
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
Latest episodes

Dec 19, 2024 • 59min
BLACK MONDAY 1987 AND THE PRICE OF EGGS: ARK OF COMMERCE Series
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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 17, 2024 • 1h 36min
CRASH PARTY 1929 - THE "ARK" OF COMMERCE
We are replaying our series on American business history with an eye to its inseparable effect on politics. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 12, 2024 • 35min
ARK OF COMMERCE SERIES COMING W/ EXTRA EPISODE ON PATREON. ALSO PARDONS AND MORE
We will be running the Ark of Commerce series again between now and February. Also pardons, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 9, 2024 • 1h 8min
"I DON'T WANT TO TRICK YOU" The Lyndon Johnson - Richard Nixon Presidential Transition
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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 2, 2024 • 33min
THEY WILL JUBILATE! - WHAT IT WAS LIKE AFTER CLEVELAND'S SECOND NON-CONSECUTIVE ELECTION, NOV 1892.
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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 26, 2024 • 52min
FROM ZOE BAIRD TO SWING VOTERS TO INFLATION PERCEPTION - I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT A BUNCH OF THINGS FOR A WHILE
We get into a little on history compared to 2024 this on the episode.Join the Patreon GET THIS EPISODE AD-FREE to ask questions or listen to extra episodes, www.myhistorycanbeatupyourpolitics.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 17, 2024 • 24min
THE TIME OF ADJOURMENT CLAUSE AND PRESIDENTIAL POWER
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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 14, 2024 • 24min
STOCKHOLM SYNDROME? HOW A CITY KEPT ITS NAME AND LINCOLN - THREE QUICK STORIES
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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 10, 2024 • 32min
WHAT I SAID BACK IN 2016 ABOUT THAT ELECTION: SEEMS SUPRISINGLY RELEVANT?
In case it's interesting, here's some of what Bruce said back in 2016 when President Trump won his first full term. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 1, 2024 • 1h 1min
NATIONAL VAHALLA: ALL ABOUT STATUES, MONUMENTS, STATUE REMOVAL
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 angle he can think of regarding Confederate statues, the dates of their construction and their removal. Please remember our sponsor Mack Weldon and their great clothes - www.mackweldon.com Use promo code "history" for 20% off. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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