3 chapters across the catalog
The discussion critiques Calvin Baker's suggestion that America needs new programs modeled after the New Deal and the GI Bill. Citing data from the Cato Institute, Mo Facts explains how FDR's New Deal actually prolonged joblessness for Black Americans. They argue that these government interventions, often praised in narratives, historically denied benefits to millions of Black veterans and harmed their economic progress.
Howard University professor Dr. Greg Carr argues that Franklin D. Roosevelt was the greatest president of the 20th century despite the "racial dimensions" of the New Deal and GI Bill. The hosts point out the inconsistency in Carr's logic, where a Democrat's racism is excused by their economic policy, while a Republican like Trump is condemned for his perceived racism regardless of economic outcomes.
Eugene Burnett, a Black World War II veteran, recounts being denied the opportunity to buy a home in Levittown despite the GI Bill's promises. Salesmen explicitly told him that the developers had not yet decided to sell to "Negroes." This exclusion prevented Black veterans from accessing the same low-interest credit and wealth-building opportunities that were granted to their white counterparts after the war.
