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Letters from an American

Letters from an American

Heather Cox Richardson 782 Episodes Oct 13, 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

Radicalism
Radicalism Oct 13, 2026 1071 October 12, 2026Billionaire Elon Musk has put at least $366 million into trying to elect Republicans in the midterm elections, Republicans are publishing material accusing Democrats of being radicals, But it is the right that is radical, attempting to consolidate power in the hands of a few, The administration conducted a raid on the home of a sitting congressperson for a baseless reason, The raid
How Much Longer?
How Much Longer? Oct 11, 2026 852 October 10, 2026Trump is openly backing Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, Trump blamed President Zelensky for prolonging the war waged by Russia, Trump has issued a warning to Zelensky, The US previously stood against Russia’s invasions of Ukraine, In 1991 Russia agreed to secure Ukraine’s borders, but Putin worked to bring Ukraine under the sway of Russian oligarchs, After the election of Vikto
Smash and Grab
Smash and Grab Oct 10, 2026 947 October 9, 2026Kimberly Guilfoyle, Trump's ambassador to Greece, was revealed to have asked Eric Deters, who wanted help from the administration with tax and legal issues, for money to pay her credit card bill, The grifting and corruption of Trump’s family and associates continued with news that a company co-founded by a recent appointment at the Pentagon landed a $2.9 billion contract with the Na
Why We Remember the Great Chicago Fire
Why We Remember the Great Chicago Fire Oct 10, 2026 681 October 8, 2026On October 8, 1871, the Peshtigo Fire burned through the Midwest, and claimed between 1,500 and 2,000 lives, The Peshtigo Fire was the deadliest wildfire in US history, The Great Chicago Fire happened the same day, but was smaller and less deadly, Yet the Great Chicago Fire is the one people remember, It fit into a political narrative about the danger of organized labor, After the C
I Can Do Whatever I Want
I Can Do Whatever I Want Oct 8, 2026 181 October 7, 2026On October 7, 2016, the story of the Access Hollywood tape broke, in which Trump told tv host Billy Bush about his approach to women, Five years later on October 7, 2021, the Senate Judiciary Committee’s draft report on its investigation into Trump's attempt to use the Department of Justice to overturn the results of the 2020 election found that Trump abused the power of the preside
Panic
Panic Oct 7, 2026 894 October 6, 2026Trump’s social media posts suggest he is panicking, Trump is blaming Ukraine for driving up oil prices, He is incensed about reports that people aren’t turning out for his rallies, He accuses the New York Times of doctoring a picture of Trump National Doral where he will hold the G20 summit, He has attacked Annie Andrews, the Democratic candidate for the US Senate from South Carolin
Undermining the Post-WWII Order
Undermining the Post-WWII Order Oct 6, 2026 791 October 5, 2026The US Southern Command struck another small boat in the Caribbean, bringing the number of strikes to more than 70, The administration has not made its justification for the strikes public, although there was a DOJ memo, US District Judge Engelmayer has demanded that it be shown to him, Pete Hegseth told reporters that the US can move military personnel from Europe and that the US i
A Flood of Corruption Stories
A Flood of Corruption Stories Oct 5, 2026 761 October 4, 2026Saying he will make a payment to seniors, and also pay all Americans if Republicans win in the midterms, Trump is openly talking about using taxpayer money to buy votes, Trump is increasingly worried about Democrats winning control of Congress in the upcoming elections, Democratic control of one or both chambers of Congress will mean that investigations will start immediately, The a
Power to the People
Power to the People Oct 4, 2026 306 October 3, 2026The Power to the People festival on October 3rd, organized by Tom Morello,  had a legendary line-up of musicians, Attendees could find ways to get involved in government and a portion of the proceeds went to VoteRiders, a nonpartisan organization working to overcome barriers to voting, The artists urged Americans to remember they have the power to build a better nation and vote the
A Seismic Political Change
A Seismic Political Change Oct 3, 2026 719 October 2, 2026Trump held a campaign rally in Mobile, Alabama today, Mobile is where his MAGA rallies really took off in August 2015 when more than 30,000 people showed up, In 2015, Trump tapped into the anger of people who felt they had been dispossessed, Trump promised to bring back jobs and the military and to “Make America Great Agatin,” Trump’s return to Mobile was different, with many fewer
An Immediate Calamity
An Immediate Calamity Oct 3, 2026 758 October 1, 2026The Trump administration is defying Congress, taking funds appropriated for specific purposes and redirecting them, Some of those funds were used to pay for the ads boosting Trump before the midterms, The destruction of the fundamental separation of powers at the heart of our government has gotten little pushback from Republicans, Trump’s administration has not invited U.S, allies t
Withdrawal from Iraq
Withdrawal from Iraq Oct 1, 2026 583 September 30, 2026After more than two decades, the deaths of countless Iraqi civilians and more than 4,500 US troops, the wounding of more than 30,000 US military personnel, and a cost of more than $2.8 trillion, the US has pulled out the last of its forces from Erbil Air Base in northern Iraq, A small contingent of advisors had remained after the US and Iraq agreed to a withdrawal plan in 2024, A

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