Sandra Day O’Connor, First Female Supreme Court Justice

Sandra Day O'Connor (1930-2023), the first woman nominated to the Supreme Court (by President Ronald Reagan in 1981 -- she served until 2006 -- has died at the age of 93. The retrospectives are pouring in. 'American icon' She inspired a generation of women A ranch girl who became 'queen of the court' Pragmatic and …

Bidenomics: A Contrast With Reaganomics

President Biden has embraced the umbrella term "Bidenomics" to explain his economic policies as the rate of inflation has fallen by half since mid-2022, unemployment remains low, confidence has risen substantially and fears of a recession have so far not been met. When Biden took office, unemployment was 6.3 percent. In June 2023, it had …

How the ‘Solid South’ Shifted from Reliably Democrat to Reliably Republican

Understanding 20th century Southern political history is essential to comprehending the potential for changes in voting patterns or a realignment of states in presidential and congressional elections in the 2020s. The so-called “Solid South” of White segregationists’ block voting for Democrats existed between the end of Reconstruction in 1877 to the passage of the Civil Rights Act …

70+ Years of US Supreme Court History, Apogees of Judicial Liberalism and Conservatism

Here's an overview of seven decades of Supreme Court history, from the Earl Warren court, the apogee of judicial liberalism; to the Warren Burger court and the William Rehnquist court; to the John Roberts' court, apogees of judicial conservatism; plus links to profiles of several distinguished justices. With President Biden's appointment of Ketanji Brown Jackson, …

Stock Market Gains, Losses Under Presidents Since Reagan. How Political Parties’ Economic Performances Are Perceived

How much a president inspires the stock market remains a question of debate. But let's look at the record since 1980. During Ronald Reagan's eight years, the stock market gained 118 percent. During George H.W. Bush's four years, the stock market gained 51 percent. During Bill Clinton's eight years, the stock market gained 210 percent. …

Greatest Recorded Speeches in Modern American History

From 1933 when radio became a mass medium through the early 1960s when television became a mass medium through 2008 when the Internet became a mass medium, powerful speeches have transformed American politics, or have lifted the county's imagination. They do tend to contribute to the "great man theory" of history -- just because a …

Historians’ Surprising Rankings of Best and Worst Presidents

Ronald Reagan, John F. Kennedy and Barack Obama rank among the top 10 presidents in U.S. history, according to a CSPAN survey, as reported by The Washington Post. Donald Trump ranks among the worst. Do Reagan, Kennedy and Obama really deserve to be ranked in the top 10? Reagan "won the Cold War," a friend …

Might Ronald Reagan and Speaker Tip O’Neill Provide Model for Joe Biden and Mitch McConnell?

"Tip and the Gipper: When Politics Worked" was a book by Chris Matthews about how the Democratic Speaker of the House, Tip O'Neill, and President Ronald Reagan both believed in the art of compromise, found common ground, and sought bipartisan solutions between 1981 and 1986 to reform taxes, save Social Security, reform immigration, and set …

Ronald Reagan Biographer H.W. Brands Says He’s Most Significant President of 2nd Half of 20th Century

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFuK7Gy-yag&t=10s Ronald Reagan's reputation has changed dramatically since he departed office in 1989. He was the most important and successful president of the second half of the 20th century, says Historian H.W. Brands, author of Reagan: The Life (2019). Franklin Roosevelt was, of course, the most important president of the first half of the 20th …

Leaders’ Historical Reputations Wax and Wane. Images Fluctuate

As Donald Trump's presidency comes to an end, it's important to remember that leaders' popularity and historical reputations tend to shift over time. Here's an overview of how that has happened to previous leaders: Presidents once considered heroes of the Democratic Party -- Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson -- have been removed from their symbolic …