Show Notes
This episode explores the weird history and legacy of the John Birch Society. The conservative organization organized itself around a fervent anti-communisim and took its name from a missionary it saw as a martyr. The story of the real John Birch is told, and the show discusses how the Society that bears his name worships a false image of the man himself, who would have not agreed with the Society’s politics. How did the Birchers get kicked out of mainstream conservatism by William F. Buckley? Why did they hate Eisenhower? The episode also explores the conspiratorial nature of fringe politics in general and reflects on what the Birchers can teach us about Q anon, the Tea Party, and more paranoid styles of politics. Starring Jay Eldred and Jordan Poss!