Now & Then

Latest Episodes:

Why "Terminating" the Constitution Matters Dec 14, 2022

Show notes

Former President Trump has called for the termination of the Constitution and the overturning of the 2020 election. What makes Trump’s comments so dangerous? When has the Constitution been under siege before? And how can we protect the document that undergirds our democracy?

Heather and Joanne discuss early constitutional debates, the rocky passage of the Fourteenth Amendment, and the 1970s rise of “originalism” as a theory of constitutional interpretation.

Vote for Now & Then in the Best History Podcast category of the Signal Awards: bit.ly/3WhbYWL

Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history

For more historical analysis of current events, sign up for the free weekly CAFE Brief newsletter, featuring Time Machine, a weekly article that dives into an historical event inspired by each episode of Now & Then: cafe.com/brief

For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/why-terminating-the-constitution-matters/

Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

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FTX, Con Men, and the Power of Grift Dec 07, 2022

Show notes

Following the collapse of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX and the undoing of its CEO, Sam Bankman-Fried, Heather and Joanne discuss the businesspeople and money-makers who have fallen hardest throughout American history. How do we find the line between the “con man” and the capitalist?

Heather and Joanne talk about the mid-1800s origins of the “con man,” the loss of belief in financiers during the Great Depression, and the Keating Five scandal of the late 1980s.

Vote for Now & Then in the Best History Podcast category of the Signal Awards: bit.ly/3WhbYWL

Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history

For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/ftx-con-men-and-the-power-of-grift/

Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

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Encore: Speakers of the House: Velvet Gloves and Iron Fists Nov 30, 2022

Show notes

How did the Speaker of the House 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 tenure?

On this encore presentation of an October 2021 episode of Now & Then, Heather and Joanne discuss significant Speakers of the House, from Henry Clay, to Thomas Brackett Reed, to Tip O’Neill. They also offer new insight on the significance and success of Pelosi’s speakership.

Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history

For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/encore-speakers-of-the-house-velvet-gloves-and-iron-fists/

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Now & Then Live! The Unsung Voices Episode Nov 23, 2022

Show notes

Now & Then presents a conversation between Heather and Joanne from last Thursday, November 17th, recorded live at the Massachusetts Historical Society in Boston.

Heather and Joanne highlighted five objects in the Society’s collection that shed light on unsung brave Americans who made a difference with their art and activism–from an intrepid cheese engineer, to a group of imprisoned indigenous illustrators, to a defiant Harlem Renaissance sculptor.

The talk was in conjunction with Heather and Joanne’s receipt of the 2022 William Hickling Prescott Award for Excellence in Historical Writing, presented in partnership between MHS and the National Society of The Colonial Dames of America - Massachusetts.

Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history

For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/now-then-live-the-unsung-voices-episode/

Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

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The Power of the Youth Vote Nov 16, 2022

Show notes

How did the youth impact last week’s midterm elections? And how have young people fought for representative democracy in American history?

Heather and Joanne discuss the history of the youth vote in America, from the 1860 “Wide Awake” movement, to the “virgin vote,” to the long quest for the 26th Amendment.

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

For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/the-power-of-the-youth-vote/

Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

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Power, Polling, & Public Opinion Nov 08, 2022

Show notes

What should we make of political polls? Are they to be trusted? And why are Americans so interested in measuring public opinion?

This week on Now & Then, Heather and Joanne discuss the history of polling in the United States, from the informal tavern visits by allies of Washington and Hamilton, to the rise of George Gallup, to the current polling discourse surrounding the midterm elections.

Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history

For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/power-polling-public-opinion/

Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

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Fascism: Meanings and Methods Nov 02, 2022

Show notes

The term 'fascism' is often invoked these days from voices on both the Left and the Right. Heather and Joanne start by defining the term and and have a conversation firmly rooted in history, from the proto-fascism of Southern enslavement, to the fascist playbooks established by Mussolini and Hitler, to the current risks for the normalization of fascist ideology and tropes in the United States.

Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history

For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/fascism-meanings-and-methods/

Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

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Fat Cats and Hidden Hands in Politics Oct 26, 2022

Show notes

Why is there so much dark money in politics? How have political funders concealed their identities and motivations? And how does this sleight of hand damage American democracy?

This week on Now & Then, Heather and Joanne discuss the role of capital in political maneuvering, from Thomas Jefferson’s 1791 funding of an anti-Federalist newspaper, to department store magnate John Wanamaker’s 1888 herding of Republican businessmen, to Richard Viguerie’s 1970s direct mail campaigns.

Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history

For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/fat-cats-and-hidden-hands-in-politics/

Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

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Educating a Nation: Higher Ed in Peril (with Will Bunch) Oct 19, 2022

Show notes

How did college become so expensive? Why is higher education the subject of so much political and cultural division? And how can we restore a sense of equality to learning?

This week on Now & Then, Philadelphia Inquirer national columnist Will Bunch joins Heather and Joanne to discuss the history of higher education and his new book, After the Ivory Tower Falls: How College Broke the American Dream and Blew Up Our Politics―and How to Fix It.

Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history

For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/educating-a-nation-higher-ed-in-peril-with-will-bunch/

Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

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The Meaning of Madison’s Flute: Who Owns Music? Oct 12, 2022

Show notes

What can American instruments teach us about democracy? What does the controversy over Lizzo’s playing of James Madison’s crystal flute tell us about racism, representation, and the roots of our current cultural moment?

Heather and Joanne discuss the evolution of the banjo, the popularity of the steel drum, and the 1970s development of hip-hop and rap production.

NOTE: Starting this week, Now & Then will be releasing new episodes on Wednesday mornings.

Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. For a limited time, new members can get 40% off the annual membership price with special code MIDTERMS. Head to: cafe.com/history

For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/the-meaning-of-madisons-flute-who-owns-music/

Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

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