Episode 469: An American King?

In this episode, we discuss vacuum espionage, election polling, voter bias, and the persistence of the “hidden Republican” phenomenon, before turning to the Foolishness of the Week on Barack Obama’s shifting racial politics. We then speak with historian David Beito, author of FDR: A New Political Life, about Franklin D. Roosevelt’s lasting impact on American governance. We examine how FDR reshaped the federal government through progressivism, centralized planning, and the expansion of executive power, connecting his presidency to modern debates over welfare, economic rights, and political authority. We also explore the contradictions of FDR’s leadership, his charisma and pragmatism alongside his willingness to suppress dissent, and how his policies continue to influence government and public trust today.

00:00 Introduction and Overview

00:53 The Smart Vacuum That Spied

04:25 Off-Year Elections in California and New York

06:55 Polling Bias and the Hidden Republican Vote

09:15 Foolishness of the Week: Barack Obama

10:21 Race, Identity, and Political Opportunism

15:36 Guest Introduction: Historian David Beito

16:58 Debunking the FDR Myth

18:20 FDR’s Progressive Ideology and Power Mindset

26:45 Central Planning and the New Deal

29:09 Comparing FDR to Modern Presidents

31:09 What If FDR Hadn’t Died in Office?

34:53 FDR’s Second Bill of Rights

40:18 Why the Great Depression Lasted Longer in America

43:24 FDR’s Legacy of Surveillance and Bureaucracy

48:10 Emergency Powers and Modern Parallels

52:26 Closing Reflections and Book Plug

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices