Most people seem to think that “think locally, act locally” is the product of some crazy conspiracy and distortion of history. Not so. In fact, two of the greatest American minds openly discussed federalism and decentralization. An amazing 1798 exchange between Thomas Jefferson and John Taylor of Caroline highlights that our political problems are not new and even members of the founding generation thought “think …more
A recent poll found that 70% of Americans think we are on the brink of civil war. This is troubling, but it is a symptom of American nationalism. This is a think locally, act locally episode.
My latest McClanahan Academy course is now available, United States History 1865 to the Present. You’re going to want to get this class. I title the last unit in the course The Triumph of Progressivism. Why? Because the progressive movement has transformed American society and most people don’t realize it. We view almost everything in America through a progressive lens. Even “conservatives” do this, particularly …more
Jarrett Stepman has a new book out for Regnery titled, The War on History. This is a great subject and a needed tome on the ongoing effort to destroy Western Civilization. I offer my honest review of both the book and the subject in this episode of The Brion McClanahan Show.
Professor Steele Brand wrote an op-ed for the Washington Post arguing that Roman History should be the savoir of America. The founding generation were certainly reared on stories of Roman republicanism, there is little doubt that this type of republicanism molded the culture of the founding generation. But can this help us today? In short, yes, but not completely in the way Brand suggests.
The big question of the day: has Trump committed impeachable offenses? The talking points have been distributed and almost every Democratic presidential candidate insists that Trump violated his oath of office. It’s almost as if they read my book 9 Presidents Who Screwed Up America. Except, if they had, they would know that their position is on thin ice, at least in regard to the …more
Donald Trump is facing impeachment. Climate alarmists are twerking in DC. The Republicans in Washington are still spineless, and the Democrats are lunatics, and I say to myself, what a wonderful world. Why? Because none of that matters. I adopted a think locally, act locally mentally long ago. Most Americans, however, do not share the same attitude as evidenced by a recent poll. They can’t …more
The Washington Post published a piece by journalist Eve Fairbanks a few weeks back titled, “The ‘reasonable rebels.’” Guess what? Everything we hate about American politics, particularly the rhetoric from the right, is because the South ruined America. That’s right. You really can’t make up this kind of stupidity, but Eve Fairbanks tried. You see, there is really nothing to modern right wing political discourse. …more
Professor Allen Guelzo has a new video at Prager U “explaining” the “good, bad, and ugly” of Reconstruction. Anyone that has watched a Prager U video knows where this is headed. I laughed through the entire six minutes. Guelzo has a history of South hating rhetoric, and he is a Lincolnian’s Lincolnian. This guy never met a war he didn’t like, an occupation he didn’t …more
Professor Donald Kettl has an interesting spin on the current partisanship in America. In his mind, the States are driving conflict. Why? Because they are passing legislation other States don’t like in an effort to push an agenda. Sounds like history to me. It also misses the point. The only way this would create conflict is through nationalism. I explain the real issue in this …more
Most Americans recognize a few of the Founding Fathers—Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Hamilton, Adams, Franklin—but what about some of the important but forgotten men who have been lost to time? They have great stories that need to be told. Here are ten whose fantastic lives are in many ways better than fiction.
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