Reformers in the early 20th century often targeted machine politics, associating it with mass immigration and considering it messy and undesirable. Political machines quickly integrated immigrants into the political process, which was seen negatively by many middle-class white reformers. This reform sentiment to rationalize and clean up the political process led to suffrage restrictions, including the introduction of the Australian ballot and the emergence of Jim Crow laws in the South.
This is the second official episode, breaking down the 1974 Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Power Broker by our hero Robert Caro.
New York Times political columnist Jamelle Bouie is our book club guest.
On today’s show, Elliott Kalan and Roman Mars will cover Part 3 of the book (Chapters 6 through the end of Chapter 10), discussing the major story beats and themes, with occasional asides from Jamelle Bouie guiding us through the politics of the era.
The Power Broker #2: Jamelle Bouie
Join the discussion on Discord and our Subreddit