My History Can Beat Up Your Politics

Have we forgotten about George W. Bush and how much today's politics were defined during his administration? Does Congress have any role anymore? Have we reached a point where Congress not only has less power but doesn't want to use what it has? Over the years, federal power has shifted from Congress to the President, with particular acceleration since Reagan and George W. Bush's Presidencies. David Sirota of The Lever Podcast and Master Plan Podcast joins us to talk about this trend and how it is a planned effort with people of both parties involved. His podcast, Master Plan, is available at: https://podcasts.apple.com/br/podcast/master-plan/id1723377799 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

They cover Reagan's big 1986 tax overhaul and the closed-door negotiations that shaped it. They recount the controversial 1985 Bitburg/Wittegrave diplomatic trip and its political fallout. They discuss 1986 immigration amnesty and the Greenspan Commission rescue of Social Security. They trace deregulation of savings and loans and the warnings ignored before the costly collapse.

Discussion of rising homelessness and media attention in the 1980s. Examination of federal spending cuts, HUD reductions, and the shift to block grants. Coverage of college funding changes and the impact of deinstitutionalization on mental health and street homelessness. Exploration of Hands Across America, the McKinney Act, and the politics and delayed response surrounding the early AIDS crisis.

A look at a provocative 1987 full-page New York Times ad and why it stunned politics. Discussion of a developer’s push for allies to pay for U.S. oil convoy protection. Examination of the media strategy behind costly ads and how they generate publicity. Context on Gulf naval operations, a tragic civilian shootdown, and how wartime politics reshapes public opinion.

A deep dive into the 24th Amendment's fight against poll taxes and how fees became covered. Political maneuvers from Kennedy to Southern senators are explored. Court battles and tests of the amendment's reach get unpacked. Modern implications for fee-based voting requirements and potential constitutional challenges to recent voting laws are examined.

A tense 1976 GOP nominating fight where Reagan challenges the incumbent for the nomination. Campaign missteps, a late Southern surge, and delegate math dominate the narrative. Convention intrigue includes strategic gambles, uncommitted and bound delegate drama, platform battles, and a climactic first-ballot victory with a pivotal concession speech.

A brisk tour of Reagan's foreign adventures in Central America, Lebanon, Poland and Grenada. Stories cover U.S. backing for brutal regimes, covert aid to rebels and a controversial harbor-mining scandal. The Beirut peacekeeping disaster and the Grenada invasion get sharp attention. Trade ties with China and the personal influence behind key decisions also come into focus.

They probe Reagan's political transformation from New Deal supporter to conservative firebrand. They dissect the KAL-007 shootdown and Reagan's restrained yet forceful international response. They unpack Reagan-era economics using a Rubik's Cube metaphor, covering growth, inflation, unemployment, deficits, inequality, and the Fed's role. The episode ends by weighing a mixed legacy.

They unpack Reagan's clash with air traffic controllers and how breaking strikes reshaped labor relations. They trace the joy of early tax cuts turning into alarm over soaring deficits. They describe Stockman's budget battles, failed compromises, and the 1982 tax deal. They explore rising defense costs and Reagan's shift to tougher Cold War rhetoric.

A replayed deep dive into the attempted assassination, the chaotic rescue, and the medical drama that nearly ended his presidency. Discussion of how the crisis shaped political momentum and public image. Exploration of early policy battles: tax cuts, budget fights, Social Security controversy, and the key players who steered the White House through turmoil.