The Great Recession of 2007–2008 marked one of the most significant economic downturns in modern history, shaking the foundations of global markets and challenging long-held beliefs about free-market capitalism. At the heart of this crisis was a deep reckoning with the principles of the conservative economic consensus—particularly the faith in unregulated markets and minimal governmentContinue reading “Obama’s Response to the Great Recession”
Author Archives: vsmalone23
Empire, Freedom, and the Endless Wars
Andrew Bacevich challenges the popular narrative that U.S. involvement in the Middle East is simply a response to terrorism. He argues that deeper structural forces drive U.S. foreign policy — mainly the pursuit of global dominance, economic interests (especially oil), and the maintenance of what he calls an “informal empire.” According to Bacevich, America’s politicalContinue reading “Empire, Freedom, and the Endless Wars”
Land, Liberty, and the New Right
The Sagebrush Rebellion and Wise Use movement of the 1980s and 1990s were part of a growing backlash against federal control over public lands in the American West. These movements were deeply tied to issues of land use, property rights, and environmental regulation, and they played a key role in shaping the New Right politicalContinue reading “Land, Liberty, and the New Right”
Jerry Falwell and the Rise of the Christian Right
Pastor Jerry Falwell was a central figure in the rise of the Christian Right in American politics, particularly during the late 20th century. His influence reached far beyond the pulpit, shaping a powerful political movement that merged evangelical Christianity with conservative values. But how did a pastor become such a key political force? And whatContinue reading “Jerry Falwell and the Rise of the Christian Right”
How Pennsylvania’s Working Class Was “Recycled” in the Shift to a Service Economy
The economic landscape of the United States underwent a seismic shift in the 1970s and 1980s, as the nation transitioned from an industrial to a service-based economy. Few places felt this shift more acutely than Pennsylvania, once a titan of steel, coal, and manufacturing. The collapse of these industries forced the working class into lower-payingContinue reading “How Pennsylvania’s Working Class Was “Recycled” in the Shift to a Service Economy”
The Myth of the Vietnam Divide
The Vietnam War era is often remembered as a time of deep social and political divisions in the United States. One of the most persistent narratives of the late 1960s and early 1970s is that the anti-war movement was led by privileged, college-educated “elite doves,” while the “reactionary hardhats” of the White working class stoodContinue reading “The Myth of the Vietnam Divide”
The Working-Class War
Christian Appy argues that the Vietnam War was primarily fought by young men from the working class. Unlike World War II, where participation spanned a broad cross-section of American society, Vietnam’s combat troops were disproportionately taken from lower-income backgrounds. This was largely due to the draft system, which allowed deferments for college students—an option moreContinue reading “The Working-Class War”
The Hidden Struggles of the Civil Rights Movement in the North
When we think about the Civil Rights Movement, the story we often hear is one of the South—Jim Crow laws, segregationist politicians, and violent opposition to Black activism. The way history is usually told makes it seem like racism was a uniquely Southern problem, something that could be fixed by striking down laws and enforcingContinue reading “The Hidden Struggles of the Civil Rights Movement in the North”
Missiles, Money, and the Cold War
The Minuteman Missiles in South Dakota were an integral component of the Cold War economy and a manifestation of what President Dwight D. Eisenhower referred to as the “military-industrial complex.” Under the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union were competing in a nuclear arms race, and defense spending therefore skyrocketed. The federalContinue reading “Missiles, Money, and the Cold War”
“The Lavender Scare: How Fear and Prejudice Fueled Political Persecution in Cold War America”
Like the Red Scare, which was about communism, the Lavender Scare is the period of the 1950s when the U.S. government persecuted and targeted members of the LGBTQ+ communityThe assumption that homosexuals were more blackmail and espionage targets drove this movement because they seemed to compromise national securityOne of the prevailing traits of the largerContinue reading ““The Lavender Scare: How Fear and Prejudice Fueled Political Persecution in Cold War America””
Will Wright 