My History Can Beat Up Your Politics

Latest Episodes:

Russia: Everything You Know About The Russian Revolution is Wrong - Russian Journalist Mikhail Zygar on 1917, History, Putin, Democracy and More Jul 18, 2018

Show notes

Everything you know about the Russian Revolution is wrong, and understanding that is the key to understanding today's Russia as well. A very interesting conversation with Mikhail Zygar, Editor in Chief of the TV Dozhd and the Author of All the Kremlin's Men. He joins us to speak about his book The Empire Must Die - Russia's Revolutionary Collapse. We talk Russia 1917 and the revolution before the Bolsheviks. We also talk Russia 2017 and Putin, America, democracy, struggle and more.

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GERRYMANDERING: Gerry and His "Mander" (from 2013, with an Update on Gerrymandering Supreme Court case) Jul 18, 2018

Show notes

Elbridge Gerry lent his name to a tricky political maneuver. Not that he wanted to, or perhaps, deserved it. With gerrymandering of congressional districts and state legislative districts on the agenda of the Supreme Court, Bruce discusses the court case Gill v. Whitford and then revisits his cast from 2013 about Elbridge Gerry

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Civil War Bonds - The Importance of Commerce to the Civil War Jul 10, 2018

Show notes

In this quick episode, a missing part from the Ark of Commerce series, we look at the role of money in the battle between Confederate and Union governments.

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Soccer and Repression: 1978 and the World Cup in Argentina Jul 08, 2018

Show notes

The story of the 1978 World Cup, a cautionary tale about democracy. The world spotlight on the junta that controlled Argentina that year helped focus some attention on the plight of the victims of a vicious dictatorship, but locally, may have enhanced support for the regime. We talk about soccer and politics, we talk about democracy and the dangers of losing it, we read a bit of Eduardo Galeano's Excellent Soccer in Sun and Shadow. Music from Lee Rosevere

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Tariffs: Taft Walks Away - The Payne-Aldrich Tariff of 1909 Jun 10, 2018

Show notes

Taft fails in trying to lower tariffs, setting up his successor to do it. In frustration, he walks away from the White House. Meanwhile, his opponent, William Jennings Bryan, destroys the tariff in several populist arguments. A look at Payne-Aldrich, the 1909 tariff bill that was as least as important as Smoot Hawley.

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Infrastructure: The Bad Side and Good Side of Infrastructure - Robert Moses and Other Tales with Greg Young of the Bowery Boys NYC Podcast May 31, 2018

Show notes

Is infrastructure always good? We talk with Greg Young of the Very Popular "Bowery Boys NYC" podcast, about infrastructure. In particular the story of Robert Moses and his career reforming New York's infrastructure. Until he met his match. We also talk about Trump's career in NYC, and whether Mark Zuckerberg is the new Vanderbilt. Music from Chris Forsyth and the Solar Motel Band in this episode.

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US Intelligence Services: The Secret Intelligence of All The President's Men: Interview with David Priess on CIA Briefings, History, Trump, Mueller and More May 14, 2018

Show notes

We speak once again to David Priess, former CIA Briefer and the author of The President's Book of Secrets. While last time we spoke mostly about Presidents and intelligence, this time we get into the other people who use intelligence and how they support the President. In the course of the discussion, we talk about what we can know about Trump's briefings, what it's like to be a briefer, and what it's like to work with Robert Mueller.

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1944 VP Nomination Craziness Apr 26, 2018

Show notes

A look at 1944 and how intrigue, manipulation, misrepresentation, a few martinis, a song, an axe and a finger in the page of a book changed the history of the Presidency.

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America and Rome: w/ Mike Duncan Apr 01, 2018

Show notes

Populism, Corruption, Citizenship and Immigration. Rome struggled with these issues in its Republic phase. Bruce is joined by Mike Duncan, host of The History of Rome Podcast, to talk about the pre-fall of the Roman Republic, period of 146 to 78 BC and the cast of characters that struggled for power at the time. Mike has come out with a recent book called "The Storm Before the Storm," which delves into this topic.

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Presidential Power: Democracy's Diet? The Two-Term Presidential Limit of the 22nd Amendment Feb 27, 2018

Show notes

With the leader of China erasing that country's 2 term limit, we are taking a look back at the 2 term presidential limit in the United States, how recent it is and whether it's a good thing. This episode is from 2012. BTW - As you listen this will make more sense - Hilmar Moore, Mayor of Richmond Texas - died in 2012 and thus is no longer mayor of Richmond Texas, his wife is currently mayor. Probably makes the case in a way.

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