The Millennial's Guide to This Historic Moment: Recent Episodes
Ty Wycoff
In his circle of friends, Ty Wycoff is "that" politics friend: the one you grab a drink with to catch up on what's happening, shoot a quick text to ask what the news you just heard is all about, and call in a panic on Election Night because Michigan looks like its going to go red, all the while knowing you'll get a history lesson you didn't ask for. Join Ty as he gives you the bigger picture, putting today's political events into historical context with intellectual honesty, authenticity, and millennial snark.
In the series conclusion, we explore how the clash between Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass would come to define the moral contours of the Civil War, what their collusion means for us now, and what it demands of us as Americans that the ghost of the Confederacy lives on today.
Written, produced, and hosted by Ty Wycoff
Music by Ty Wycoff
Resources/Mentioned in the Episode
I use a variety of sources for my scripts, but if you’re interested in diving deeper, here’s a few of the books I would recommend that were used for this series:
Bending Toward Justice by Gary May
Stony the Road by Henry Louis Gates Jr.
The Second Founding and The Fiery Trial, both by Eric Foner
Lincoln and Emancipation by Edna Greene Medford
Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom, by David W. Blight
How the South Won the Civil War by Heather Cox Richardson
Grant by Ron Chernow
Team of Rivals and Leadership in Turbulent Times, both by Dorris Kearns Goodwin
Giants by John Stauffer
Thank You’s
The podcast has largely been on pause due to lack of time and other work. A huge thanks to my Patrons who have kept the lights on during this uncertain phase:
Derek Lichtner, Jeny Covill, Brandon Suthard, Dale Wycoff, Jamie Cody-Ferguson, Joshua Covill, Danielle de Leon Patrick.
No less, THM continues forward until I can run at it full time. In the meantime, you can find content on Instagram @thishistoric for political updates or to reach out to me.
Support the show
Disinformation is based in the Soviet military strategy of reflexive control, and its use arguably enabled Russia to annex Crimea. But Russian disinformation’s failure to accomplish in 2022 what it did in 2014 is due to one person, and he just might provide the key to defeating disinformation in another goal of the Russian government: dividing the United States.
\Written, produced, and hosted by Ty Wycoff
Music by Ty Wycoff
Resources/Mentioned in the Episode
New Yorker’s Politics & More Podcast: Igor Novikov on Standing His Ground in Ukraine
The Twilight of Democracy by Anne Applebaum
Follow the show on Instagram @thishistoric for political updates in between episodes.
Check out Ty’s articles on Medium
A huge thanks to all of my Patrons for making this show happen! Want to support the show? Head to the This Historic Moment Patreon
Derek Lichtner, Joshua Covill, Brandon Suthard, Rebecca Wycoff, Dale Wycoff, Chris Krager, Stevie Covill, Jamie Cody-Ferguson, Aurora Darling, Chelsea O’Hara, Spencer Harris, Larissa Wycoff, Natali Kragh, Kailey Adams, Yosef Smid, Danielle de Leon Patrick, Jeny Covill
Have a topic idea you want covered? Found something I said that is incorrect? Shoot an email to: thishistoricmoment@gmail.com
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thishistoric)
As Democrats bet on bucking historical trends and Republicans bet on Donald Trump’s better angels, the midterm elections have become a battle of which party can do worse.
Written, produced, and hosted by Ty Wycoff
Music by Ty Wycoff
Follow the show on Instagram @thishistoric for political updates in between episodes.
Check out Ty’s articles on Medium https://tywycoff.medium.com/
A huge thanks to all of my Patrons for making this show happen!
Derek Lichtner, Joshua Covill, Brandon Suthard, Rebecca Wycoff, Dale Wycoff, Chris Krager, Stevie Covill, Jamie Cody-Ferguson, Aurora Darling, Ásta Bowen, Chelsea O’Hara, Steve Hermes, Spencer Harris, Larissa Wycoff, Ally Nagel, Natali Kragh, Kailey Adams, Yosef Smid
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thishistoric)
Democrats saw a foreshadowing of the midterm elections to come in Virginia’s gubernatorial election on Tuesday. It might mean a pathway for the Republican Party to recapture Congress and the White House. But what does it mean for the Democratic Party and President Joe Biden’s agenda? And what does it mean for the fate of the filibuster?
Written, produced, and hosted by Ty Wycoff
Episode music and theme music by Ty Wycoff
Follow the show on Instagram @thishistoric for political updates in between episodes.
Check out Ty’s articles on Medium. https://tywycoff.medium.com/
A huge thanks to all of my Patrons for making this show happen!
Derek Lichtner, Joshua Covill, Brandon Suthard, Rebecca Wycoff, Dale Wycoff, Chris Krager, Stevie Covill, Jamie Cody-Ferguson, Aurora Darling, Ásta Bowen, Chelsea O’Hara, Steve Hermes, Spencer Harris Larissa Wycoff, Ally Nagel, Natali Kragh, Kailey Adams, Yosef Smid
Have a topic idea you want covered? Found something I said that is incorrect? Shoot an email to: ty@thishistoric.com
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thishistoric)
States’ rights is one of the arguments we hear today to justify the G.O.P.‘s sweep in passing restrictive voting laws. But what does states’ rights actually mean? Where does the idea come from? And why is it that something the Democratic Party of the 1800’s argued for is now argued by the Republican Party of today?
Join host Ty Wycoff as he explores equality as a zero-sum game, the dark history behind states’ rights, and what one President did to take on the Ku Klux Klan.
Written, produced, and hosted by Ty Wycoff
Episode music and theme music by Ty Wycoff
Follow the show on Instagram @thishistoric for political updates in between episodes.
Check out some of Ty’s articles on Medium
A huge thanks to all of my Patrons for making this show happen!
Derek Lichtner, Joshua Covill, Brandon Suthard, Rebecca Wycoff, Dale Wycoff, Chris Krager, Stevie Covill, Jamie Cody-Ferguson, Aurora Darling, Ásta Bowen, Chelsea O’Hara, Steve Hermes, Spencer Harris, Larissa Wycoff, Ally Nagel, Natali Kragh, Kailey Adams, Yosef Smid
Have a topic idea you want covered? Found something I said that is incorrect? Shoot an email to: ty@thishistoric.com
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thishistoric)
California Governor Gavin Newsom dominated the election to recall him. But it doesn’t say much about how the state feels about Newsom. Instead, it says a lot more about the current state of the G.O.P. and the collapse of moderate Republicanism.
Updates Since Recording
- I totally did pronounce Falconer wrong
- Currently, the results of the recall election with 92% of the vote in is 62.8% on No to Recalling Newsom and 37.2% on Yes. Larry Elder still leads the field of replacements with 47.9% of the vote, but that would only matter if there was a majority for Yes - which isn’t likely to happen.
Follow the show on Instagram for political updates in between episodes. The Instagram handle is @thishistoric
Check out some of Ty’s articles on Medium
A huge thanks to all of my Patrons for making this show happen!
SenatorsDerek Lichtner, Joshua Covill, Brandon Suthard, Rebecca Wycoff, Dale Wycoff, Chris Krager, Stevie Covill, Jamie Cody-Ferguson, Aurora Darling, Ásta Bowen, Chelsea O’Hara, Steve Hermes, Spencer Harris
RepresentativesKailey Adams, Larissa Wycoff, Ally Nagel, Natali Kragh, Yosef Smid
Have a topic idea you want covered? Found something I said that is incorrect? Shoot an email to: ty@thishistoric.com
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thishistoric)
In 1965, the Civil Rights Voting Act empowered the federal government to protect voting rights from the former Confederate states determined to maintain white supremacy. After a 2013 Supreme Court decision, today the Voting Rights Act now lies in comatose - as an unprecedented blitz of restrictive voting laws sweep state legislatures across the country. This history of racism in the U.S. is a long one, but to understand how it operates today we must look at it through the lens of political power, and against the backdrop of a freedom promised in ink and bought with blood, but never fully delivered in practice.
Hosted by Ty Wycoff
Script and Music by Ty Wycoff
Check out the New Website!
www.thishistoric.com
Follow the Show
Follow Ty
- Medium
A huge thanks to all of my Patrons for making this show happen!
Derek Lichtner, Abby Gibson, Joshua Covill, Brandon Suthard, Rebecca Wycoff, Dale Wycoff, Chris Krager, Stevie Covill, Jamie Cody-Ferguson, Aurora Darling, Ásta Bowen, Chelsea O’Hara, Steve Hermes Kyle Korsa, Matt Becker, Larissa Wycoff, Natali Kragh, Ally Nagel, Kailey Adams, Aly Friesen
Have a topic idea you want covered? Shoot an email to: ty@thishistoric.com
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thishistoric)
Two events, four decades apart: One is the murder of a 15 year old boy in 1930's Texas. The other is the attempted assassination of a U.S. President. These two events collide in ways no one could have imagined, setting the stage for a war between common sense and one of the most powerful forces in American political history: The National Rifle Association.
Mentioned in EpisodeVisit the link below to find out who your Senators are and how to contact them. If solving the gun crisis is important to you, then call your Senators and tell them to support Senate passage of the recent bills passed in the House: HR 8 - The Bipartisan Background Checks Act and HR- 1446 The Enhanced Background Checks Act
https://rebrand.ly/findyoursentors
Key Topics
- A Small Border Town Murder
- The Attempted Assassination of Ronald Reagan
- The Brady Bill: What Works, What Doesn’t
- The Founding of the National Rifle Association
- An N.R.A. Divided Cannot Stand
- The Cincinnati Revolt
- A Buried News Dug Up in Texas
- The Secret Behind the N.R.A.’s Power
- Over and Over
- The Winds Might Be Changing
Check out the New Website!
www.thishistoric.com
Follow the Show
Follow Ty
- Medium
Have a topic idea you want covered? Shoot an email to: ty@thishistoric.com
I'll give ya a shoutout on the show if I use your idea.
A huge thanks to all of my Patrons for making this show happen!
Senators
Derek Lichtner, Abby Gibson, Joshua Covill, Brandon Suthard, Rebecca Wycoff, Dale Wycoff, Chris Krager, Stevie Covill, Jamie Cody-Ferguson, Aurora Darling, Ásta Bowen, Chelsea O’Hara, Steve Hermes
Representatives
Kyle Korsa, Matt Becker, Larissa Wycoff, Natali Kragh, Ally Nagel, Kailey Adams, Aly Friesen
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thishistoric)
With a strategy crafted by legislative politics mastermind Mitch McConnell, the GOP laid waste to House Democrats in 2010, picking up the Senate in 2014, and capturing the White House in 2016.
As President Joe Biden signs the latest covid relief bill - the American Rescue Plan Act - the Republican Party is deploying that same strategy they used in 2010.
But does it work in 2021? Because the latest polling shows that if it fails, the cost is much higher now: the death of the filibuster.
Check out the New Website!
www.thishistoric.com
Follow the Show
Follow Ty
- Medium
A huge thanks to all of my Patrons for making this show happen!
Senators
Derek Lichtner, Abby Gibson, Joshua Covill, Brandon Suthard, Rebecca Wycoff, Dale Wycoff, Chris Krager, Stevie Covill, Jamie Cody-Ferguson, Aurora Darling, Ásta Bowen, Chelsea O’Hara, Steve Hermes
Representatives
Kyle Korsa, Matt Becker, Larissa Wycoff, Natali Kragh, Ally Nagel, Kailey Adams, Aly Friesen
Have a question or a topic you want covered? Shoot an email to: ty@thishistoric.com
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thishistoric)
Engaging our political opponents has become a seemingly impossible task. It often feels like we are screaming at a brick wall. Though we might put our best selves into convincing others - the articles, the words, the arguments, the passion - often our effort reveals itself to be a fruitless exercise in hearing the sound of our own voice.
How do we have better political conversations? Or talk politics constructively? We need a new approach to political conflict. But can we find one that allows us to be brutally honest while not sacrificing our relationships? An approach that allows to keep on with the cause without dehumanizing each other?
Join Ty as he offers tips that have worked well for him, both on social media and off, and explores what lessons we might learn from that one time Honest Abe found himself toe to toe with a political rival in a sword fight.
CORRECTION: In 1842, Abraham Lincoln would not have been a "former U.S. Representative." At that time, he was a former Illinois State Representative.
Mentioned in the Episode
Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin
Behind the Curve
Follow the ShowFollow @thishistoric on Instagram for the latest updates on the biggest political events.
Support the Show
Head to patreon.com/thishistoric if you'd like to contribute to the show! A huge thanks to those patrons who are not only keeping the show running, but giving the show what needs to grow!
Senators
Derek Lichtner, Abby Gibson, Joshua Covill, Brandon Suthard, Rebecca Wycoff, Chris Krager, Stevie Covill, Jamie Cody-Ferguson, Aurora Darling
RepresentativesKyle Korsa, Matt Becker, Natali Kragh, Larissa Wycoff
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thishistoric)
Some believe the filibuster is an invention of the framers of the Constitution, a counter-device created to protect the minority party. But the filibuster isn’t that at all - it’s actually a mistake, leading to gridlock and stalemate in the Senate.
The Democratic Party may find itself in the position to end the filibuster once and for all, opening the lane for the President and his party to accomplish the Biden administration's agenda. It is a gambit, and the party risks finding themselves on the business end of a central rule in politics: there is no such thing as a permanent majority.
What is the filibuster? Does it have a useful purpose? And can Democrats find a way to end the gridlock without voluntarily handing their majority over?
The Patreon has launched! www.patreon.com/thishistoricYour support not only helps me keep the lights on, but it will go back into the show. Read about where your support on Patreon is going! A special shoutout to the first three listeners who signed up for the Patreon on launch day! Derek Lichtner, Abby Gibson, and Josh Covill. Mentioned in Episode
The Smart Way to Fix the Filibusterby Norman Ornstien
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I am working to get more active on Facebook and Twitter, but its taking time to integrate/building followings. Thanks for your patience!
Follow Ty
- Medium
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thishistoric)
On January 6th, MAGA-clad insurrectionists attacked the U.S. Capitol, there to fulfill Donald Trump's call to "stop the count." But more than the building, they attacked what Ronald Reagan called "the bulwark of our Republic," the continuity of government; the peaceful transfer of power.
In that moment, Americans were exposed to the fundamental truth of democracy, a truth we often experience as a nightmare.
But when we courageously embrace that truth, we can then experience as something else entirely: a miracle.
Follow the Show
- Newly launched on Instagram!
Follow Ty
- Medium
Patreon launching February 1st!
Have a topic you want covered? Shoot an email to: thishistoricmoment@gmail.com
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thishistoric)
Threatening to upend the GOP’s chances in Georgia, Trump loyalist Sidney Powell has vowed to “unleash the Kraken,” the proof that voter fraud is the reason the President lost the election. But just like Powell’s Kraken, Donald Trump is built on a myth, too.
Mentioned in the Episode
- A House Built On Sand: The GOP Civil War in Georgia Will Test the Foundations of the Party
- David Perdue/Jon Ossoff Debate
- Kelly Loeffler/Raphael Warnock Debate
Follow the Show
- Newly launched on Instagram!
Follow Ty
- Medium
Patreon launching soon
Have a topic idea you want covered? Shoot an email to: thishistoricmoment@gmail.com
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thishistoric)
Politics has always been a long game, but on a political landscape reduced to circus and conspiracy, it can be defeating, overwhelming, and despairing. How do you keep hope in politics? How can you stay engaged without drowning?
Key Topics
- Joseph R. Biden will be the 46th President of the United States
- Politics is Like Getting on the Highway
- We Need A New Approach to Politics
- Defining Hope
- 8 Tips to Keep Hope in Political Engagement
- When Bobby’s Train Passed Through
- The Good News About Hope
Mentioned in This Episode
- Letter from Birmingham Jail by the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
- Behind Martin Luther King’s Searring ‘Letter from Birmingham Jail’
- Stephen Colbert testifying before the House Judiciary Committee
- The Last Campaign: Robert F. Kennedy and 82 Days That Inspired America by Thurston Clarke
- Bobby Kennedy for President docuseries by Dawn Porter
Follow the Show
- Newly launched on Instagram!
Follow Ty
- Medium
Have a topic idea you want covered? Shoot an email to:
thishistoricmoment@gmail.com
Patreon coming soon!
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thishistoric)
Questions about the legitimacy of this historic election are rising out of the chaos: a hindered postal service, claims of voter fraud, and a global pandemic. But another question is the legitimacy of our votes. So let's talk about your ballot: What do all the different races mean? Which races are important? How do I pick a candidate? Can my vote actually affect change? How does change actually happen?
And most importantly: Does my vote count?
Because for some Americans, it won’t.
Key Topics:
- Whats On Your Ballot
- The Importance of Local and State Races
- How Do I Choose A Candidate?
- Ballot Initiatives - What They Are And How to Navigate Them
- Voter Fraud - Is It A Thing?
- Voter Suppression: An American Tradition
- 11 States and 3 Countries - We are growing!
- Afterword: We Have to Take Care of Each Other
Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
For information on candidates and races at all levels:
Ballotpedia
For voting information, how to get registered, deadlines, and everything you need to know in your state:
BetterKnowABallot
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please reach out to someone:
National Suicide Prevention Hotline
- 1-800-273-TALK (8522)
- 24/7, 365 days a year
- To learn more information, visit:
- Suicide Prevention Life Line.Org
National Crisis Text Line
- Text: 741741
- To learn more information, visit:
- Crisis Text Line.Org
5 Common Myths About Suicide Debunked
Warning Signs and Risk Factors of Suicide
If you've been enjoying the show, please leave me a rating and an honest because that allows me to reach a wider audience and your honest feedback helps me to create a better show!
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- Email me: thishistoricmoment@gmail.com
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thishistoric)
The first 2020 Presidential Debate was brutal. The media has compared it to a dumpster fire. But that's completely unfair to dumpster fires. We've come a long way from Kennedy and Nixon, but what does it mean for the future?
Key Topics
- Kennedy versus Nixon: Debates Are Not About Facts
- Biden versus Trump
- Trump's Strategy - Rattle Biden
- Biden's Strategy - Address the American People
- Biden's Errors Were Drowned Out by Donald Trump
- The Real Problem with Trump's Taxes
- Trump Is Asked the Easiest Question in Politics... And He Blew It
- Donald Trump Is Not Cheating to Win the Election. He's Cheating to Lose.
- What We Need to Be Prepared for This Election
- The Debates Show Us That Something Needs to Change. What Is It?
Resources
Article on Trump's strategy
Want more?
-Follow me on Medium to read articles and additional content.
-Follow me on Twitter to cringe at me laughing at my own jokes.
thishistoricmoment@gmail.com
-Questions, corrections, feedback, topics you want me to cover, or just to say hello, email me
I’m going to start reading listener questions on the show by the end of this month, so send em’ my way!
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thishistoric)
Fighting to keep her decade-and-a-half Senate seat against Democrat Sara Gideon, Republican Senator Susan Collins is in the fight of her career. Collins won her last re-election by 37 points, but today, Gideon leads her by 5. Can she turn things around before it’s too late? Or will the Supreme Court fight about to erupt put an end to any hope she has?
In a new series, we’ll be focusing on the Senate battleground races that could determine which party controls the Senate next year, and the GOP Senators who are in for a rough six weeks.
NOTE: The debate clips in this episode are not from the most recent Maine Senate debate, which occurred the night before publishing. But let me know your thoughts on the most recent debate: thishistoricmoment@gmail.com
Key Topics:
Brace Yourselves, the Debates Are Coming
Vulnerable Republican Senators and What Their Races Mean for the Senate
- A Clear Loser in the Susan Collins/Sara Gideon Debate
- The Unfortunate Job of Defending Donald Trump
- The Self-Sabotaging Trend in the Republican Party
- Brett Kavanaugh, Roe v. Wade, and the losing bet Susan Collins Made.
- The Last Thing Susan Collins Needed Before An Election: Amy Coney Barrett
If you’re enjoying the show, please leave a rating and an honest review because ratings help me reach a wider audience and your feedback helps me to create a better show!
Want more?
-Follow me on Medium to read articles and additional content.
-Follow me on Twitter to cringe at me laughing at my own jokes.
-Questions, corrections, feedback, topics you want me to cover, or just to say hello, shoot me an email me: thishistoricmoment@gmail.com
I’m going to start reading listener questions on the show by the end of this month, so send em’ my way!
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thishistoric)
Giant of the Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away last weekend. The Republican Party is pressing forward with filling her seat only weeks before the election, a reversal from the GOP's 2016 position on nominees during an election year. Between Mitch McConnell, SCOTUS, and the 2020 election, what does this historic moment mean for the future of the country?
Episode Transcript
Key Topics:
- Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Legacy 0:15
- The Importance of Dissent on SCOTUS 1:08
- The Politics of the Supreme Court: 8 Possibilities, Reminders, and Things to Watch Out For 3:21
- What Will Likely Happen 10:02
- What Should Happen 10:18
- A Word For Those Who Are Afraid 11:26
If you’re enjoying the show, please leave a rating and an honest review because ratings help me reach a wider audience and your feedback helps me to create a better show!
Want more?-Follow me on Medium to read my articles and additional content.
-Follow me on Twitter to cringe at me laughing at my own jokes.
-Questions, corrections, feedback, topics you want me to cover, or just to say hello, email me:
thishistoricmoment@gmail.com
I’m going to start reading listener questions on the show by the end of this month, so send em’ my way!
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thishistoric)
The conventions have wrapped and election season is in full swing. But with only 2 months to go, Donald Trump had a rough week. If its any indication, we're in a for a wild ride to the most consequential elections of our life time.
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Sound the alarms and seal the exits; this is not a test. The 2020 Republican National Convention warns of a desolate wasteland if Democrats take the White House. But does that message move the needle in this election?
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Democrats made history with the first nominating convention held virtually. What happened at the Democratic National Convention 2020? How well did it go for being a new format? Did Dems send the right message to the right voters? And what does it mean for the election?
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As COVID-19 tears through the Sun Belt and the U.S. surpasses 150,000 deaths, the next few months look grim. How did we get here? What was the bet the White House was making on reopening? What can we learn from previous Presidents about what Donald Trump should do next? And with drowning numbers and less than 100 days before the election, can the President save himself?
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An ousted prosecutor. A freed friend. A toothless Congress. Donald Trump has claimed that under Article II of the Constitution, "I can do whatever I want to." Last week, however, the Supreme Court put him on notice. But the expansive power of the Presidency goes back much further than Donald Trump. And the consequences, crucially, go far beyond him.
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thishistoric)
Whether you're a seasoned politics addict or wanting to be engaged but don't know where to begin, The Millennial's Guide gives you the bigger picture, putting today's events into historical context with intellectual honesty, authenticity, and millennial snark.
Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/thishistoric)