The Brion McClanahan Show Podcast

The recent events in Florida had some members of the media suggesting that 16 year old Americans should be able to vote. This is democratic and fair, they say. Why stop at 16? Why not 12? or 5? The American infatuation with “democracy” has led to several interesting debates in American history, most importantly the division between the State and general government over who can …more

Laura Ingraham created a stir a couple of weeks ago by suggesting that NBA superstar LeBron James leave politics alone and just “shut up and dribble.” James, other NBA players, and leftist talking heads in both the sports media and cable news pounced, calling her “racist” and demanding an apology. To her credit, Ingraham didn’t back down and instead asked James to come on her …more

Presidents Day. The day dedicated to monarchy worship in America. It also provides an opportunity for every “presidential scholar” to dust off his or her “presidential rankings.” 2018 is no different. Boise State produced a survey of “presidential scholars” that is not only laughable but exposes these people for the poor scholars they actually are, at least in regard to understanding the original intent of …more

Very few people, even academics, know anything about the Tuckers of Virginia. This is unfortunate because they were a truly great American political family. I wrote about St. George Tucker in my How Alexander Hamilton Screwed Up America, but a few years back we dedicated a week to the Tuckers at the Abbeville Institute. St. George is perhaps the most important family member but his …more

Was the United States founded as a “Christian nation?” David Barton will tell you so, and this has become a generally accepting talking point on the American right. But is it true? To be blunt, no, but not because Americans weren’t predominantly Christian. They were, but America was never a “nation,” and the Union was designed to handle the differences–political, economic, cultural, religious–between the States …more

Perhaps no issue is more contentious in the “Civil War” field than that of black Confederates. Did they exist? More importantly, how do we measure “support” during any period of war and what constitutes a “soldier?” Do men who are forcibly drafted into the army “support” the cause? How about non-combat support. Are they soldiers? What about support from the home front? Does non-combat “support” …more

I have received several emails from listeners asking about the Articles of Confederation. Was it that bad? Did the Constitution fundamentally change the Union? What are the similarities between the Constitution and the Articles? Did the States secede from the Articles. Good news. I answer several of these questions in this episode of The Brion McClanahan Show. But you’ll also want to sign up for …more

The American Conservative published a piece last week by David Masciotra titled “The Darker Implications of Trump’s Vulgarity.” This piece is “never Trump” virtue signaling at its finest, but it is also a clear example of the historical ignorance of modern “political thinkers.” Masciotra is a progressive and it shows. His piece is little more than a kindergarten rant, and it displays a complete lack …more

Donald Trump wants Congress to bring back so-called earmarks. This raised concern among some conservatives and libertarians. They believe earmarks lead to more spending and bloated budgets, earmarks are the best path to responsible, transparent government. Thomas Jefferson thought so, as did Madison and Monroe. So does Ron Paul. I give you the historical perspective in this episode of The Brion McClanahan Show.

Was the antebellum South an “oligarchic” society? Many modern scholars seem to think so. One in particular, Forrest Nabors, argues that the South was only saved from itself by the noble Republican Party during Reconstruction. Before that point, the South was not “American” nor did it have “American” institutions. This is pure hogwash, and I explain why in this episode of The Brion McClanahan Show.