America Explained

*** *** Receive 15% off the America Explained newsletter *** *** Donald Trump has won early primary contests in Iowa and New Hampshire. But the results have highlighted some warning signs for his campaign. Plus, Ron DeSantis is gone. Why was anyone enthusiastic about him in the first place? Andy discusses. Credits Host - Andy Gawthorpe

*** Receive 15% off the America Explained newsletter *** Since our last episode it was the Fourth of July, the holiday that many politicians and commentators like to mark by talking nonsense about the Founding Fathers. In this episode Andy explores all of the ways in which popular debate often gets the Founders wrong, and explains how the founding generation was riven by all kinds of disagreements...

Merry Christmas!

*** *** Receive 15% off the America Explained newsletter *** *** In the early days of the conflict in Gaza, the Biden administration called its approach to Israel "hugging them close". But now more and more disagreements are emerging between between the two countries, and hugs don't seem to be working anymore. What does this mean for the rest of the conflict and the broader future of the Israeli-P...

*** *** Receive 15% off the America Explained newsletter *** *** Nowadays we're used to the idea that America will stick by Israel almost no matter what. But American policymakers didn't always view Israel as an ally or a strategic asset for the United States. On the anniversary of the partition of Palestine by the United Nations - an event which set the stage for the modern Middle East - Andy dis...

*** *** Receive 15% off the America Explained newsletter *** *** It's roughly one year until the 2024 presidential election. There have been a host of conflicting signals about what the outcome might be recently - from some terrible polls for Biden to some good state and local election results for Democrats. Andy unpacks what it all means and what the big challenges are for Biden. Credits Host - A...

*** Check out the America Explained newsletter for regular posts on the big issues in U.S. politics and foreign policy and no extra spam: https://amerex.substack.com/ *** The latest idea floating around in Republican Party circles is that America should invade Mexico to combat drug cartels. Andy explains why they're saying this and how the history of America's previous interventions in Mexico show...

*** *** Receive 15% off the America Explained newsletter *** *** Hamas and Israel are headed for war, and the entire region might get sucked in - along with the United States. In this episode Andy explores how the U.S. is responding to the conflict and how it is affecting American politics and culture Credits Host - Andy Gawthorpe

*** *** Receive 15% off the America Explained newsletter *** *** Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy just became the first speaker in American history to be voted out of his office. Far from a hapless victim, McCarthy played a key role in radicalizing his own party and making it impossible for anyone to impose order on it. That means his successors are likely to have just as har...

*** Check out the America Explained Substack newsletter for a few written posts a month on the big issues in U.S. politics and foreign policy and no extra spam: https://amerex.substack.com/ *** Andy and Catherine explore the roots of today's anti-LGBT panic in the postwar 'Lavendar scare', talk about why conservatives today have chosen to demonize gay and trans people, and look at some of the conc...

*** *** Receive 15% off the America Explained newsletter *** *** This month is the anniversary of when Lewis and Clark returned from their famous expedition across the North American continent. In popular culture the story is often portrayed as one of brave adventurers overcoming great odds. But what was actually the purpose of their mission? In this episode Andy talks about how Lewis and Clark's...

*** *** Receive 15% off the America Explained newsletter *** *** Trump has been indicted again! Andy talks about why the Georgia indictment is so much more dangerous for Trump than the others, and in the second half of the episode analyzes the current state of the GOP primary. Follow Andy on Twitter for more . Credits Host - Andy Gawthorpe

*** Check out the free America Explained newsletter for regular posts on American politics and foreign policy *** Donald Trump faces his third serious criminal indictment this year. Andy breaks down Special Counsel Jack Smith's legal strategy and the problems it might face. Follow Andy on Twitter for more . Credits Host - Andy Gawthorpe

*** Check out the free America Explained newsletter for regular posts on American politics and foreign policy *** When we think of America, one of the first images that comes to mind are often a neat row of suburban houses, or long highways stretching into the distance. But how did those pictures come about, and what about the people who got left out - the people who couldn't afford one of those s...

*** Receive 15% off the America Explained newsletter *** Since our last episode it was the Fourth of July, the holiday that many politicians and commentators like to mark by talking nonsense about the Founding Fathers. In this episode Andy explores all of the ways in which popular debate often gets the Founders wrong, and explains how the founding generation was riven by all kinds of disagreements...

*** Receive 15% off the America Explained newsletter using the following link: https://amerex.substack.com/subscribe?coupon=d5d87848 *** For a few hours last Saturday, as mutinous Russian soldiers marched towards Moscow, it seemed like we were on the brink of entering a radically changed world. In the end the crisis passed, but only by ushering in a new era of flux and instability in Russian polit...

*** Receive 15% off the America Explained newsletter using the following link: https://amerex.substack.com/subscribe?coupon=d5d87848 *** Trump has been indicted - again! But the trial might never take place before next year's election, and after that Trump could pardon himself. Andy unpacks why what Trump is alleged to have won is so bad but why he may very well not face justice. Credits Host - An...

*** Check out the America Explained Substack newsletter for a few written posts a month on the big issues in U.S. politics and foreign policy and no extra spam: https://amerex.substack.com/ *** The most successful politicians are often the most successful storytellers. Barack Obama, Winston Churchill, Ronald Reagan - they all excelled at telling spinning narratives with which their supporters coul...

*** Check out the America Explained newsletter for regular posts on the big issues in U.S. politics and foreign policy and no extra spam: https://amerex.substack.com/ *** It always seems to be election season in America, and one reason is the system of primary elections, in which each party picks its candidate before the general election. But why do primaries exist, and are they a good idea? In th...

*** Check out the America Explained newsletter for regular posts on the big issues in U.S. politics and foreign policy and no extra spam: https://amerex.substack.com/ *** For a long time, Ron DeSantis has been discussed as the only person who could beat Trump to the Republican presidential nomination. Now his star is falling and the possibility of him posing a serious challenge to Trump seems to b...

*** Check out the America Explained newsletter for regular posts on the big issues in U.S. politics and foreign policy and no extra spam: https://amerex.substack.com/ *** The latest idea floating around in Republican Party circles is that America should invade Mexico to combat drug cartels. Andy explains why they're saying this and how the history of America's previous interventions in Mexico show...

*** Check out the America Explained Substack newsletter for a few written posts a month on the big issues in U.S. politics and foreign policy and no extra spam: https://amerex.substack.com/ *** Andy and Catherine explore the roots of today's anti-LGBT panic in the postwar 'Lavendar scare', talk about why conservatives today have chosen to demonize gay and trans people, and look at some of the conc...

*** Check out the America Explained Substack newsletter for a few written posts a month on the big issues in U.S. politics and foreign policy and no extra spam: https://amerex.substack.com/ *** Donald Trump has been indicted and will surrender himself to authorities next Tuesday. Who has the worst takes about the news, and what are the implications for American politics? Andy and Catherine discuss...

*** Check out the America Explained Substack newsletter for a few written posts a month on the big issues in U.S. politics and foreign policy and no extra spam: https://amerex.substack.com/ *** The British relationship with America has long been known, at least in Britain, as "the special relationship". But the election of Joe Biden has the British political class, particularly those most committe...

*** Check out the free America Explained newsletter for a few posts a month on American politics and foreign policy *** In the last few months, Biden has launched an aggressive effort to cripple the Chinese semiconductor industry, a Chinese spy balloon has floated across America, and Beijing has allegedly been preparing to provide arms to Russia to help with the conflict in Ukraine. Andy and Cathe...