The Doneson Podcast

Welcome to our last episode of the season! We're signing off with a leader that much of the American public felt was one of the most captivating leaders of all time: President Barack Obama. Obama changed the face of our country by instilling programs that had as a mandate to help those who needed it most. With the introduction of Obamacare, health care became accessible to almost 95% of the country. President Obama also saved millions of jobs in the automotive industry with his economic stimulus package. And finally, his secret military operation was the one who finally found and destroyed Bin laden, the world's most wanted terrorist. However, there are two sides to every coin…President Barack Obama's programs were intended to be affordable. Once in place though, unintended results began to pile up. The notion of affordable health care seemed impossible as the costs of Medicare skyrocketed. Income assistance programs were overwhelmed with more applicants than expected. So, this begs the question…when solutions seem great on paper but do not perform the same way in reality, are they still worthwhile? Join the gang for episode #20 and find out!

Welcome to episode 19 of the DONESON podcast! Today we discuss an iconic American: Henry Ford. He is mostly known for being the founder of Ford Motors and changing the entire concept of transportation for the 20th century. However, there was another side to Ford. One that was in direct conflict with how he changed the world by revolutionizing moving assembly lines and his desire to ensure that all his workers received fair compensation. That other side was his anti-Semitic views and ties to Nazi Germany. Although opposed to the war initially, Ford seized the opportunity to make a profit on it and share his prevalent anti-Semitism with the world.

Join us for episode 18 of the DONESON podcast as we discuss Francis Scott Key. Key was the author of the most recognized song in our country -our national anthem. A song that was derived from an original poem by Key, is now a sign of patriotism. However, when you look beneath the surface, there's much more to the story. Key's clear support of slavery and general open bigotry against African-Americans, seems to have been muted against the sounds of The Star-Spangled Banner. Does his work as an attorney and his deep spirituality counteract his racist notions? Listen to the podcast and find out!

Join the gang for episode 17 of the DONESON podcast! Ronald Reagan is the leader we are discussing in this episode. Reagan was Republican president who initiated a space military system nicknamed Star Wars, appointed the first woman to the Supreme Court and yet was an FBI informant contracted to spy on Hollywood's elite. Reagan also turned a blind eye to cocaine smuggling into the U.S and was opposed to civil rights, voting rights and fair housing rights and even supported apartheid in South Africa. Although being known as a people's person, Reagan also had direct links to Sewergate -which was a known to cause more environmental damage than it was supposed to help. A leader that has a conflicting past despite a few honorable moments.

Welcome to episode sixteen of the Doneson podcast! Thomas Jefferson was a mover and a shaker when it came to being president. From securing more land for the country from Napoleon, to selling his personal library to Congress-his motives seemed to be directed towards the greater good of the country. However, despite the beliefs he claimed to have; he was still a slave owner, said disparaging comments about slaves and was known to have fathered six children with one of his slaves. So, the question is…was his behavior a sign of the times or something more? Which side was he really on?

Come join the gang for Episode #15 of the Doneson Podcast! Today we discuss a different kind of a leader; one from the past who ended up being a major player in changing the future that we are familiar with today. It's Harriet Tubman- one of the most famous of all the Underground Railroad conductors. Freeing slaves was her job but it wasn't an easy one. Tubman used surprising methods like her singing voice as well as more unorthodox ones like a pistol, to ensure that her plans were carried out. Despite being the first and only woman to hold this position, the amount of people she freed, is still up for debate. Tubman makes for an intriguing and enlightening leader that is more than worth discussing.

Finally, we have arrived at the fourteenth episode of the Doneson podcast! Welcome to all! Today we discuss a different leader, a business and technology giant: Elon Musk. The man who was the inspiration for the blockbuster film-Iron Man. Musk is only the second man in Silicon Valley to bring three companies to a billion dollars. All this while creating a new venture to bring transportation underground and solve the issue of traffic in our cities. However, for everything positive there's always a negative and Elon Musk's OCD tendencies often keep him focused more on one than the other. Operations under him tend to be disastrous, not to mention his idea of implanting all humans with a microchip so we can keep up with technology.

Thank you for joining us here for episode thirteen of the Doneson podcast! Today we discuss the leadership of Franklin D. Roosevelt. This was a president who established two of the most important facets of modern life that offer protection to our citizens. He instituted the Welfare Act and established Social Security. He was also known for a particularly famous speech he gave at Pearl Harbor. It wasn't all good though, FDR also opposed anti-lynching legislation, denied European Jews refuge- ultimately sending them back to their death during the Holocaust. Last but certainly not least, FDR was also the reason for redlining in the Homeowners Loan Corporation which denied credit to many Americans on the basis of complete and utter racism.

Welcome to episode twelve of the Doneson podcast! Join us as we dissect the leadership of another U.S President: Jimmy Carter. Carter was known for pardoning Vietnam war draft dodgers. This was a huge acknowledgment that healed the wounds of many. He was also known for creating the Department of Education, which created loans and allowed all children access to schooling through free bussing despite their family's economic stature. Another interesting fact was Jimmy Carter's conviction that he had been witness to a passing UFO. On the flip side, he admitted to committing adultery in his heart despite being in a 76-year marriage and had family members who made his political image challenging at times. He also gave away the Panama Canal which brought up conflicting points of contention for many.

Today on episode eleven of the Doneson podcast! We examine the inner workings of Ulysses S. Grant -the "S" in his name being a mistake that stuck with him his entire career. Grant was a Republican President back 1867 who succeed in dismantling the first era of the KKK. He brought positive changes to voters by prohibiting discrimination towards them by state officials with the Force Act of 1870. Despite these advancements, Grant was also known to be a drunk and have no political experience before becoming president. Sadly, he was also the cause of one of the bloodiest wars between Native Americans and the government. The Great Sioux War, also known as the Black Hills War -left yet another huge scar on American history.