Apr 27 Watch In St. Louis, Comparing Stimulus Funds to the New Deal In the first in a series of reports from St. Louis on the Obama administration's first 100 days, Paul Solman tracks where federal stimulus money has been spent and compares today's projects with those funded by the New Deal during… Continue watching
Mar 27 Watch Historian Discovers Positive Lessons, Community Values From Great Depression Great Depression historian Robert McElvaine found that economic downturns can lead people away from conspicuous consumption to a more community-oriented way of life. Continue watching
Mar 25 Why Use 100 Days to Evaluate a New President? By Admin, PBS News Hour From rescuing the U.S. from a deepening recession to re-examining U.S. strategy in Iraq and Afghanistan, President Barack Obama has set a busy agenda -- earning praise from some and questions from others on its ambitious scope. Continue reading
Feb 17 Watch Bipartisanship Put to Test in Light of Political Realities When the stimulus bill was passed with no Republican votes in the House and little GOP support in the Senate, questions arose on the state of bipartisan ties with the new Obama administration. Historians give their perspectives on how bipartisanship… Continue watching
Feb 16 Watch At Age 112, Montana Resident Reflects on More Than a Century of Changes Born in 1896, Walter Breuning of Great Falls, Mont., is the oldest living man in the United States. Breuning discusses his lifetime spent working for the railroads and the changes he has witnessed. Continue watching
Feb 12 Watch Obama Honors Lincoln’s 200th Birthday, Draws Parallels President Obama spoke at the Lincoln Memorial Thursday to celebrate the former president's 200th birthday, praising his ability to bridge deep divides and bring unity to a fractured nation. Historians mull Lincoln's legacy and its relevance today. Continue watching
Dec 24 Do You Believe FDR’s Big Government Investment Efforts in Fact Helped End the Great Depression, And if So, Would Such Efforts Help Now? By Business Desk Question/Comment: A friend of mine disputes the notion that FDR’s New Deal rescued the nation from the Great Depression; he argues that the war effort was the major contributor. Do you believe… Continue reading
Nov 27 Watch Lincoln, Roosevelt Presidencies Offer Lessons for Obama Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Delano Roosevelt both took office during times of crisis, and their leadership may provide President-elect Barack Obama with some insight into the road ahead. Authors with new biographies of Lincoln and FDR examine what Mr. Continue watching
Nov 25 Have We Ever Been This Close to Socialism Before? By Business Desk Question/Comment: Have we ever been this close to socialism before? Referring, of course, to all of the bail outs and attempted influence on the “free” market. Paul Solman: It’s an intriguing question, Dave. Yes, I think the New Deal was… Continue reading
Nov 04 Watch Political History Takes New Course in ’08 Election Elections from both the 1930s and the 1990s have centered on the economy, but the 2008 presidential race featured a unique combination of economic, racial and foreign policy issues. Historians discuss the events and offer some parallels from past elections. Continue watching