

249: The Lost Cause with Heather Cox Richardson
May 16, 2024
Historian Heather Cox Richardson joins James and Al to discuss the parallels between current politics and the Civil War era, highlighting MAGA's roots, democracy's battle with demagoguery, and the new 'Lost Cause' represented by J6. They call for revitalizing populism to protect our democracy against corruption and the regressive modern Republican party.
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Polarized Politics
- The current polarized political climate is similar to the 1850s and 1890s.
- Those under 55 haven't experienced functional democracy or a Republican Party that doesn't game the system.
Democracy Revival
- A grassroots movement, primarily driven by women, is working to restore democracy.
- This movement focuses on reclaiming local political bodies like school boards and town meetings.
Biden's Challenges
- Biden’s potential loss to Trump is attributed to his age and biased media coverage.
- This coverage overemphasizes inflation while neglecting crucial stories like Trump’s alleged bribery scandal.