anymore? Have we reached a point where Congress not only has less power but doesn't want to use what it has? Over the years, federal power has shifted from Congress to the President, with particular acceleration since Reagan and George W. Bush's Presidencies. David Sirota of The Lever Podcast and Master Plan Podcast joins us to talk about this trend and how it is a planned effort with people of both parties involved. His podcast, Master Plan, is available at: https://podcasts.apple.com/br/podcast/master-plan/id1723377799 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reagan makes a big reform most see as a good thing. And he made a diplomatic move most see as a very bad thing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Homelessness, education, healthcare and other domestic issues under constant evaluation during the time of the Reagan Presidency. We look at the personal Ronald Reagan and the contention of critics that his policies didn't match the person. We look at first term and second term policy differences on homelessness, and the contention by supporters that homelessness was focused on by media in the 80's but not during other Presidencies. Finally, we look at Reagan's response to AIDS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The political world was shocked in 1987 when a 41-year old developer put an ad in the NY Times. Now it's 2026: he's consistent, sorta. What does it say about today? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1962, A civil rights champion and a civil rights opponent join on one thing - to ban poll taxes. The Court later rules that it applies to fees. What does it mean for today? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reagan Battles Ford for the GOP Nomination. He loses. And becomes President. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

James Baker called Reagan's foreign policy "a witches brew." In one country, a longshot try for peace. In others, alliances with warmakers. Reagan's policy towards seven nations - El Salvador, Lebanon, Poland, Nicaragua, China, Grenada and Guatemala examined in this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We seek to solve two puzzles: How did Reagan the Truman booster and N ew Deal supporter become Reagan the Goldwater acolyte? And when he entered politics, became GOP nominee and President, what were the economic results of his Presidency? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reagan is the only President to have led a union into a strike. Twice, with two wins. And that's why he knew how to a break a strike when he had to. But in doing so, did he encourage employers to be harsh with workers? Some think that's exactly what happened. This, and the joy of the tax cut passage is turning into concern about deficit numbers. Not even his whiz kid Stockman can find an answer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Replay from 2016 First in our series on Ronald Reagan that will have twelve episodes. The Presidency we discuss almost didn't happen. A look at the attempt on Reagan's life, his first year and why the shooting was not an unimportant incident of his Presidency but directly connected to his performance in the first year. We also go over the Dozen Ronald Reagans Concept - that there are twelve different aspects to him to examine both in reality and in the perception of Reagan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stalemate breaks in a surprise operation. An apathetic America gets involved on both sides. The fighting stops, but nothing is the same after 1988. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This terrible war, fought in the 1980's, changed everything. Both in the Middle East, and America. We tell the story in two parts. We are part of Airwave Media network Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A bit about the recent Court decision, with a note about the concurrences of Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett, which agreed with each other on the decision merits but warred on the reasons why. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For my 20th year, I'm replaying the most popular series I've done, a look at Ronald Reagan in 12 episodes. Before I do that, I have few thoughts about what might have been left out of that huge undertaking, and one new item that wasn't available when it was recorded a decade ago. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Healthcare, Bosnia and Belief In The President. All are in doubt. The second part of our series on Bill Clinton's first year, 1993. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's 1993. A new President jogs through his first year, with an unexperienced staff and a hostile White House press corps. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The writer Thomas Wolfe, known for his large novels and spewing prose, was a fan of Germany. On a trip there for the 1936 Berlin Olympics, he found joy and worry. Initially he admired the changes, but would soon change his opinion after a series of events and a near run-in with Hitler himself. He didn't live to see the true extent of Nazism, but left a warning for history. [One note: Thomas Wolfe, the 1930's author should not be confused with Bonfire of the Vanities author Tom Wolfe. Also a good author, different guy.] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In answering a question about JFK's health and its role in Lyndon Johnson's decision to accept the Vice Presidency, Bruce takes a look at the people and factors surrounding Johnson's decision, Kennedy's motivations, Eisenhower's indirect role, and the confusing hours in a Los Angeles hotel that changed history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why talk about LBJ? There's a few reasons. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the surface, the 25th Amendment is a perfect mechanism for providing a stable transition of Presidential power. But that's not what early state ratification critics thought. And it's not how Hollywood writers oft envision it. When debating the 25th amendment to the US Constitution, one state legislator called it rushing "pell-mell into madness." Another said it did not complete the very purpose it intended and should go back to Congress for fixing. And still another said it has a huge hole around the vice presidency. These state quibbles were enough for a scare, but the states ratified anyway, in the wake of the Cuban Missile Crisis and a bipartisan push. But were the arguments valid? Although the 25th is designed to potentially remove a President, it is also designed to avoid doing that if at all possible. It was written by politicians to avoid politics, and as several TV and movie writers have found, it could create lots of politics. If you find it confusing, you aren't alone. Some opponents during its ratification took a look at what came out of the hard work of Sen. Kefauver and Bayh and said - why was it written this way? And not all their criticisms were answered. In this episode we look at the 25th and objections raised in Pennsylvania, Arkansas and Colorado that might have sunk the amendment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From a town in California named for Zachary Taylor, to a famous letter sent by Frederick Douglass, we tell a few stories that didn't make it in to the series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It comes down to milk and cherries? Plans change when a nation's hero falls, and historians go to work, reinterpreting the events of 1850. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

They thought he was an illiterate frontier colonel. They thought he'd never use the veto. Never comment on issues. Let Congress do the heavy lifting. But he has a plan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new President comes to Washington. No one knows what to expect. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Presidents and Congress and use of military. A look at history. Presidents and Congresses, and a specific legislation that applies that is used, ignored, lightly used, skirted, enforced, unenforced and criticized throughout its 53 year history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When it comes to citizenship decided by birth, the story of Wong Kim Ark, a young man born in the US of Chinese descent who was denied entry to his country, should be on a few minds. We tell that story in this episode, along with the Sand Lot protests that led to his change in status, and the 1804 about a ship that helped reinforce their thinking. This and thoughts about early Trump Presidency. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren's policy of Indian population removal, which lead to the Trail of Tears and thousands of deaths, was not uncontested or passively allowed at the time. Nearly half of Congress opposed it, as did petition writers all over the nation. So did one of the President's former friends and of course, most of the elected representatives of the Cherokee people. These debates happened not in modern times but then. One of Jackson's friends voted against so he would not be Ashamed in the Day of Judgment and sought the Presidency in his stead. Support our sponsor Inkl - www.inkl.com/my-history Support the Podcast on Patreon: www.patreon.com/mhcbuyp Music by Lee Rosevere Email [email protected] to enquire about advertising on the podcast We are part of Airwave Media Podcast Network. - airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

CNN confirms that a missile strike hit for the White House, Japanese politics implodes, a grunge music tragedy and strange local traditions make mainstream in our extra episode of leftovers from the previous 1990's ephemera. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A great accomplishment and a historic scandal. And not the scandal you are thinking of, probably. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nixon - a mix of what you know and what you may not. First part of a 2014 episode. I don't know whether time has changed this cast, or if this cast has more meaning now, or less, that is for the listener to judge. Sponsored by: The University of Aberdeen: https://on.abdn.ac.uk/online-history-courses/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A look at the histories and realities of breaking up trusts, from T.R.'s era to the present. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Deeper dive on Ken Burns documentary and Franklin and Iroquois Confederacy debate. Plus: Iran Iraq war and midterms. Sponsored by: The University of Aberdeen: https://on.abdn.ac.uk/online-history-courses/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No I don't think the Iroquois Confederacy influenced th Revolution much. (Nor do I think Burns says this). And I take a little issue with American Revolution as a Civil War theory. (If it was merely that, it would have been quickly settled). Sponsored by: The University of Aberdeen: https://on.abdn.ac.uk/online-history-courses/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An invention ties together the stories of many people. A frustrated painter, a faded novelist, and a future President. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices