On this episode of Now & Then, “Government Debt Roulette,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman discuss the dynamics of the current political battle over raising the debt ceiling. Then, they offer an overview of debt in American history, from Alexander Hamilton’s belief in using debt to build the country, to how President Lincoln offset Civil War debt, to the politicization of the debt ceiling by Republicans over the last 30 years. What can debt accomplish? What can debt block? And how have American views on debt and credit shifted over time?
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I’m so glad you’ve put these here! My Apple Podcasts app is glitchy, but these links seem to work just fine. Any chance of linking your Facebook Live talks too?
I am ever grateful for your insights. Though the news I glean from your posts certainly isn’t always peachy, it is reliably clear-eyed and that helps me sleep better in these unsettling times. Thank you for your work and your example, dear Dr. Richardson.