Reviews

Very much enjoyed Mike’s anecdote about his dad enjoying American Nazi picnics in the ‘30s and going was against the Axis a few years later.

This initial podcast series was a good ending to the series. The closing statements were especially pertinent and timely as we continue to experience our current chapter of American history. This chapter is being written by a president who most certainly DOES NOT now represent even all of the plurality (not majority) of the voters who elected him. He is also a person who is dominantly ignorant of both US and world history and that fact in clearly reflected in his aberrant and unstable decisions and actions. These are perilous times and clear and real information is essential to hold the foundations of the U.S. experiment in democracy.

Really thrilling review of the material. Marshall’s a real powerhouse of knowledge and the conversations flow so easily. Can’t wait for the next episode.

Another fantastic episode! Very much enjoyed it and learned a lot. A couple things: 1) Marshall repeatedly highlights Fred Trump's arrest at a KKK rally in Queens. I had never heard this piece of information and found it most interesting. However, If you look at Snopes, Newsweek etc. fact checking the 1927 New York Times article that documented his arrest, they note that it isn't clear that Donald Trump was wrong to state that his dad was arrested for fighting against rather than for the Klan. The documentation is that Fred Trump was arrested for failure to disburse and released the next day.  On the other hand, Fred and Donald Trump were both involved in a 1975 consent decree with the Feds for redlining black applicants who wished to rent their apartments. Not a good look for them at all, but also not necessarily the same thing as being a Klan member.  My Chinese mother would tell me "you know that if you marry a white (God forbid a black!) life for you and your kids will be awful.” Of course, both sisters married whites and have great lives, but my point is that low-grade racism in that generation is not notably uncommon, nor is it synonymous with Klan membership. Although strangely enough one of my pure Chinese aunts was a member of John Birch Society. 2. Blake mentions the term "Blue dog Democrats." I'm pretty sure he meant to say "Yellow dog Democrats." Blue dog Democrats are moderate Democrats who cross the aisle to vote with Republicans and compromise for the good of the country.  By contrast, "Yellow dog Democrats" was the term that first arose in Al Smith's campaigns in the 1920s,  with certain Alabamans claiming they would rather vote for a yellow dog than any conceivable Republican candidate. Congratulations on another successful episode! Can't wait for the next.