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Letters from an American

Letters from an American

Heather Cox Richardson 782 episodes Latest May 31, 2026

Heather Cox Richardson narrates her newsletter, exploring the historical context behind contemporary American politics. Each episode connects current events to broader historical patterns, offering listeners a deeper understanding of today's political landscape. The podcast is based on her popular Substack publication.

Episodes

Trying to Rewrite the Story Jun 11, 2026 696 June 10, 2026Inflation in May hit its highest level since early 2023, Trump seems unconcerned - revising the story by suggesting that the hit to the economy was strategic, Trump is also rewriting the history of the war that he started in Iran, Reporters in the NY Times have brought Jeffrey Epstein back into the news, suggesting panic in the White House, JD Vance has pressed to have Tim Walz and Ke
A Very Big Deal Indeed Jun 10, 2026 717 June 9, 2026A Very Big Deal IndeedTrump has officially nominated Todd Blanche to become attorney general of the United States, Blanche as formerly Trump’s personal attorney who led the defense team in the case of falsifying records and in the cases for trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election and retaining classified documents, Blanche has flouted the law to do Trump’s bidding, The nomi
The Right of Conscience Jun 9, 2026 588 June 8, 2026On June 8, 1789, James Madison of Virginia introduced a series of amendments to the US Constitution, Ten of his amendments would eventually be adopted and become the Bill of Rights, One of the amendments said that no national religion would be established and the full and equal rights of conscience would not be infringed, Madison cared deeply about keeping the government away from reli
Trump Walks Out Jun 9, 2026 598 June 7, 2026Trump walked out on an interview with Meet the Press host Kristen Welker when she challenged his claim that the 2020 presidential election and recent primary in California were rigged, Trump accused the media of being dishonest - which is exactly what he is doing, Scott Pelley, formerly of 60 Minutes, described CBS news director Bari Weiss's demands that he make changes to reporting fr
We Deserve to Know What is Happening Jun 7, 2026 756 June 6, 2026Senate Republicans passed a measure providing additional funding to ICE and CBP, without any of the reforms Democrats had demanded, ICE and CBP will be funded through the end of Trump’s term no matter the outcome of the midterm elections, There has been no public accounting of how the funds for ICE and CBP are being spent, Democratic amendments caused an 18 hour debate that forced Repu
D-Day Jun 6, 2026 389 June 5, 2026In his June 5th, 1944 Fireside Chat, FDR let Americans know that Rome had fallen to Allied troops, He emphasized how troops from many nations had worked together to defeat the forces of fascism, And he warned that this was just the beginning of the path to victory, FDR knew, but did not tell his audience, that the Allies were on their way into France, That evening, General Dwight D Eis
People are Paying Attention Jun 5, 2026 754 June 4, 2026The Trump administration’s promise to dismantle the liberal consensus got him elected, but the effects of his plans are starting to be widely felt, Tariffs are destroying foreign markets for US agricultural products, The war on Iran is sending the price of fuel and fertilizer soaring, Secretary of Agriculture Brook Rollins was grilled by the House Agriculture Committee, New World screw
A Vast Grab for Power Jun 4, 2026 821 June 3. 2026US Supreme Court allows Alabama to use a 2023 map that had been ruled as unconstitutional because it violates the Fourteenth Amendment and Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, As Trump deteriorates mentallly and physically Republican lawmakers and the administration try to grab as much power as possible, Promises of an end to the war on Iran fizzle and the economy is slowing as oil pric
Destroying the Rule of Law Jun 3, 2026 847 June 2, 2026Administration officials have repeatedly tried to limit access to detention centers across the country, Detainees at the Delaney Hall detention center in New Jersey start a hunger strike to protest dangerous conditions and the lack of access to the legal system, New Jersey’s attorney general is suing the GEO Group which operates Delaney Hall, The destruction of the rule of law at Delan
Trump is Looking for a Lifeline Jun 2, 2026 764 June 1, 2026Trump is caught between demands to deliver on promises to keep Iran from developing nuclear capacity and to open the Strait of Hormuz as oil reserves continue to drop and oil prices in the US continue to rise, Return of Congress raises possibility that a war powers resolution will pass, As soon as details for a framework for ending the war in Iran are leaked to the media, Trump’s base
A Declaration of Conscience Jun 1, 2026 519 May 31, 2026Margaret Chase Smith was elected represent Maine as a Republican in the House after her husband, who held that seat, died in 1940, Smith served three terms in the House and then was elected to the Senate in 1948, Anti-New Deal Republicans were insisting that the US government was sliding toward communism, Senator from Wisconsin, Joseph McCarthy, claimed he had a list of communists work
The Johnstown Flood May 31, 2026 592 May 30, 2026The members of the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club were wealthy and influential, The Club took control of a Pennsylvania reservoir created by damming a river, and enjoyed it for sport, but it had no drainage system, Perched high above Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a factory town, members of the club gave little thought to the people living there, On May 31, 1889, the South Fork Dam fail

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