Now & Then

Latest Episodes:

Voting Rights: The Big Picture (ft. Carol Anderson) Oct 26, 2021

Show notes

On this episode of Now & Then, “Voting Rights: The Big Picture,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman talk about the history of voter suppression with Carol Anderson, professor of African American Studies at Emory University and author of One Person No Vote: How Voter Suppression Is Destroying Our Democracy and The Second: Race and Guns in a Fatally Unequal America. The trio discuss the concept of the “consent of the governed” during the founding period, the emergence of Jim Crow laws after the Civil War, and the evolution of voting suppression efforts in the modern era. How have politicians justified restrictive voting policies? How do these policies damage American democracy? And what strategies might protect the franchise today? This episode was recorded before a live audience on Zoom and Facebook on October 21st, 2021.

Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. And for a limited time, use the code HISTORY for 50% off the annual membership price. Head to: www.cafe.com/history.

For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/voting-rights-the-big-picture-ft-carol-anderson

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The Rise of Bully Politics Oct 19, 2021

Show notes

On this episode of Now & Then, “The Rise of Bully Politics,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman revisit the 1980 presidential election between Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. They reflect on how the rancorous contest signaled a rise in partisan aggression and dominance politics in American life. They also tie the type of bullying that emerged in full force in 1980 back to the 1850s and the violence that preceded the Civil War. How did Reagan’s extreme comments during the campaign hearken back to this earlier age of bluster and polarization? How did Reagan’s tone signal a change in the Republican Party and its tactics?

RSVP for the Now & Then Live Taping with Emory African American Studies Professor Carol Anderson on this Thursday, October 21st at 6:30PM ET: cafe.com/live

For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/the-rise-of-bully-politics

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Speakers of the House: Velvet Gloves and Iron Fists Oct 12, 2021

Show notes

On this episode of Now & Then, “Speakers of the House: Velvet Gloves and Iron Fists,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman revisit significant Speakers of the House and the development of the role in American politics. They reflect on legendary Speakers Henry Clay, Thomas Brackett Reed, and Tip O’Neill. In the process, they examine how Speakers leverage their influence over the legislative process and the culture of congress. How did the Speakership become such a crucial role in Washington? How do Speakers balance control with collaboration? And how can iconic Speakers from the past help to contextualize Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s current efforts to pass the Democrats’ budget reconciliation package?

RSVP for the Now & Then Live Taping with Emory African American Studies Professor Carol Anderson on Thursday, October 21st at 6:30PM ET: cafe.com/live

For references & supplemental materials, head to:

cafe.com/now-and-then/speakers-of-the-house-velvet-gloves-and-iron-fists

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Split Party Politics Oct 05, 2021

Show notes

On this episode of Now & Then, “Split Party Politics,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman discuss cycles of in-fighting, tension and collapse in American political parties. They begin with the Federalists and their ill-fated Hartford Convention, explain the reconstitution of both the Democrats and Republicans during the early 1880s, and talk through the current political battles and demographic shifts affecting the Republican Party. Why do political parties collapse? How does partisan dysfunction change the legislative process? And can the past show us how the current splits in the GOP will end?

Join us each Tuesday for new episodes of Now & Then, and keep an eye out for live events with Heather and Joanne and the rest of the CAFE Team.

Listen to new episodes of Up Against the Mob,Elie Honig’s six-part series about his experiences prosecuting the mafia: cafe.com/up-against-the-mob

For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/split-party-politics

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Government Debt Roulette Sep 28, 2021

Show notes

On this episode of Now & Then, “Government Debt Roulette,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman discuss the dynamics of the current political battle over raising the debt ceiling. Then, they offer an overview of debt in American history, from Alexander Hamilton’s belief in using debt to build the country, to how President Lincoln offset Civil War debt, to the politicization of the debt ceiling by Republicans over the last 30 years. What can debt accomplish? What can debt damage? And how have American views on debt and credit shifted over time?

Join us each Tuesday for new episodes of Now & Then, and keep an eye out for live events with Heather and Joanne and the rest of the CAFE Team.

Listen to new episodes of Up Against the Mob,Elie Honig’s six-part series about his experiences prosecuting the mafia: cafe.com/up-against-the-mob

For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/government-debt-roulette

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New York, New York Sep 21, 2021

Show notes

On this episode of Now & Then, “New York, New York,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman discuss the 20th anniversary of September 11th, 2001 attacks and the larger role of New York over the course of American history. How did the Dutch help lend the Big Apple its economic and cultural identity? Why isn’t New York the U.S. capital? How did newspapers transform NYC’s political power? Why are there so many apocalyptic movies set in New York? And what has made the city such a resilient and powerful locus for innovation and community?

Join us each Tuesday for new episodes of Now & Then, and keep an eye out for live events with Heather and Joanne and the rest of the CAFE Team.

For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/new-york-new-york

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Abortion: Whose Choice? Sep 14, 2021

Show notes

On this episode of Now & Then, “Abortion: Whose Choice?” Heather and Joanne discuss Texas’ Senate Bill 8, one of several controversial new “heartbeat” laws that limit access to abortion. They also talk about the history of abortion from the colonial period to the present: the surprising availability of abortion until the mid-19th century, the physician-led campaign to ban abortion, and the GOP’s decision in the early 1970s to embrace the “pro-life” movement. Who gets to decide the future of reproductive rights? What role has politics played in the anti-abortion movement? And how can the constitutional right to abortion be preserved during these uncertain times?

Join us each Tuesday for new episodes of Now & Then, and keep an eye out for live events with Heather and Joanne and the rest of the CAFE Team.

For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/abortion-whose-choice

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Climate Control Sep 07, 2021

Show notes

On this episode of Now & Then, “Climate Control,” Heather and Joanne discuss the climate crisis and moments of political conflict over the environment throughout American history. They talk about the impact of climate on colonists, the 19th-century origins of the National Park Service, the causes and effects of the Dust Bowl, and the post-World War II emergence of the environmental movement — from Rachel Carson, to nuclear fall-out fears, to the formation of the Environmental Protection Agency. What solutions might these past controversies offer the United States today? Can we reach political consensus on addressing climate change? And who is ultimately responsible for protecting the earth?

Join us each Tuesday for new episodes of Now & Then, and keep an eye out for live events with Heather and Joanne and the rest of the CAFE Team.

For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/climate-control

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Attacking and Defending Voting Rights Aug 31, 2021

Show notes

On this episode of Now & Then, “Attacking and Defending Voting Rights,” Heather and Joanne discuss the history of American voting rights and the antecedents to the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021. They look at New Jersey’s surprising history of female voting, the violence of the Know-Nothing Party, and the long congressional struggle to secure full suffrage for all Americans. Who has worked to deny the vote to marginalized populations? Which laws have been most effective in bolstering enfranchisement? And what still needs to be accomplished?

Join us each Tuesday for new episodes of Now & Then, and keep an eye out for live events with Heather and Joanne and the rest of the CAFE Team.

For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/attacking-and-defending-voting-rights

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Afghanistan & American Styles of War Aug 24, 2021

Show notes

On this episode of Now & Then, “Afghanistan & American Styles of War,” Heather and Joanne discuss the withdrawal from Afghanistan and the history of how America creates narratives around wars. They look at the divergent framings of the War of 1812, the Spanish-American War, and World War II. How does a democratic society based on consent utilize force? Which wars receive widespread approval? And how do concepts of national interest affect collective identity and the quest for consensus?

Join us each Tuesday for new episodes of Now & Then, and keep an eye out for live events with Heather and Joanne and the rest of the CAFE Team.

For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/afghanistan-american-styles-of-war

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