How have Americans viewed personal debt over the course of history? What can the morality and functionality of debt tell us about the debate over President Bident’s student loan forgiveness program? 

Heather and Joanne discuss the history of debtors’ prisons in early America, the rise of bankruptcy laws after the Civil War, and the Cold War origins of federal student loans. 

Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history

For more historical analysis of current events, sign up for the free weekly CAFE Brief newsletter, featuring Time Machine, a weekly article that dives into an historical event inspired by each episode of Now & Then: cafe.com/brief

For references & supplemental materials, head to :cafe.com/now-and-then/forgiving-and-unforgiving-debts/

Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.
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Forgiving (and Unforgiving) Debts

How can the past help inform today’s most pressing challenges? Every Wednesday, award-winning historians Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman use their encyclopedic knowledge of US history to bring the past to life. Together, they make sense of the week in news by discussing the people, ideas, and events that got us here today. Now and Then is produced by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

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Heather Cox Richardson, host of Now & Then, joins Stay Tuned with Preet to discuss her new book, “Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America.” They talk about the origins of the terms “liberal” and “conservative,” a 1937 anti-FDR manifesto that presaged today’s GOP, and the ways in which the nation might move beyond the chaos of the Trump years. 

Head to the Stay Tuned feed to listen.
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Heather Cox Richardson on Stay Tuned with Preet

On this finale episode of Now & Then, Heather and Joanne are joined by the show’s production team to discuss behind-the-scenes reflections and favorite memories from the series. Editorial Producers David Kurlander and Sam Ozer-Staton, Executive Producer Tamara Sepper, and Audio Producer Matthew Billy celebrate history, democracy, and friendship with the historians. 

For references & supplemental materials, head to: https://cafe.com/now-and-then/then-and-now/

Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.
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Then...and Now

How do political debates help and hurt American democracy? Heather and Joanne reflect on the recent Republican primary debate and discuss the long legacy of the institution, from Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr’s proto-debates with voters during the contentious 1800 election, to the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates, to the iconic 1960 televised debates between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. 

Heather and Joanne discuss their own experiences participating in debates in the “Backstage” portion of the podcast. To get access to Backstage segments and other exclusive content, become a member at cafe.com/history.

Now & Then is ending on September 13th. Leave us a voicemail with your favorite moment from the show at 669-247-7338 or write to us at letters@cafe.com.

For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/looking-ahead-a-viewers-guide-to-presidential-debates/

Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.
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Looking Ahead: A Viewers’ Guide to Presidential Debates

What can we expect from the 2024 Conventions? Heather and Joanne look at the role of political conventions in American life, from the “King Caucus” era of the early 1800s, to President Lincoln’s ascendance at the 1860 RNC, to the impact of the 1968 DNC on the political process. 

Heather and Joanne discuss the power of political history in the “Backstage” portion of the podcast. To get access to Backstage segments and other exclusive content, become a member at cafe.com/history.

Now & Then is ending on September 13th. Leave us a voicemail with your favorite moment from the show at 669-247-7338 or write to us at letters@cafe.com.

For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/looking-ahead-to-2024-conventions-caucuses-and-the-balance-of-democracy/

Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.
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Looking Ahead to 2024: Conventions, Caucuses, and the Balance of Democracy

Can former President Trump pardon himself? Heather and Joanne explore the history of the pardon power, from constitutional debates, to President Andrew Johnson’s controversial Confederate pardons, to the corrupt Georgia pardon practices that precipitated the very relevant Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles. 

Heather and Joanne discuss what pardons have in common with extensions and other professorial acts of clemency in the “Backstage” portion of the podcast. To get access to Backstage segments and other exclusive content, become a member at cafe.com/history.

For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/pardons-politics-power/

Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Forgiving (and Unforgiving) Debts

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