The Brion McClanahan Author & Historian Blog

A listener asked me to discuss a few landmark Supreme Court cases and how they affected the United States. Great idea during SCOTUS week. That led me to one in the 18th century, one in the antebellum 19th century, and one during Reconstruction. I cover all three in my American Constitutions course at McClanahan Academy. Use coupon code RBG and get 35% off, and listen …more

In case you are living under a rock, Ruth Bader Ginsburg died over the weekend. The left has gone nuts, as expected, and her death has created a supposed “constitutional crisis.” Not so. It should also never be so. Ginsburg was a disaster for the Constitution, but her death also highlights why the Supreme Court is so dangerous. I explain in this episode of The …more

A federal judge declared the Draconian lock downs in Pennsylvania to be unconstitutional. This is a great win for liberty, right? Yes and no. Anyone with a brain knew that these laws were problematic legally according to the PA Constitution. But that is not what the federal judge decided. The laws were unconstitutional because they violated the 1st and 14th Amendments to the US Constitution. …more

Some New York legislators want to decentralize New York. Instead of letting New York City run the State, these independent thinking New Yorkers want to divide the State into three regional governments. The Governor would have little power and New York City would be reduced to ruining its own territory instead of the entire State. This is an interesting idea and one that deserved a …more

Is there some truth to the 1619 Project? Absolutely. The problem is not in the information but in the interpretation. The project uses words like “genocide” to describe the “founding” of the United States. That is a distortion of the historical record. The real aim, veiled by the project;s supporters, is to supplant traditional “nationalist” history with underrepresented “nationalist” history. I explain what this means …more

Representative Louie Gohmert of Texas wants to cancel the Democrat Party. This might seem like a good idea (while we’re at it, can we cancel the Republican Party), but it’s based on a stupid and juvenile understanding of American history, one that undercuts American conservatism and opens the door to progressive triumph. I talk about why in this episode of The Brion McClanahan Show.

President Trump told people in North Carolina that the assault on monuments is “aimed at America’s guts.” What does this mean? Do monuments represent the “guts” of the American people, and how so? This is more than just an attack on history. But what are the “guts” of the American experience. I try to answer that question in this episode of The Brion McClanahan Show.

Senator Ben Sasse wants to “Make the Senate Great Again.” To do so he suggests that we repeal the 17th Amendment along with other structural changes. Some of his suggestions make sense. Others, not so much, but his proposal hides the real problem with the Senate (and the US Government): nationalism. Get the scoop in this episode of The Brion McClanahan Show.

Donald Trump has come under fire for language the could “incite” his supporters to violence. Other speech has been canceled by the left because they don’t like the message. What does this say about American culture and the Constitution? This is an old debate, and I cover some history of “free speech” in this episode of The Brion McClanahan Show.

Four Georgia families had enough. Faced with what they consider to be a violent environment, these families pooled their resources and bought over 96 acres of land in Georgia to create a safe-zone and eventually an incorporated town. Called the Georgia Freedom Initiative, these Georgians want to rid themselves of “Karens”–Yankees–and have a safe community that could lead to “generational wealth.” This private initiative is …more