My History Can Beat Up Your Politics

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-historySupport the Podcast on Patreon: www.patreon.com/mhcbuypMusic by Lee RosevereEmail sales@advertisecast.com to enquire about advertising on the podcastWe are part of Airwave Media Podcast Network. - airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it mean to be a Stalwart? In history, it's just a name for political machine pros seeking jobs and being corrupt. But it was more. While telling how Chester Arthur became the nation's most famous fired civil servant, we explain politics in the 19th century. The real battles then were inside the party. On our Patreon now, [www.patreon.com/mhcbuyp] as part of a 4 part series, we discuss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was clunky, and a little Office Space-like. And it cut federal jobs. But then-Vice President Al Gore's "REGO" program was different in many ways from "DOGE" -The 1993 program was bipartisan, considered [cuts were identified, then made, in that order. And it was slow, and generated little protest. It did generate tension in the Clinton White House, which we get into. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A bit about what we've got cooking at Patreon, including the first of three parts of our series on the 21st President. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bruce is on a tear being told that given the norm-breaking going on there is no place for history. Nothing can be farther from the truth. He outlines why, instead of history not being useful, it's actually quick history (comparing say Trump to Obama) that is still interesting, but maybe won't lock down the kind of results you want. But in the long swath of American political history, current events compare and contrast well to all sorts of things. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From the man who answered T.R.'s phone and maybe saved his life, to the secret "Sphinx" around Woodrow Wilson, to Coolidge's surprise enforcer. We look at all sorts of Presidential assistants and aides, both official ones and non-official ones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is all about voting in the federal capital we now call the District of Columbia. We talk about a movement to get voting rights that succeeded for a group of (then) D.C. residents 180 years ago, And about the petitions, committees, tea parties, bus trips and statements by Presidents over the years, and the reactions of Congress to them. Why Lincoln and Jefferson Davis found common ground on one issue about D.C. and neither got their wish. And about the rioting soldiers that may have spurred the whole idea of a federal city on a hill in the first place. Plus, about that guy who lived in a tree. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Now on the Patreon: Franklin Roosevelt Takes on Jimmy Walker In the sweltering summer of 1932, Franklin Delano Roosevelt found himself ensnared in a political web spun by the most notorious machine in New York politics—Tammany Hall. As governor of New York, Roosevelt was well aware of the rampant corruption within the city’s government, but his position as the Democratic nominee for president made any decisive action perilous. Removing New York City’s charismatic, scandal-plagued mayor, Jimmy Walker, would mean war with the political bosses whose support he needed. Yet ignoring Walker’s misdeeds would undermine Roosevelt’s image as a reformer and threaten his appeal to progressives across the nation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The idea of saving manufacturing jobs is front-and-center in American politics today. Examining the history of plant closings and job losses In the 70's and 80's provides an interesting contrast. "We ought to make stuff here, or we should try to keep this plant open." were radical stances, confined to political fringes, and usually left.In once case, a group of workers, residents and church leaders in a town try for what is called an Industrial Selma - a radical plan to reopen a plant led by an activist straight from the Freedom Summer civil rights fights and anti- Vietnam War protests.In the course of telling the story we look at the early American Rust Belt, we look at typical Rust Belt city (that happens to be Bruce's ancestors home). We look at alternatives to closing plants, and we hear a story about the Panic of 1873. This will be the final episode of our second-run of the Ark of Commerce series. This is one of the original episodes, and I'm pleased to provide to Patrons early. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices