History Does Not Come in Black and White By Nancy Spannaus Oct. 11, 2019—The first issue of the revived Bulletin of Loudoun County History is a “must-read” for those seriously committed to achieving racial harmony in the United States. Three of the articles in the yearly journal focus on the […]
By Edward Spannaus Sept. 19, 2019–Participants had a rare opportunity to view the boyhood homes of Chief Justice John Marshall, at an event held at two locations in Fauquier County, Virginia, on Sunday, September 15. The program, entitled “Patriot of the Piedmont: John Marshall and Fauquier County,” was sponsored by […]
American Dialogue: The Founders and Us, by Joseph J. Ellis. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2018. 283 pp. Reviewed by Edward Spannaus , November 29, 2018 This is both an ambitious and a provocative book. Joseph Ellis, who taught college-level American history for decades, takes the major debates among the […]
The sixth and final article in the series “The Supreme Court Affirms the American System.” Sept. 17, 2018–We publish this article today to commemorate Constitution Day, the 231st anniversary of the signing of the founding document of the United States of America. It was Supreme Court Justice John Marshall who […]
By Edward Spannaus July 25, 2018–Zack Carter’s attack on the doctrine of free trade as colonialism (HuffPost, July 22) might strike many contemporary readers as radical and over-the-top. But if it does, this is only due to Americans’ ignorance of their own history, as pointed out in a posting on […]
by Edward Spannaus Fifth of a series. The first four parts of this series, devoted to “John Marshall and the American System” can be found here. July 23, 2018–With the help of American System champion Henry Clay and his supporters, John Quincy Adams was elected President in early 1825, after […]
By Edward Spannaus June 15, 2018–Much ink has been spilt over President Donald Trump’s use of his pardoning power. Yet his use of that power is entirely consistent with the powers granted to the President by the U.S. Constitution, and with the intent of its Framers. It is refreshing to […]
By Edward Spannaus Part One- Marshall’s Supreme Court Affirms American System Part Two- Creating Legal Infrastructure for a National Economy Part Three- Virginia’s Assault on the Marshall Court Part Four- Steamboat Case Clears Way for the American System Part Five – Marshall Defends the American System against Jacksonian Populism. […]
by Edward Spannaus Fourth in a series on The Supreme Court Affirms the American System It is not immoderate to say that no other judicial pronouncement in history was so wedded to the inventive genius of man and so interwoven with the economic and social evolution of a nation and […]
By Nancy Spannaus* Oct. 14, 2020—The Oct. 2 release of Arthur Wilmarth’s new book calling for a new Glass-Steagall law is timely, and critical. Unfortunately, it is not clear that the relevant political figures are yet prepared to listen. Wilmarth’s book is entitled Taming the Megabanks: Why We Need a […]
September 19, 2020–I am pleased to announce that on September 23, I will challenge the myths about Alexander Hamilton in a lecture sponsored by the Treasury Historical Association (THA). My talk, addressed to the Treasury group via internet platform, will be based on my 2019 book Hamilton Versus Wall Street: […]
Is Taxing the Rich Really “un-American?”
By Edward Spannaus Feb. 3, 2019–In the current climate of attacks on any proposal to raise taxes on the wealthy – labelling such proposals as “radical,” “socialist” if not communistic, a slippery slope leading inevitably to Venezuela, and so forth – it would be difficult to overstate the appalling ignorance […]