Synopsis
Today's political debates, particularly on cable news, talk radio and blog comments can be limiting. In this podcast, Bruce Carlson applies as much history as possible to the politics of today.
Episodes
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LINCOLN'S LAND IN IOWA - Now on Patreon
11/04/2025 Duration: 05minLincoln owned land in Iowa, but didn't get a chance to see it. It did remain in the family for a while. We talk about it, what happened to it, and the area around Tama county where one of his lots was. It's part of the bonus content on the Patreon. Subscribe to the Patreon for as little as $5 dollars a month and get ad-free episodes, and bonus episodes: For instance - we talk about Lincoln's land he owned in Iowa while he was President, and What happened to it, plus a half-dozen other Lincoln stories. This and our 5 part Chester Arthur series, funny UK politics, the 1864 election, and other things. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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GROVER CLEVELANDS THREE WARNINGS ABOUT TARIFFS
10/04/2025 Duration: 22minThe 22nd and 24th President staked his first re-election bid opposing tariffs. There were reasons. He felt they increased prices on all goods, including non-imports, he thought they were limited in benefit to working people, and he had a third warning that is not as prominent in debates today. We discuss his 1887 Tariff Message. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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FEDERAL JUDGES AND PRESIDENTS
25/03/2025 Duration: 01h11minFederal judges and Presidents have clashed in the past. It's rarely been cheery. As executive power exists only within the frame of law, this should be expected. There are freak events where Presidents have ignored judicial orders, but it is not the routine. We get into it, including a case of a man on a horse following U.S. soldiers, a tribe's removal, a prosecutor prosecuted, a case where the Supreme Court confirmed you must listen to the Supreme Court, and a man who kept showing up to work after he was fired. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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ASHAMED IN THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT - Resistance to Jackson Indian Removal Policy in its Time
06/03/2025 Duration: 48minAndrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren's policy of Indian population removal, which lead to the Trail of Tears and thousands of deaths, was not uncontested or passively allowed at the time. Nearly half of Congress opposed it, as did petition writers all over the nation. So did one of the President's former friends and of course, most of the elected representatives of the Cherokee people. These debates happened not in modern times but then. One of Jackson's friends voted against so he would not be Ashamed in the Day of Judgment and sought the Presidency in his stead. Support our sponsor Inkl - www.inkl.com/my-history Support the Podcast on Patreon: www.patreon.com/mhcbuyp Music by Lee Rosevere Email sales@advertisecast.com to enquire about advertising on the podcast We are part of Airwave Media Podcast Network. - airwavemedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Now on The Patreon - Chester Arthur, Part 2- Stalwarts!
05/03/2025 Duration: 02minWhat does it mean to be a Stalwart? In history, it's just a name for political machine pros seeking jobs and being corrupt. But it was more. While telling how Chester Arthur became the nation's most famous fired civil servant, we explain politics in the 19th century. The real battles then were inside the party. On our Patreon now, [www.patreon.com/mhcbuyp] as part of a 4 part series, we discuss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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"REGO" - AL GORE'S REINVENTING GOVERNMENT 1993
05/03/2025 Duration: 27minIt was clunky, and a little Office Space-like. And it cut federal jobs. But then-Vice President Al Gore's "REGO" program was different in many ways from "DOGE" -The 1993 program was bipartisan, considered [cuts were identified, then made, in that order. And it was slow, and generated little protest. It did generate tension in the Clinton White House, which we get into. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Now on the Patreon: Chester Arthur's Early Years, and More
25/02/2025 Duration: 03minA bit about what we've got cooking at Patreon, including the first of three parts of our series on the 21st President. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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PRESIDENTIAL ASSISTANTS AND AIDES "Separated By a Swinging Door"
17/02/2025 Duration: 01h45minFrom the man who answered T.R.'s phone and maybe saved his life, to the secret "Sphinx" around Woodrow Wilson, to Coolidge's surprise enforcer. We look at all sorts of Presidential assistants and aides, both official ones and non-official ones. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Now on the Patreon: Franklin Roosevelt Takes on Jimmy Walker
14/02/2025 Duration: 04minNow on the Patreon: Franklin Roosevelt Takes on Jimmy Walker In the sweltering summer of 1932, Franklin Delano Roosevelt found himself ensnared in a political web spun by the most notorious machine in New York politics—Tammany Hall. As governor of New York, Roosevelt was well aware of the rampant corruption within the city’s government, but his position as the Democratic nominee for president made any decisive action perilous. Removing New York City’s charismatic, scandal-plagued mayor, Jimmy Walker, would mean war with the political bosses whose support he needed. Yet ignoring Walker’s misdeeds would undermine Roosevelt’s image as a reformer and threaten his appeal to progressives across the nation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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AN "INDUSTRIAL SELMA" AND OTHER STORIES - FINAL OF THE ARK OF COMMERCE SERIES
06/02/2025 Duration: 01h32minThe idea of saving manufacturing jobs is front-and-center in American politics today. Examining the history of plant closings and job losses In the 70's and 80's provides an interesting contrast. "We ought to make stuff here, or we should try to keep this plant open." were radical stances, confined to political fringes, and usually left. In once case, a group of workers, residents and church leaders in a town try for what is called an Industrial Selma - a radical plan to reopen a plant led by an activist straight from the Freedom Summer civil rights fights and anti- Vietnam War protests. In the course of telling the story we look at the early American Rust Belt, we look at typical Rust Belt city (that happens to be Bruce's ancestors home). We look at alternatives to closing plants, and we hear a story about the Panic of 1873. This will be the final episode of our second-run of the Ark of Commerce series. This is one of the original episodes, and I'm pleased to provide to Patrons early. Learn more about your
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MAKE IT STOP (Stopping Commerce with Embargoes, Takeovers and Other Methods)- THE ARK OF COMMERCE
03/02/2025 Duration: 01h18minIn our series on American commerce, a look at three instances of when U.S. commerce was stopped, for a variety of reasons. The embargo of 1807 is an important part of the Presidency of Thomas Jefferson, not often examined in detailed compared to other events. It brought serious economic problems, but was held up by Jefferson as an experiment by a peaceful power. We also examine his Treasury Secretary Gallatin, who had to implement the plan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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WONG KIM ARK, BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP, THE CHARMING BETSEY AND THE SAND LOT PROTESTS
29/01/2025 Duration: 43minWhen it comes to citizenship decided by birth, the story of Wong Kim Ark, a young man born in the US of Chinese descent who was denied entry to his country, should be on a few minds. We tell that story in this episode, along with the Sand Lot protests that led to his change in status, and the 1804 about a ship that helped reinforce their thinking. This and thoughts about early Trump Presidency. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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MEASURE EVERYTHING: THE ARK OF COMMERCE
20/01/2025 Duration: 01h28minAn unknown man in a forgotten office develops a number that makes and breaks Presidents. A poet turns his song away from beautiful pastures and towards a metal object. Two 19th century men tire themselves out making machines. They can't know their work will one day put us on the Moon And a man tries to invent an un-commerce, but may have built the 21st century economy instead. In the fifth episode of our series on American commerce, we look at the appraisal and measuring and counting of business. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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DOLLARS IN THE AIR - THE ARK OF COMMERCE
10/01/2025 Duration: 01h12minAir commerce is covered in this episode. Not only vehicles that imitate naval travel in the skies, which seemed to be the future of travel. But also, putting waves into the air and changing the air's temperature. Plus, building large buildings that touch the sky. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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SHOPPING WITH MRS. LINCOLN - THE ARK OF COMMERCE
06/01/2025 Duration: 01h11minThe history of American retail, from Mrs. Lincoln's shopping trips and the innovator who accommodated her, to the price salvationists and tea servers, and finally the Socialist concept that gets the shopping mall going, and the possible death of the shopping mall. Plus the movies, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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LOCO: ARK OF COMMERCE SERIES - A HISTORY OF LAND COMMERCE
03/01/2025 Duration: 01h45minA mysterious crash. A strange contraption. A fateful race, an outbreak of violent activity and a crafty watch-seller. A look at the railroad history of America and the changes the railroad brought. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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TERRIBLE TUESDAY 1987 ("It Was Almost as Bad as Black Monday") THE ARK OF COMMERCE
27/12/2024 Duration: 55minFor Wall Street Insiders, Black Monday was not the worst day. The next day, Terrible Tuesday was an agonizing test of the financial system. As part of our series on the commercial history of the United States, we examine the events of Tuesday the 20th. And we look at the history of insurance in America, the reasons there is a stock market, what was learned and not learned from 1987 and a few other things. A Note - We are pleased to be part of the Airwave Media Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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IF BY SEA- THE ARK OF COMMERCE
23/12/2024 Duration: 01h39minA unique boat is built to overcome a powerful challenge in interstate water commerce. a revolution is fed by fish. A writer turns commerce into words. A well known Revolutionary figure finds an agreeable industry, while young workers take a stand. A new high tech monopoly is broken, and a young boy gets his dream. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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BLACK MONDAY 1987 AND THE PRICE OF EGGS: ARK OF COMMERCE Series
19/12/2024 Duration: 59minWhat'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
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CRASH PARTY 1929 - THE "ARK" OF COMMERCE
17/12/2024 Duration: 01h36minWe 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