x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

The Buck Starts Here - Presidents, Policies, Hilarious History

China Shop Productions

The Buck Starts Here—where U.S. presidential history gets a spicy makeover. Join no-nonsense economist Eric Mason and history-obsessed wild card Kyle Hedman as they dig into the messy, mind-blowing, and often WTF moments that shaped America’s commanders-in-chief. This is history served hot, with side-eye, deep dives, and sharp commentary that brings the past to life. From bad decisions and bigger egos to the policies that still echo today, we’re naming names and spilling presidential tea. Hit follow

history

All Episodes

00:54:58

Mexican–American War Part I: Border? Never Heard of Her

The Buck Starts Here - Presidents, Policies,... ·

2025/12/12

Kyle and Eric kick off this two-part Buck Wild saga with the absolute chaos leading up to the Mexican–American War; geopolitical dumpster fire powered by bad maps, worse communication, and two nations acting like the group project was someone else’s problem.In Part I, we’re talking Mexico trying to run a brand-new country, American settlers arriving in Texas with an energy best described as “uninvited plus one,” Santa Anna rewriting the government structure every time he sneezes, and President Polk

en-us

00:53:08

Zachary Taylor Part II: Secession? Try Me.

The Buck Starts Here - Presidents, Policies,... ·

2025/12/05

Kyle and Eric break down the short, spicy, absolutely unhinged presidency of Zachary Taylor — the reluctant leader who walked into Washington like it was a battlefield and handled Congress with the same stubborn, no-frills logic he used in the army. Yes, he was a slave holding southerner. Yes, he also threatened to personally deal with any state that tried to secede. It’s complicated.This episode unpacks Taylor’s entire frontier-brained approach to governing: his die-on-this-hill stance on

en-us

01:07:35

Zachary Taylor Part I: The Man, The Myth, The Malaria

The Buck Starts Here - Presidents, Policies,... ·

2025/11/28

Kyle and Eric dive into Zachary Taylor’s wild, fever-drenched military career : years of mud, malaria, and miraculous battlefield luck. This is Taylor before politics: a stubborn, dust-covered commander who kept winning fights through sheer force of will and a total disregard for strategy.From early frontier chaos to the near-disaster-turned-victory at Buena Vista, the guys break down how Taylor’s “just send it” approach shaped his entire legend. It’s messy, unpredictable, and extremely on brand for

en-us

00:43:24

Buck Wild Bonus: States Rights: America's Original...

The Buck Starts Here - Presidents, Policies,... ·

2025/11/07

Kyle and Eric go Buck Wild in this bonus episode about the biggest historical cop-out of all time: states’ rights. You’ve heard the phrase, now hear the chaos behind it. From the 10th Amendment’s “you’re not my real dad” energy to John C. Calhoun’s compact theory meltdown, the guys trace how a constitutional clause got twisted into America’s longest-running excuse for bad behavior.We’re talking nullification drama, Andrew Jackson’s federal power flex, slavery masquerading as “liberty,” and the

en-us

00:56:21

James K. Polk Part II: Polk Harder

The Buck Starts Here - Presidents, Policies,... ·

2025/10/31

The overachiever president is back, and he’s not here to relax. Kyle and Eric break down how James K. Polk took the Oval Office like it was a four-year challenge round: start a war with Mexico, threaten Britain over Oregon, cut tariffs, expand the country by a third, and burn himself out in record time.It’s Manifest Destiny, micromanagement, and moral mayhem: the ultimate story of a man who did everything and enjoyed none of it.🎙️ The Buck Starts Here — where history meets sharp wit, brutal

en-us

00:40:32

James K Polk Part I: A Whig in A Poke

The Buck Starts Here - Presidents, Policies,... ·

2025/10/24

Kyle and Eric fire up the mics to roast President #11 — the guy whose greatest achievement might’ve been getting cut open without anesthesia and still somehow making it to the White House. From his “industrious” slave-owning dad (eyeroll) to his math-nerd grind at UNC Chapel Hill and his fanboy obsession with Andrew Jackson, this episode dives deep into how Polk turned being forgettable into a political superpower.We’re talking early Tennessee politics, suffrage for white men only (wow), the birth

en-us

00:58:43

John Tyler Part II: Whigging Out

The Buck Starts Here - Presidents, Policies,... ·

2025/10/17

John Tyler is back and Whigging Out. He’s vetoing everything that moves, picking fights with Congress for sport, and casually dropping foreign policy hot takes about Hawaii. Tariffs? He’s mad. The Whigs? They’re furious. Daniel Webster? Probably stress-drinking tea somewhere.This episode’s got it all: tariff tantrums, Florida joining the Union, Texas waiting in the wings like a messy situationship, and the Tyler Doctrine arriving out of nowhere like that guy who crashes every party. Manifest Destiny

en-us

00:46:02

John Tyler Part I: A Masterclass in Financial Illiteracy

The Buck Starts Here - Presidents, Policies,... ·

2025/10/10

John Tyler didn’t just distrust banks — he hated them. This man looked at paper money like it was a con artist, treated gold like a personality trait, and talked about fractional reserve banking like it was a demonic ritual.In this episode, Kyle and Eric introduce you to the Whig Party’s resident chaos agent — a man who managed to unite people he didn’t even agree with, all while loudly yelling “NO” to basically everything. He was the political equivalent of a live grenade in a powdered wig.So

en-us

00:43:50

William Henry Harrison Part III: The Battle That...

The Buck Starts Here - Presidents, Policies,... ·

2025/10/03

Before Harrison was slinging hard cider and log cabin merch, he was out in the Indiana wilderness starring in his own chaotic war story: the Battle of Tippecanoe.Kyle & Eric break down the buildup — broken treaties, Tecumseh’s growing confederacy, and Harrison marching his troops right up to Prophetstown. Then the fight kicks off: a surprise night attack, soldiers firing into the dark, officers scrambling, and Harrison barely holding the line.The aftermath? Far from perfect. But here’s where the

en-us

00:50:53

William Henry Harrison Part II: Who Doesn’t Like Log...

The Buck Starts Here - Presidents, Policies,... ·

2025/09/26

1840 wasn’t just an election, it was the first American political rager. The Whigs rolled out log cabins, Tippecanoe clubs, parade floats, and barrels of hard cider until the whole country was drunk on Harrison hype. It was the original meme campaign, and it worked.Kyle & Eric are here for all the chaos:🍎How Harrison became the first viral candidate (no Wi-Fi required)🏛️The 8,445-word inaugural speech that doubled as cardio📅Calling Congress into special session like, “Hi, I’m in charge

en-us

01:03:10

William Henry Harrison Part I: America’s Forgotten...

The Buck Starts Here - Presidents, Policies,... ·

2025/09/19

Think Harrison was just “the president who gave a speech, caught a cold, and died”? WRONG. This man was a walking PR machine, a frontier general, and the guy who basically put Ohio on the map (you’re welcome, Buckeyes).Kyle and Eric are here to drag him out of history’s meme bin and show you:⚔️How Harrison went from 18-year-old ensign to field-promotion legend🍎Why the Whigs turned “hard cider and log cabins” into the first viral campaign slogan📜 How Detroit was saved with logistics, not cannon

en-us

00:39:45

Buck Wild: Unfiltered, Unhinged, Unnecessary (But...

The Buck Starts Here - Presidents, Policies,... ·

2025/09/05

No one asked for chaos, but here it is anyway: the unedited, unhinged mid-season interlude. Jackson slander? Check. Van Buren’s Darth Vader redemption arc? Check. A half-baked plan to score presidents on morality? Check. Hurricane Katrina, Soviet planes, and Eric inventing new words? Also check.This is what happens when Laura doesn’t edit out 25% of the nonsense. You’ve been warned.🔥 Don’t just lurk —👍 Follow the show🌐 chinashopproductions.com📜 buckstartsherepodcast.com📩

en-us

01:07:16

Martin Van Buren Part II: Surviving Panic, Divorce,...

The Buck Starts Here - Presidents, Policies,... ·

2025/08/29

Martin Van Buren walked straight into the Panic of 1837like, “Hey y’all, I’m here to ruin your economy.” But plot twist — the guy actually invented some modern banking practices, called Congress back on their day off (rude but effective), and even gave us the ten-hour workday. We’re talking the Divorce Bill, boiler explosions, and a redemption arc thatalmost makes you forget he enforced the Trail of Tears. Almost.👉 Want the full meltdown?Check out our deep dive on the Panic of 1837: Listen here💌

en-us

00:53:16

Martin Van Buren Part I: The OG Political Machine

The Buck Starts Here - Presidents, Policies,... ·

2025/08/22

Pull the strings, history nerds — it’s time to meet Martin Van Buren, the “Little Magician” who made political deals appear out of thin air while looking like Jackson’s less-fun stunt double. Was he a genius or just a guy who knew how to hang around long enough to inherit the throne?This episode dives into Dutch tavern tales, Jackson’s puppet show, banking schemes, and one very sad love story. Spoiler: this guy is not making it onto Mount Rushmore.👉 Hit follow so you don’t miss the chaos.👉 Drop us

en-us

00:55:12

Andrew Jackson Part V: How to Break a Nation's Heart,...

The Buck Starts Here - Presidents, Policies,... ·

2025/08/15

Andrew Jackson is DONE… but the chaos he left behind? Oh dear, it’s still smoldering. In this episode, we’re dragging Old Hickory for his real presidential legacy—bulldozing Native Americans off their land under the banner of “benevolence” (translation: bayonets and bad faith).We’re serving up the receipts: the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, shady treaties signed by randos with zero authority, Florida invasions that Spain did not RSVP to, and the Trail of Tears—which wasn’t one sad walk, but YEARS of

en-us

00:41:58

Andrew Jackson Part IV: How to Wreck a Nation,...

The Buck Starts Here - Presidents, Policies,... ·

2025/08/08

Andrew Jackson might be out of office, but the scorched-earth vibes are alive and well in this episode. Kyle and Eric break down how Old Hickory basically rage-quit the economy—killing the national bank, banning paper money for land, and tossing federal funds into sketchy “pet banks” like he was making it rain at a fiscal frat party. Spoiler: he left the country broke.Martin Van Buren? Useless. The Bank of England? Pissed.Cotton? Crashed. And the U.S.? Spiral. Into. Depression. This isn’t just a

en-us

01:11:48

Andrew Jackson Part III: Populism.exe Has Crashed the...

The Buck Starts Here - Presidents, Policies,... ·

2025/08/01

Democracy Not Found, Please reinstall ConstitutionGet ready to scream into a $20 bill, because this episode is one wild, whiskey-soaked ride through the chaos that was Andrew Jackson’s presidency.Our hosts Kyle and Eric break down the hot mess express of Jacksonian democracy—starting with a literal mob trashing the White House and ending with an economic meltdown that somehow wasn’t even the worst thing he did. (Trail of Tears, anyone?)We’re spilling all the historically certified tea:The White

en-us

00:29:26

Andrew Jackson Part II: Populist Showmanship and the...

The Buck Starts Here - Presidents, Policies,... ·

2025/07/25

He called himself the champion of the common man—but spoiler alert: only if that man was white, land-owning, and totally cool with slavery. In this hot-and-heavy second dive into the tangled legacy of Andrew Jackson, Kyle and Eric rip off the rose-colored glasses and get real about the president who practically invented political branding and executive overreach.From a booze-soaked inauguration that turned the White House lawn into a frat party, to doubling down on slavery while claiming to fight

en-us

00:54:08

Andrew Jackson Part I: How to Build a Legend in Six...

The Buck Starts Here - Presidents, Policies,... ·

2025/07/18

We showed up ready to drag Andrew Jackson—and somehow left kinda rooting for the guy.Before he was torching democracy and flexing executive power like a toddler with a crown, Jackson was a dirt-poor, rage-powered teen orphan with a scar on his face and a grudge against the British. In this jaw-dropping origin story, Kyle and Eric trace how this scrappy frontier misfit went from bootless brawler to war hero, courtroom enforcer, and surprise national darling.He lost his whole family, got stabbed in

en-us

00:35:39

Bill of Rights Part II: Don’t Tread, Don’t Tax,...

The Buck Starts Here - Presidents, Policies,... ·

2025/07/11

Think the Founders shot their shot with the First Five?Please. The back half of the Bill of Rights is where it really getsspicy. Kyle and Eric Mason break down Amendments 6–10—and then hit you with abonus round so wild it involves smugglers, speedy trials, and a college kid with a C paper who rewrote the Constitution out of pure spite.We’re talking civil juries, cruel and unusual punishment(hi, bail system), and the Ninth Amendment’s legal version of “don’t tell me what I can’t do.” Oh—and the

en-us

53 results

Similar Podcasts

The Old Front Line

Paul Reed

Today In History with The Retrospectors

The Retrospectors

جنود خلدهم التاريخ

ALSUMOOD PODCAST

Film History - Daily

Inception Point Ai

Madonna - Audio Biography

Inception Point Ai