My History Can Beat Up Your Politics

My History Can Beat Up Your Politics

Since 2006, this podcast has been using history to elevate today's political debates. "The perfect antidote to bloviating talking heads, My History is thoughtful, nuanced, and highly engaging." -Columbia Journalism Review

Episodes

MORE ABOUT THE KEN BURNS AMERICAN REVOLUTION DOCUMENTARY AND BEN FRANKLIN

December 7, 2025 • 50 mins
Deeper dive on Ken Burns documentary and Franklin and Iroquois Confederacy debate. Plus: Iran Iraq war and midterms. Sponsored by: The University of Aberdeen: https://on.abdn.ac.uk/online-history-courses/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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KEN BURNS AMERICAN REVOLUTION DOCUMENTARY - A FEW THOUGHTS

November 30, 2025 • 20 mins
No I don't think the Iroquois Confederacy influenced th Revolution much. (Nor do I think Burns says this). And I take a little issue with American Revolution as a Civil War theory. (If it was merely that, it would have been quickly settled). Sponsored by: The University of Aberdeen: https://on.abdn.ac.uk/online-history-courses/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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The Forgotten Forage War of 1777: Realities of the Revolution

November 29, 2025 • 24 mins
Did New Jersey Save the Revolutionary Cause? Maybe. Amid a sea of troubles, irregular units fight off the British and make their stay in New Jersey less than hospitable. A bit about George Washington's offensive campaign to be sure that the new nation would not be garrisoned. And it happened in New Jersey (we should be clear with a large contingent of soldiers from all across the Eastern Seaboard).   Sponsored by: The Univers...
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I WAS BORN IN 1869: GENERATIONS IN POLITICS

November 26, 2025 • 41 mins
What was it like to be born in 1869? A generation defined by a technology that shook off the yoke of their parent's Civil War and took on the world, and took over the country by the turn of the century. This cast, which was previously recorded. It is as he reveals, Bruce's own favorite cast that he recorded in the show's 12-year history.  Music from Lee Rosevere and KieLoKaz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/a...
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DEATH BY LIGHTNING: My Opinion of the Netflix Series, and Other Thoughts

November 17, 2025 • 32 mins
Well, the 1880's finally has some visual media coverage. That's the good news. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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JOHNSTOWN FLOOD

November 16, 2025 • 6 mins
"The real cause of the damage was the dam failure" We took on this topic a few years ago. With anniversaries of Hurricane Katrina not that far, one might find some comparable items in these two events of history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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1913

November 15, 2025 • 31 mins
Recorded in 2013, about a time now more than a century and 12 years ago. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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THE ZINGER THAT SAVED AMERICA: WEBSTER'S REPLY TO HAYNE

November 10, 2025 • 54 mins
The Union threatened by legislative fiat, a Senator rose to reply to another. For Daniel Webster, it was a real comeback, What we might call a "zinger" today. "Not Liberty First and Union Afterwards! ...but Liberty and Union now and Forever One and Inseparable," Though since it was a 19th century zinger, it took 4 hours to deliver the line. Still it would become some of the most famous oratory in Senate history. When South Caro...
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1990'S EPHEMERA

November 3, 2025 • 86 mins
Push in the drawer of your CD-ROM and enjoy random stories of politics and culture from the 1990's. that did not get much notice since. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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JEFFERSON AND ADAMS

November 2, 2025 • 53 mins
A look at the famous series of letters between Jefferson and Adams. Friends as young diplomats, they 'unfriended' and 'refriended' from the time of their Presidencies and politics to their old age. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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HISTORY OF SHUTDOWNS (from 2013)

October 31, 2025 • 20 mins
Lyndon Johnson wouldn't have been familiar with a shutdown. Grant might have, but it didn't work out the way modern ones do during his time. No, all that we've been experiencing comes down to an obscure ruling from the 1970s, and quickly put in action in 1981. Most hoped it wouldn't be seen again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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TALKING BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN'S NEBRASKA ALBUM (WITH MUSIC REWIND PODCAST)

October 29, 2025 • 58 mins
In this very special episode we replay Bruce's appearance on Music Rewind Podcast (https://www.musicrewindpodcast.com/) to talk about Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska album. It is now the subject of a movie. If you like to hear about albums both new and classic, and hear stories about music, listen to Steve's excellent podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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THE SURPRISING HISTORY OF RANKED CHOICE VOTING

October 27, 2025 • 48 mins
The very Republican and business-like history of American ranked choice voting and single transferable votes, first used in a major city in the 1920's may surprise some who (may) think it's a new idea. Initially created to make a Good Government Charter system work, it was used in Cincinnati for 20 years, and was part of a set of changes that lives on today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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1977 NEW YORK CITY MAYORAL RACE

October 16, 2025 • 65 mins
As a blackout, serial killer and budget crisis hits New York City, an election is held. 2 major figures run, but it's the newcomers who steal the show. A governor tries to extract revenge on a mayor. A newspaper baron goes full-in. And a lingering mystery of dubious importance is created. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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TRENTON TREND: NJ OFF-YEAR GOVERNOR ELECTIONS

October 13, 2025 • 41 mins
A few good yarns about the Garden State and politics. Does the state always vote against the party in the White House? No. Not when a candidate hustles to buck the Trenton Trend. But it does have a contrarian streak. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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MOVE MY BILL: A History of Discharge Petitions

October 9, 2025 • 37 mins
It is a rarely used tactic, but when it works, it can do big things, like moving a bill through Congress even if the Speaker doesn't support it. From civil rights to gun show loopholes, from budget balancing to debt ceilings, we look at the Discharge Petition. And why it's become important for GOP conservatives in the 90's and for Democrats today. We are part of Airwave Media Network (www.airwavemedia.com) Music by Lee Rosevere and...
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CHESTER ARTHUR - PART 5: "HE IS NOT ARTHUR ANYMORE, HE IS THE PRESIDENT!"

October 1, 2025 • 97 mins
The untold story of the 21st President. Music by Lee Rosevere, and others. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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THE HEADSHAKE THAT CHANGED HISTORY And Other Stories

September 22, 2025 • 18 mins
We depart from our Chester Arthur Series briefly with a focus on the moment Garfield was shot, and how a quick action by James Blaine, Secretary of State and no political friend to Arthur, might have changed history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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CHESTER ARTHUR - PART 4: THE PISTOL AND THE TRANSOM

September 18, 2025 • 60 mins
Political violence changes politics. Vice President Chester Arthur is getting the hang of Parliamentary procedure, and building a reputation for being a more partisan vice president than we've seen in a while, Not on the team with his President. Then events will conspire to elevate him in an unexpected way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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CHESTER ARTHUR PART 3: I WILL ACCEPT THE NOMINATION

September 15, 2025 • 67 mins
Arthur makes an unlikely comeback in the 1880 Republican Convention in this episode. The story is a little more complex than it's often told, and involves a bit more of Arthur's skill than is often mentioned. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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