Being Veteran's Day, I thought I would do a class note on the Vietnam War.  The most infamous battle of the conflict was the January 1968 Tet Offensive.  The Viet Cong hoped to show Americans that they were not winning the war and create disaffection back home.  It worked.  More than any other battle, the … Continue reading Class Notes →

After WWII, President Truman supported the principle of Containment, which meant we must stop communists everywhere.  As part of Containment, he supported the Marshall Plan and NATO.  Republicans fought back with Robert Taft’s Fortress America Plan, that stated that the U.S. should pull back and not get involved in foreign affairs.  After two World Wars … Continue reading Class Notes →

By the Election of 1944, Roosevelt had reached legendary status, making it difficult to run against him.  The Republicans could not take on the popular New Deal, or the War.  The one crack FDR had in his armor was his age.  The Republicans played up Thomas Dewey’s youth and referred to the FDR Administration as … Continue reading Class Notes →

The 17th Amendment to the Constitution changed how we choose our senators. Instead of our state legislators deciding, it is done by a direct vote of the people.  If a senator leaves office early, the Governor is allowed to appoint a temporary senator.  In 1991, when arguing a 17th Amendment case, the Supreme Court said … Continue reading Class Notes →