SO THESE FIVE GUYS WALK INTO A HOTEL: THE PLAZA ACCORD
In 1985, a new Treasury Secretary had a shocking idea. Get the financial leaders of the world large economies in one gilded hotel room and don't tell the press, or the markets, until the deal is done. The Plaza Accords, as they were dubbed, has come up again in today's tariff discussions. At least one administration official would say it's what's needed today. We get into it, and why it didn't have a long term effect. But it's also true to say this - nothing worked like Plaza before or since.
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48:33
Lexington and Concord: What You May Not Know
You know about the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the shot heard around the world, the minutemen and their trifold hats and muskets. But how much do you really know about the day's events? This episode we look at the day of fighting at Concord, when a British raiding party turned into a display of American resistance and a trial run for American independence. We look at the stories from that day, and deal with some misconceptions and discuss the impact of the American origin story.
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38:55
Listen Now — Fiasco: Iran-Contra
If you like My History Can Beat Up Your Politics, you’ll enjoy the new season of Fiasco, a podcast from Slow Burn creator Leon Neyfakh. Leon transports listeners into the day-to-day reality of the United States’ most pivotal historical events, bringing to life the forgotten twists and turns of the past while shedding light on the present. In his new season, Iran-Contra, Leon looks at a secret war, a secret deal, and a scandal that threatened to destroy Ronald Reagan’s presidency—until it didn’t. In this preview, hear how a crew of amateur spies from Long Island helped the Reagan administration set the stage for Iran-Contra.
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43:48
LINCOLN'S LAND IN IOWA - Now on Patreon
Lincoln 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.
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5:01
GROVER CLEVELANDS THREE WARNINGS ABOUT TARIFFS
The 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.
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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